Skip to main content
Log in

Explaining media choice: theoretical discussion and an empirical experiment

  • Original Article
  • Published:
AI & SOCIETY Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The paper is based on a review of research on media selection and related topics on the one hand and on an explorative pilot survey on the other. In summarising the review, the authors propose that the factors explaining media choice be grouped into five categories: (1) the properties of the media itself affect its choice, (2) properties of the user affect media choice, (3) the communication situation plays an important role, (4) macro factors explain media choice, and (5) media choice can be explained as the outcome of a dynamic multiparty negotiation process. The pilot survey compares Japanese and Finnish students’ preference of media in various communication situations. The survey results encourage reserving, local macro factors or culture, a certain amount of explanatory force in explaining media choice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baba M (2000) Skill and intuition–a new technology culture at the intersection of different cultures. In: Inkster I, Satofuka F (eds) Culture and technology in modern Japan. I.B. Tauris, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Baudrillard J (1999) Technique as social practice. In: Genosko G (ed) Jean Baudrillard: the uncollected Baudrillard. Sage, London

  • Baudrillard J (2001) L'esprit du terrorisme. In: Le Monde

  • Blumer H (1969) Symbolic interactionism: perspective and method. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs

    Google Scholar 

  • Chisholm L (2001) Youth in knowledge societies: challenges for research and policy. Young 9(1):61–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clammer J (1997) Contemporary Urban Japan. A sociology of consumption. Blackwell, Oxford

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Couch CJ (1996) Information technologies and social orders. Aldine de Gruyter, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Debray R (1996) Media manifestos. Verso, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Debray R (1992) Vie et mort de l’image. Une histoire du regard en Occident. Gallimard, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Dellinger B (1999) Controlling the Internet. Cyberdemocracy or commercial television? In: Nieminen H, Saarikoski P, Suominen J (eds) Uusi media ja arkielämä (New media and everyday life). Media studies. University of Turku, Turku

    Google Scholar 

  • Eichmann H (2000) Medienlebensstile zwischen Informationselite und Unterhaltungsproletariat. Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg EM (1984) Ambiguity as strategy in organizational communication. Commun Monogr 51(3):227–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fishman DA (2006) Rethinking Marshall McLuhan: reflections on a media theorist. J Broadcast Electron Media 50(3):567–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fulk J, Steinfield CW, Schmitz J, Power JG (1987) A social information processing model of media use in organizations. Commun Res 14(5):529–552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hasimoto Y, Ishii K, Nakamura I, Korenaga S, Tuji D, Mori Y (2000) Surveillance study on communication media use that centers on cellular phone, vol 14. The University of Tokyo Social Information Laboratory Bulletin, pp 83–192

  • Heath C, Knoblauch H, Luff P (2000) Technology and social interaction: the emergence of ‘workplace studies’. Br J Sociol 51(2):299–320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horrigan JB, Stolp C, Wilson RH (2006) Broadband utilization in space: effects of population and economic structure. Inf Soc 22:341–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu B (2006) The KTV aesthetic: popular music culture and contemporary Hong Kong cinema (Winter). Screen 47(4):407–424

    Google Scholar 

  • Järvinen H, Räsänen P (2005) Audiovisual content in mobile platforms. Prospects and restrictions. Nordicom Inf 27:2, 81–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Introna LD, Whittaker L (2006) Power, cash, and convenience: translations in the political site of the ATM. Inf Soc 22:325–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kallio K (1999) Työhteisö viestintäteknologian käyttäjänä (Working community as a user of communication technology). In: Nieminen H, Saarikoski P, Suominen J (eds) Uusi media ja arkielämä (New media and everyday life). Media studies. University of Turku, Turku

    Google Scholar 

  • Kantola I (1999) Reflections for a sociological study on the cultural acceptance of the NICTs. AI Soc 13:282–300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kantola I (2007) The role of knowledge in energy politics. A sociological study. Annales universitatis turkuensis, series B, vol 298. University of Turku, Turku

    Google Scholar 

  • Keenan W (2000) Subalterns of technopoly: brokering techno-power in academic sociology. Br J Sociol 51(2):321–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knorr-Cetina K (2001) Postsocial relations: theorizing sociality in a postsocial environment. In: Ritzer G, Smart B (eds) Handbook of Social Theory. Sage, London

  • Kopomaa T (2000) Kännykkäyhteiskunnan synty (The birth of a mobile phone society). Gaudeamus, Helsinki

    Google Scholar 

  • Latour B (1993) We have never been modern. Harvester Wheatsheaf, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Latour B (1995) Do scientific objects have a history? Pasteur and Whitehead in a bath of lactic acid yeast. Common Knowl 5:76–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Little SE (1999) Science, technology and society in East Asia: frameworks for the challenges of the next Century. AI Soc 13(3):247–262

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Lacroix J-G, Tremblay G (1997) The ‘Information Society’ and cultural industries theory. Curr Sociol 45(4)

  • Maiya K (1999) Summary & tables. Another factor determining media-preference. Survey on media-preference (for workers). Cultural acceptability of various cellular uses. In: Cultural acceptance of CSCW in Japan & Nordic Countries. A Kyoto Institute of Technology Report, March

  • Maiya K, Kinoshita Y (1999) Influences of media preference upon media selection in interpersonal communication. In: Cultural acceptance of CSCW in Japan & Nordic Countries. A Kyoto Institute of Technology Report, March

  • Matsuda M (1996) A case study on mobile telephone usage, vol 7. Tokyo social Information Laboratory Survey Bulletin

  • Matsuda Y (2005) Analysis of various factors that influence use of cellular phone and portable mail, vol 52, No. 2. Thesis collection of Osaka University of Economics

  • Mead GH (1934) Mind, self and society. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Myllyntaus T (1980) Electrifying Finland. The transfer of a new technology into a late industrialising economy. Macmillan, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura I, Hiroi O (1997) Cellular phone and 119 call, No. 9. The University of Tokyo Social Information Laboratory Survey Bulletin, pp 87–104

  • Nakamura I (2001) Interpersonal relationship of portable mail. The University of Tokyo Social Information Laboratory Japanese Information Action 2000, The University of Tokyo Publication Association, pp 285–303

  • Nieminen H (1999) Medioituminen ja suomalaisen viestintämaailman muutos (Mediatisation and the change of Finnish communication scene). In: Nieminen H, Saarikoski P, Suominen J (eds) Uusi media ja arkielämä (New media and everyday life). Media studies. University of Turku, Turku

    Google Scholar 

  • Nieminen H (2000) Hegemony and the public sphere: essays on the democratisation of communication. Series A 44. Department of Media Studies, School of Art, Literature and Music, University of Turku, Turku

  • Nurmela J (1998) Valikoiko uusi tieto- ja viestintätekniikka käyttäjänsä? (Does the new information and communication technology choose its users?) Tilastokeskus. Katsauksia (Statistics Finland. Reviews) 1/1998

  • Okamoto K, Egawa T (2004) Friendship attitude and relation between portable media communications and university student. Japanese association for educational technology, pp 137–140, vol 27

  • Park S-C (1997) The technopolis plan in Japanese industrial policy. Department of Geography, University of Göteborg, Series B. nr. 91. Göteborg

  • Petric G (2006) Conceptualizing and measuring the social uses of the Internet: the case of personal Web sites. Inf Soc 22:291–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poole MS, DeSanctis G (1990) Understanding the use of group decision support systems. In: Fulk J, Steinfield C (eds) Organizations and communication technology. Sage, Newbury Park, pp 175–195

    Google Scholar 

  • Pruulman-Vengerfeldt P (2006) Exploring social theory as a framework for social and cultural measurements of information society. Inf Soc 22:303–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Räsänen P (2005) Tieto-ja viihdekulutuksen muotoutuminen eri väestöryhmissä (Formation of consumption of information and entertainment in different population groups). Sosiologia 42(1):19–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Resca A (1999) Technology and social relationships as knowledge elements: an insight into the institutional and non-institutional relationships. AI Soc 13(3):263–281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sawyer S, Tapia A (2006) Always articulating: theorizing on mobile and wireless technologies. Inf Soc 22:311–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Satofuka F (2000) Towards fusion: technology and tradition in Japan. In: Inkster I, Satofuka F (eds) Culture and technology in modern Japan. I.B. Tauris Publishers, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Satofuka F (1999) Comparative study on cultural acceptance of remote coordination in Japan, China & Nordic Countries. In: Cultural Acceptance of CSCW in Japan & Nordic Countries. A Kyoto Institute of Technology Report, March

  • Schmitz J, Fulk J (1991) Organizational colleagues, media richness, and electronic mail: a test of the social influence model of technology. Commun Res 18(4):487–523

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Short J, Williams E, Christie B (1976) The social psychology of telecommunications. Wiley, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Srinivasan R (2006) Where information society and community voice intersect. Inf Soc 22:355–365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stehr N (1994) Knowledge societies. Sage, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Suchman L (1996) Supporting articulation work. In: Kling R (ed) Computerization and controversy: value conflicts and social choices. Morgan Kaufmann, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Suchman L, Randall T, Jeanette B (2002) Working artefacts: ethnomethodology of the prototype. Br J Sociol 53(2):163–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suominen J (1999) Kertomuksia tietoteknisestä menestyksestä, vallasta ja hallinnasta. 1960-luvun systeemiteoria ja sen heijastuminen verkkojen maailmaan (Stories about information technological success, power, and governance. The systems theory of the 1960’s and its reflection on the world of networks). In: Nieminen H, Saarikoski P, Suominen J (eds) Uusi media ja arkielämä (New media and everyday life). Media studies. University of Turku, Turku

    Google Scholar 

  • Tamura H (1999) On the cultural acceptance of remote coordination. In: Cultural Acceptance of CSCW in Japan & Nordic Countries. A Kyoto Institute of Technology Report, March

  • Trevino LK, Lengel RH, Daft RL (1987) Media symbolism, media richness, and media choice in organizations. Commun Res 14(5):553–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trevino L, Daft R, Lengel R (1990) Understanding manager's media choices: a symbolic interactionist perspective. In: Fulk J, Steinfield C (eds) Organizations and communication technology. Sage, Newbury Park, pp 71–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuuva-Hongisto S, Talsi N, Uotinen J (2006) Hei ihmistä varten! Teknologia- politiikka, kansalaislähtöisyys ja arki [Is it not for a human being! Technology policy, grassroots, and everyday life]. Kultaneito IV. Finnish Folklore Soc, Joensuu

    Google Scholar 

  • van Dijk J (1999) The network society. Sage, London

  • Vehovar V, Pavle S, Tobias H, Vesna D (2006) Methodological challenges of digital divide measurements. Inf Soc 22:279–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vehviläinen M (1999) Naisten tietotekniikkaryhmä yhteisöllisyydestä ja paikallisesta kansalaisuudesta (Womens’ information technology group: on community based and local citizenship). In: Eriksson P, Vehviläinen M (eds) Tietoyhteiskunta seisakkeella. Teknologia, strategiat ja paikalliset tulkinnat (Knowledge society at a station. Technology, strategies, and local interpretations). SoPhi, Jyväskylä

    Google Scholar 

  • Vehviläinen M (1997) Tietotekniikan sukupuolesta (On the gender of information technology). In: Stachon K (ed) Näkökulmia tietoyhteiskuntaan (Viewpoint to the knowledge society). Gaudeamus, Helsinki

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellman B, Gulia M (1999) Virtual communities as communities. Net surfers don’t ride alone. In: Smith ME, Kollock P (eds) Communities in cyberspace. Routledge, London

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ismo Kantola.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Satofuka, F., Kantola, I. & Kono, Y. Explaining media choice: theoretical discussion and an empirical experiment. AI & Soc 24, 135–150 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-008-0185-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-008-0185-y

Keywords

Navigation