Media Systems Dependency Theory (MSD) was first introduced in 1976. It
consists of an intricate system in which the media, individuals, their
interpersonal environment, and the social environment have reliance on their
relationships with each other.
This theory attempts to describe how the media affects the lives of individuals. According to this theory, there is considerable variation in how much people depend on the media, and in what types of media are most influential.
At its core, the basic dependency hypothesis states that the more a person depends on media to meet needs, the more important media will be in a person's life, and therefore the more effects media will have on a person.
