Lesson 10 - Parasocial Relationships: The Absorption-Addiction Model

Question 1

McCutcheon et al (2002)

Answer 1

The Celebrity Attitude Scale, used in a large scale survey by Maltby et al (2006) who identified three levels of parasocial relationships

Question 2

Levels of CAS

Answer 2

1. Entertainment-Social: Giles and Maltby suggest that most people engage in this level, and it is where celebrities are seen as a source of entertainment and gossip. Least intense level of worship
2. Intense-Personal: The person has a more intense relationship with the celebrity. Can involve being them as a soulmate, and having a strong interest in the celebrity’s personal life. Common in teenagers with their favourite celeb
3. Borderline-Pathological: Most intense level, has obsessive fantasies about the celebrity, spends large sums of money to obtain memorabilia and may stalk the celebrity. They may believe that if they were to actually meet them, they would feel the same way back

Question 3

The Absorption-Addiction Model

Answer 3

McCutcheon (2002) linked these levels to deficiencies in people’s lives. People engage in celebrity worship to compensate for their difficulties, like struggling to develop intimate relationships or poor psychological adjustment or lack of identity. Adds a sense of purpose or excitement.

The first stage is absorption where they focus on parasocial relationships to achieve a sense of fulfilment, motivating them to become more attached

The second stage is addiction, where they need to increase their ‘dose’ to gain satisfaction. Can lead to delusional behaviours like the musicians manager is getting in the way of their relationship

Question 4

Strengths of the absorption-addiction model

Answer 4

It is linked to the levels of parasocial relationships outlines by McCutcheon. In a study in 2016, they used CAS to measure the level of parasocial relationships and also assessed the pps problems in life. Those who scored levels 2-3 experienced a high degree of anxiety in their intimate relationship[s. Those who scored level 1 did not have these problems.

Maltby et al (2005) found that there was a link between level of celebrity worship and negative body image in teenage girls. Thos with an intense personal level of worship tended to have a poor body image, especially if they admired the celebrity’s physical appearance.

Schiappa et al (2007) found a correlation between the amount of TV participants watched, the degree to which they perceived the character as real, and the level of parasocial relationship

Question 5

Weaknesses of absorption addiction model

Answer 5

Tries to establish a universal law (a nomothetic approach) where it may be better to look at each case individually (idiographic approach)