Media Niche of Electronic Communication Channels in Friendship: A Meta‐Analysis

Abstract: The current landscape of communication technologies is characterized by a wide variety of choices. As each medium provides different affordances, each may occupy a different niche and be used in different relationships. Drawing on the theory of the niche, we did a meta‐analysis involving 27 effect sizes from 22 independent samples to test the correlation between media selection/use and friendship closeness. Results showed that the 5 communication channels filled 2 different friendship closeness niches. Mobile phone calls and texting had stronger positive correlations with friendship closeness than instant messaging, social network sites, and online gaming. Culture, but not gender, moderated some of these correlations: Friendship closeness had a stronger positive association with SNS use and online gaming in collectivist cultures.

Keywords: Media Selection; Media Niche; Friendship Closeness; Social Media; Social Network Site; Cell Phone; Texting; Instant Messaging; Online Gaming; Cultural Differences

Liu Dong, Assistant Professor at RUC, Member of NCSRC