Celebrity: Attachment Theory

Question 1

What are the 3 main attachments types defined by Ainsworth?

Answer 1

A: insecure avoidant (withdrawing), B: secure (strong, positive), C: insecure resistant (seeking and resistant)

Question 2

If parasocial relationships are similar to real ones, what would the attachment theory predict?

Answer 2

childhood attachment affects later adult relationships so should affect parasocial ones as well

Question 3

What does the theory suggest about type A’s?

Answer 3

show the least celebrity attraction, unwilling to make parasocial relationships: reflects hesitancy to make emotional commitments in real life

Question 4

What does the theory suggest about type B’s?

Answer 4

less fear of rejection so are less attracted by celebrity than type C’s

Question 5

What does the theory suggest about type C’s?

Answer 5

often very emotional but have negative views about themselves, intense attraction to celebrity allows emotional expression without rejection fear

Question 6

What is the attachment theory’s strength over the parasocial explanation?

Answer 6

instead of celebrities just being attractive because media create illusion of relationship, explains why parasocial relationship is more of an attraction for some people

Question 7

What research supports the attachment theory?

Answer 7

Cole and Leets 1999: 63f 52m, parasocial interaction Likert scale, likert scale to asses attachment style and Hazan and Shaver’s paragraph descriptors. C = most likely to form, A least

Question 8

What research shows that the results of Cole and Leets can be applied to other cultures apart from the US?

Answer 8

Cohen 2004: Israeli pps, reaction to fav characters being taken off air, most negative from C pps