Introduction Flashcards
What are the two main theories of celeb worship?
Para-social relationships and erotomania
What is a para-social relationship?
a one sided relationship in which an individual knows the other, but the other does not know the individual.
What do para-social relationships and actual social relationships have in common?
They share many of the same characteristics, para-social relationships can have similar benefits to normal social relationships.
What is erotomania?
when an individual has delusions that another person on a higher status (often celebs) is in love with him/her
What are the two contexts these theories can be applied to?
Everyday and Absorption-Addition Hypothesis
What is an everyday context?
our celeb interest could be a natural thing, its happened throughout history and throughout cultures
In what way could the everyday context be evolutionary?
Celeb interest results in gossip, which has an evolutionary benefit of maintaining relationships between large groups.
What is the absorption-addiction hypothesis?
celeb worship is an absorption with an addictive component that leads to more extreme behaviours and compromised identity structures. Its an intense, dominating obsession.
