AO1

• Psychologists are interested in the attraction of celebrity and have tried to explain parasocial relationships; defined by Donald Horton and Richard Wohl (1956) as those attachments in which the 'fan' knows all about the celebrity, but the celebrity doesn't even know the fan exists.  
• para-social relatioinship - one sided, unreciprocated relationship, usually with a celebrity, on which the 'fan' expends a lot of emotional energy, commitment and time.
• Levels of parasocial relationships - a three-step description of one-sided relationships in terms of increasing strength from entertainment-social to intense-personal to borderline pathological.
• Absorption-addiction model – explains parasocial relationships as total pre-occupation in a celebrity's life, plus an addictive striving after a stronger involvement.
• Attachment theory - an explanation of how an enduring emotional bond forms between two people that persists over time. Leads to certain behaviours such as clinging and proximity-seeking and can help explain how para social relationships develop.
• Entertainment-social: this is the least intense level of celebrity worship. Celebrities are viewed as sources of entertainment and fuel for social interaction. For example, friends with more than a passing interest in soaps may enjoy talking about stories in magazines about actors from Corrie or Eastenders. Giles (2002) found that soap operas were a fruitful source of gossip in offices.
• Intense-personal: this is an intermediate level which reflects a greater personal involvement in a parasocial relationship with a celebrity. A fan of Angelina Jolie might have frequent obsessive thoughts and intense feelings about her, perhaps even considering her to be a 'soul mate'.
• Borderline pathological: this is the strongest level of celebrity worship, featuring uncontrollable fantasies and extreme behaviours. These might include spending (or planning to spend) a large sum of money on a celebrity-related object or being willing to perform some illegal act on the celebrity's say so. 
• Various psychologists have suggested that there is a tendency to form parasocial relationships in adolescence and adulthood because of attachment difficulties in early childhood.
• What is the absorption-addiction model in celebrity worship?

  A model that describes how individuals seek fulfillment through celebrity worship, leading to preoccupation and identification with the celebrity.
• How does absorption manifest in celebrity worship?


  It motivates individuals to focus their attention on the celebrity and become preoccupied with their existence.
• What might an individual do as a result of their absorption in celebrity worship?

  They may identify with the celebrity and seek to emulate their lifestyle.
• What does addiction refer to in the context of the absorption-addiction model?

  Addiction refers to the need for a stronger and closer involvement with the celebrity to sustain commitment to the relationship.
• What are the potential consequences of addiction in celebrity worship?

  It may lead to more extreme behaviors and delusional thinking.
• What extreme behavior might someone exhibit due to their delusional thinking about a celebrity?

  Stalking the celebrity because they believe the celebrity wants to reciprocate their feelings.
• Who might the individual believe is preventing their relationship with the celebrity?

  They might believe that someone, such as the celebrity's manager, is stopping them from being together.