parasocial relationships

• parasocial relationships are one sided, unreciprocated relationships, usually with celebrities where the fan will spend a lot of time, commitment and energy on them, just like a normal relationship
• Maltby et al ( 2006 ) used the Celebrity Attitude Scale to identify three levels within parasocial relationships
• Maltby ( 2006 ) parasocial relationship levels:

  1 - entertainment - social stage

  2 - intense - personal stage

  3 - borderline pathological
• Parasocial relationships stage 1 - entertainment - social stage

  most people engage in parasocial relationships in their lives, but most stay in this stage.

  This is where celebrities are seen as a source of entertainment and a topic of gossip for people we talk with
• Parasocial relationships stage 2 - intense - personal stage

  This is a more intense relationship with a celebrity.

  We may see them as a soulmate and have an intense interest in the celebrity's personal life.

  This is typical for teenagers who seem to be obsessed with every detail of their favourite celebrity's lifestyle
• Parasocial relationship stage 3 - borderline pathological

  this is the most intense level

  A person takes celebrity worship to an extreme, and has obsessive fantasies about the celebrities and may engage in illegal activities such as stalking.

  They believe that they have a change with the celebrity
• The absorption addiction model by McCutcheon ( 2002 ) says that that people engage in parasocial relationships to compensate for what they lack in real life, for example, they might have:

  difficulty forming relationships

  lack of identity

  poor psychological adjustment
• The absorption addiction model by McCutcheon ( 2002 ) claims that forming a parasocial relationship allows people to achieve fulfilment they lack in every day life and adds a sense of purpose and excitement.
• The absorption addiction model by McCutcheon ( 2002 )

  Absorption:

  Focusing intensively on a parasocial relationship due to various reasons for example a sense of fulfilment which motivates them to become even more intensely attached to the celebrity
• The absorption addiction model by McCutcheon ( 2002 )

  Addiction:

  The sense of fulfilment becomes addictive for the person, leading them to engage in more risky behaviour such as stalking in order to get closer to them
• Bowlby's theory predicts that individuals who didn't form a strong bond with a primary caregiver in early childhood will try to form an attachment substitute as adults, parasocial relationships may be a way of doing so
• People with insecure resistant attachment type are more likely to form parasocial relationships as they have unfulfilled needs, and they are too afraid of criticism and rejection in real life relationships.
• Parasocial relationships AO3. There is research support for parasocial relationships. 

  Studies have identified a tendency for some people to form a parasocial relationship with Harry Potter, a fictional character. Schmid and Klimmt ( 2011 ) report that this tendency is not culturally specific. Using an online questionnaire, they found similar levels of parasocial attachment to Harry Potter in both an individualistic and collectivistic culture.

  This shows that there is support for parasocial relationships, and it is applicable everywhere.  
• There is real world application for parasocial relationships. 

  Maltby ( 2005 ) looked at females aged 14 - 16 that had a parasocial relationship with a female whose body shape they admired. They found that these females had a poor body image. They speculated that this could be involved in the development of anorexia. 

  This shows that parasocial relationships have real world application. 
• Parasocial relationships AO3. Research involved with parasocial relationships may have methodological issues. 

  Research used questionnaires, which means that participants may not have been completely honest in order to appear more socially desirable. 

  This it is unlikely that the results are completely accurate. 

  However, there is not many differences between cultures, showing universality, which strengthens the external validity. 
• Cohen conducted a study on 381 adults who completed questionnaires about their relationships with their favourite TV characters and their attachment styles. A link was found between parasocial relationships and attachment styles. Viewers expecting to lose their favourite characters anticipated similar reactions to those after the loss of a close personal relationship. These reactions were related to the intensity of the parasocial relationship and the viewers attachment style, with anxious attachment styles having the most negative responses.