Insecure Attachment Theory

• Insecure attachment should predict interest in celebrities because parasocial relationships involve:

  • No actual contact
  • No demands
  • No rejection or criticism
  • No wonderful social skills
  • They are one-sided
• There are different reasons why ambivalent individuals would like parasocial relationships and why avoidant ones would
• Research was done before you could contact celebs
• Insecure-ambivalent:

  • Needy, enmeshed, clingy, strong need for approval but anxious about rejection
  • More likely to contact and to stalk
  • Appeal of parasocial relationships is that you fee attached, engaged, enmeshed with people with none of the fears of rejection
• Insecure-ambivalent:

  • Fearful and dismissive of relationships and so like to maintain distance
  • More likely to retaliate against some perceived wrongdoing
  • Appeal of parasocial relationships is that they can have attachments but the bonds aren't real - essentially, it's an avoidant way of connecting to others
• What does Bowlby's theory suggest?

  Early difficulties in attachment may lead to difficulties in forming successful relationships in the future
• What may the difficulties lead to?

  A preference for parasocial relationships to replace those within one's own social circle as parasocial relationships don't require the same social skills
• What are the two attachment types Ainsworth identified?

  Insecure-resistant and insecure-avoident which are associated with unhealthy emotional development
• What is insecure-resistant types the most likely to do?

  Form parasocial relationships because they want to have their unfulfilled needs met in a relationship where there's no real threat of rejection
• What do insecure-avoidant types prefer to do?

  Avoid the pain and rejection of any type of rel either social or parasocial