Absorption-Addiction

• Who is involved in the Absorption-Addiction Model?

  McCutcheon
• What did McCutcheon argue?


  People form parasocial relationships due to deficiencies in their own lives
• Research in support of The Absorption-Addiction Model?


  Cheung and Yue

  • carried out a telephone survey
  • 833 Chinese teenagers
• What did Cheung and Yue find?


  Found that 'idol worship' was associated with low levels of work or study, lower self-esteem and less successful identity achievement
• What did Cheung and Yue conclude?


  That those teenagers who worshipped idols from the media demonstrated the lowest levels of identity
• What does the Absorption-Addiction model suggest?


  We form parasocial relationships because we lack relationships in our real life
• What else does the Absorption-Addiction model suggest?


  relationships with celebrities are a way of escaping reality
• Why do we become absorbed in the celebrities' life?


  To gain a sense of identity and to become fulfilled
• What varies?

  the level of absorption
• What may happen to someone that is at the first level (entertainment social)?


  They may be triggered to move up another level by a STRESSFUL LIFE EVENT
• Define absorption ?


  seeing fulfilment in celebrity worship motivates an individual to focus their attention on the celebrity, becoming pre-occupied with them
• Describe addiction?


  The individual needs to SUSTAIN THEIR COMMITMENT leading to extreme behaviours and delusional thinking