Towards a theoretical framework for understanding the development of media-related needs

The question of why people select and prefer particular media activities has led to the development of a number of "needs" approaches to media use. Whilst some frameworks have been developed within the context of media use (e.g., uses and gratifications), others look to combine general theories of basic human needs, such as Self-Determination Theory with hedonic gratifications. Drawing on these approaches, a framework is proposed that maps findings from children's and adolescents' media use to four basic human needs: competence, autonomy, relatedness, and hedonic needs. The current paper argues that a basic needs approach is useful for understanding how media-related needs emerge and are expressed through development.