Parasocial relationships

Question 1

Parasocial relationships

Answer 1

One-sided relationships
One person develops an emotional attachment to another person (usually a celebrity) who is unaware of the ‘relationship’

Question 2

BOWLBY

Answer 2

Early difficulties in attachment may lead to difficulties in later life relationships
This may lead to par asocial relationships to replace one’s own social circle

Question 3

Insecure avoidant attachment

Answer 3

Least likely to form par asocial relationships as the aren’t bothered
Concerned others won’t reciprocate intimacy

Question 4

Insecure resistant attachment

Answer 4

Cannot form in real life relationships
Turn into parasocial ones (Superficial or fictional)

Question 5

Secure attachment

Answer 5

Not likely as they’re content with their real-life relationships

Question 6

Celebrity Attitude Scale

Answer 6

McCutcheon (2002)
Claims there are 3 levels of parasocial relationships
1. Entertainment-social level
2. Intense-personal level
3. Borderline-pathological level

Question 7

1. Entertainment social level

Answer 7

Most people engage in PSR at some point
Celebs are a main source of gossip and entertainment

Question 8

2. Intense-personal level

Answer 8

Deeper and more intense
See them as soulmates and intense interest in their personal lives
Common in teens
More personal and border on obsessive

Question 9

3. Borderline pathological

Answer 9

Most Intense
Worship celebs, fictional and superficial individuals
Uncontrollable feelings and behaving obsessively
If they met the celeb, they think the feelings would be reciprocated

Question 10

Factors in parasocial relationships

Answer 10

1. Age- Occurs at any age particularly teens when their adult personality is developing
2. Gender- Males more likely to develop PSR with sports personalities and women with entertainment personalities
3. Education- Those with low education are more likely to develop PSR as they fail to reason that reality and fiction are distinct

Question 11

Absorption- Addiction- Model

Answer 11

McCutcheon (2002)
Used to explain why PSR turn abnormal
Association between poorer mental health and strength of PSR

Question 12

1. Absorption

Answer 12

Seeking fulfilment in celeb worship will motivate an individual to be more absorbed in celeb existence
Identify with them
Absorb the success the celebs have achieved to make themselves feel better

Question 13

2. Addiction

Answer 13

Needs more involvement to sustain commitment and gain satisfaction
Lead to extreme behaviours= delusional thinking
Going beyond absorption = addiction