Exploring the Effects of Societal Cynicism on Social Media Dependency

The Social Media landscape is characterized by constant and rapid changes, with new platforms emerging in the market and existing ones evolving by integrating new features. Amidst this dynamic environment, the phenomenon of Social Media Dependency (SMD) has become particularly salient. This study seeks to explore individual usage behavior on Social Media with a specific focus on SMD. In contrast to previous research that predominantly examines Social Media addiction, our emphasis lies on the utilitarian, rational, and goal-oriented aspects of Social Media usage. We analyze the impact of individual attitudes on SMD by integrating expectancy-value theory with media system dependency theory. Specifically, this paper investigates how one particular social axiom construct – Societal cynicism – influences SMD, taking into account the variations in the usage patterns between two widely used Social Media platforms: Facebook and YouTube. Through the development and validation of a research model, this research aims to shed new light on understanding the dependency phenomena within the context of Social Media.