Mediennutzung als Zeitallokation

The book presents the results of a research project on comprehensive media use which was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Referring to assumptions of the microeconomic consumption theory, the authors developed a theoretical model that conceptualizes media choice as an allocation of a scarce time budget between different media usage and non-media activities. The time allocation model was tested using structural equation modeling techniques. Therefore, data from representative surveys such as „ARD/ZDF Langzeitstudie Massenkommunikation“ and „Media Analyse“ were used. The daily time budget was broken in three categories related to different levels of disposability: free time, time for reproductive occupations (physiological or personal needs), and working time. Results show that the impact strength of available time varies for different media types. In addition, findings reveal differences in short-term substitution(shifts in the structure of media use as a result of varying time budgets) as well as long-term substitution effects (changes in preferences for „old“ media as a result of the emergence of „new“ media) between media types and to non-media activities.