L11 - Levels of Parasocial Relationships

Question 1

what are PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS?

Answer 1

the term PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS refers to ONE SIDED RELATIONSHIPS with a CELEBRITY, a PROMINENT PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY, or a FICTIONAL CHARACTER, when a FAN KNOWS EVERYTHING about the SUBJECT OF THEIR ADORATION and FEELS VERY CLOSE TO THEM, but there is NO CHANCE OF RECIPROCITY

Question 2

what did GILES and MALTBY do?

Answer 2

GILES and MALTBY identified THREE LEVELS of PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS using the CELEBRITY ATTITUDE SCALE in a LARGE SCALE SURVEY

Question 3

what are the 3 LEVELS of PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS? (EIB)

Answer 3

1) (E) ENTERTAINMENT - SOCIAL
2) (I) INTENSE - PERSONAL
3) (B) BORDERLINE - PATHOLOGICAL

Question 4

what is the ENTERTAINMENT-SOCIAL level?

Answer 4

the ENTERTAINMENT-SOCIAL level of PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS is the LEAST INTENSE LEVEL of CELEBRITY WORSHIP.

MOST PEOPLE engage in PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIVES, but MOST STAY AT THIS FIRST LEVEL. CELEBRITIES are seen as a SOURCE OF ENTERTAINMENT and as a TOPIC FOR LIGHT HEARTED GOSSIPING WITH FRIENDS at this level.

Question 5

what is the INTENSE-PERSONAL level?

Answer 5

this is a DEEPER LEVEL of PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS. At this level, a person has a MORE INTENSE RELATIONSHIP WITH A CELEBRITY.

For example, they MAY SEE THEM AS A SOULMATE and they have an INTENSE INTEREST in the CELEBRITY’S PERSONAL LIFE, such as their DRESS SENSE, FOOD THEY LIKE and ENTERTAINMENT IN WHICH THEY TAKE PART

Question 6

what is the BORDERLINE-PATHOLOGICAL level?

Answer 6

This is the MOST INTENSE LEVEL of PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS.

At this level, a person TAKES CELEBRITY WORSHIP TO AN EXTREME, has OBSESSIVE FANTASIES ABOUT THE CELEBRITY, SPENDS LARGE SUMS OF MONEY to OBTAIN MEMORABILIA and may ENGAGE IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS STALKING

At this level, its also usual for people to BELIEVE THAT IF ONLY THEY WERE GIVEN A CHANCE TO MEET THEIR FAVOURITE CELEBRITY IN PERSON, THEIR FEELINGS WOULD BE RECIPROCATED

Question 7

+ SCHIAPPA ET AL(EVALUATION OF LEVELS OF PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS )

Answer 7

+ SCHIAPPA ET AL found a SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE CORRELATION between the AMOUNT OF TELEVISION PPS WATCHED, the DEGREE TO WHICH THEY PERCEIVED A TV CHARACTER AS ‘REAL’ and the LEVEL OF THEIR PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIP

Question 8

+ RESEARCH SUPPORT (EVALUATION OF LEVELS OF PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS )

Answer 8

+ There is RESEARCH SUPPORT for the claim that ATTRACTIVENESS INCREASES the LIKELIHOOD OF A PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIP.

The ATTRACTIVENESS of a CELEBRITY INFLUENCED the DEVELOPMENT OF THE THREE LEVELS OF PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS from MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

Question 9

• EDUCATIONAL LEVELS (EVALUATION OF LEVELS OF PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS )

Answer 9

• EDUCATIONAL LEVELS of INDIVIDUALS NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT

HIGHLY EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS may PERCEIVE THE MAJORITY OF CELEBRITIES as LESS EDUCATED THAN THEMSELVES, therefore they might be LESS LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Question 10

• DANGERS (EVALUATION OF LEVELS OF PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS )

Answer 10

• It was RECOMMENDED that TRAINING SHOULD OCCUR in SCHOOLS to HIGHLIGHT THE DANGERS OF PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS as they OFTEN RESULT IN AN INDIVIDUAL HAVING UNREALISTIC GOALS to be MORE SIMILAR TO CELEBRITIES

For example, one MAY DEVELOP AN EATING DISORDER IN ORDER TO OBTAIN the SILM BODY OF A MEDIA STAR

Question 11

• QUESTIONNAIRES (EVALUATION OF LEVELS OF PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS )

Answer 11

• RESEARCH into the LEVELS OF PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS was CONDUCTED VIA QUESTIONNAIRES

These can be AFFECTED BY BIAS in the form of pps giving MORE SOCIALLY DESIRABLE and IDEALISED ANSWERS, thus LACKING VALIDITY