A Goal-based Framework Integrating Disparate Media Choice Theories

Abstract

Media choice and selection theories are numerous and highly fragmented. While much of this theorizing has helped IS researchers better understand what influences people’s media choices and selections, the proliferation of theories also leads to redundancies, and decreased clarity and impact. Here, we develop and apply an approach to "better know what we know" about a set of related theories. We present a unifying framework of media choice that (1) builds on prior work, (2) streamlines disparate lines of research, and (3) links media choices to goals. In addition to advancing media choice theorizing, the framework is a useful template for relating future research contributions to previous theories, an effective teaching aid, and a tool for practitioners applying media choice theories.