THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS OF THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR OF USERS

Abstract

Various theories available in the international literature provide frameworks for understanding how social media platforms are integrated into the daily lives of individuals and how users' reliance on these platforms shapes their interactions, perceptions, and behavior patterns in the digital age. Media Dependency Theory, Uses and Gratifications Theory, Social Identity Theory and Cultivation Theory are prominent theoretical frameworks used in communication studies to provide better understanding of the relationship between media and individuals, and more recently they are dominantly applied in the social media context. In this context, the objective of this paper is to provide an insight into the complex dynamics of the influence of social media on users and society in general, based on a review of research results that had the aforementioned theories as a conceptual basis.