AO3

• • Problems with the addiction-absorption model  ​
  • The model has been criticised for being a better description of parasocial relationships than it is an explanation. ​
  • For instance, the model can describe the characteristics of people who are moist absorbed by and addicted to a celebrity (that is, borderline-pathological). ​
  • But, unlike attachment theory, it doesn't explain how such characteristics develop.
• • problems with attachment theory ​​
  • Lynn McCutcheon et al. (2006) measured attachment types and celebrity-related attitudes in 299 participants.​
  •  The researchers found that the participants with insecure attachments were no likely to form parasocial relationships with secure attachments. ​​
  • This finding fails to support a central prediction of the attachment's theory, raising serious doubts about its validity. ​
• Who conducted research on the link between celebrity worship and body image in adolescents?

  Maltby and his colleague
• What age group did Maltby and his colleague study in their research on celebrity worship?

  14 to 16 years
• What type of relationship were the researchers particularly interested in regarding female adolescents and celebrities?

  Intense-personal parasocial relationship
• • Cultural influences ​
  • Research studies have identified a tendency for some people to form a parasocial relationship with Harry Potter, an entirely fictional character. Developing this, Schmid and Klimt (2011) report that this tendency is not culturally specific. Using an online questionnaire methodology, they found similar levels of parasocial attachment to Harry Potter in an individualist culture – Germany, and a collectivist culture – Mexico.
• What did the researchers find about female adolescents who reported an intense-personal parasocial relationship with a celebrity?

  They tended to have poor body image
• What did the researchers speculate about the link between poor body image and celebrity worship in females?

  It may be a precursor for anorexia nervosa development and other eating disorders
• In which year did Maltby et al. conduct their research linking celebrity worship with personality traits?

  2003
• What personality traits are linked to the entertainment-social category of celebrity worship according to Maltby et al.?

  Extraverted personality traits
• Which personality traits are associated with the intense-personal category of celebrity worship?

  Neurotic traits
• What personality type is linked to the borderline pathological category of celebrity worship?

  Psychotic personality type
• How do the studies by Maltby et al. support the absorption-addiction model?


  They confirm the prediction of a correlation between the level of celebrity worship and poor psychological functioning
• What are the two major methodological issues in research studies on parasocial relationships?

  Self-report methods and correlational analysis
• Why are self-report methods, such as online questionnaires, considered problematic in research on parasocial relationships?

  They are subject to biases that can affect the findings
• What is social desirability bias in the context of self-report methods?

  It is when participants respond in a way that they believe enhances their social status
• What is the issue with using correlational analysis in studies of parasocial relationships?


  It does not establish cause-and-effect relationships
• What correlation is mentioned between celebrity worship and body image?

  Strong correlations are found between celebrity worship and body image
• Why is the conclusion that intense-personal parasocial relationships cause poor body image considered unwarranted?


  Because it could be that those with poor body image are drawn to celebrity worship
• How could the issue of cause-and-effect in parasocial relationships be addressed?

  By conducting longitudinal research
• What model is based on studies that have methodological issues in parasocial relationships?

  The addiction-absorption model
• What remains a question regarding the addiction-absorption model in explaining parasocial relationships?

  Its validity as an explanation of parasocial relationships