Parasocial relationships Flashcards
What are parasocial relationships
see how that led on
see what i did there
One sided, unreciprocated relationships, usually with a celebrity, on which the ‘fan’ expends a lot of emotional energy, commitment and time but the celebrity doesn’t know the fan exists
What does para mean
Close to/besides
starting w some latin lessons
What increases the likelihood of parasocial relationships
Object of affection is perceived as attractive
Perceived as similar to us
We perceive them as real
Viewer is female
Viewer is lonely and shy
Lower demand than a regular relationship
What are the levels of parasocial relationships from calmest to most obsessive
Giles and Maltby 2006
Entertainment social
Intense-personal
Borderline pathological
Entertainment social
Celebrity is a source of gossip/interaction
Intense-personal
Intensive
Compulsive feelings towards celebrity
Borderline-pathological
Uncontrollable behaviours/fantasies
What did McCuthceon 2003 find with the triangle of obsession
Of 600 participants
20% of fell into the first category of ‘entertainment social’
10% second ‘intense-personal’
1% the third ‘borderline-pathological’
What is the absorption addiction model
Explains how parasocial relationships become abnormal
What is absorption in the model
An attempt to establish personal identity
Has addictive qualities so individuals go to further and further lengths to maintain a sense of fulfilment via the parasocial relationship
What does the absorption addiction model predict
This model therefore predicts that there will be an association between poorer mental health and the strength of parasocial relationships
Someone who initially has an entertainment-social orientation may be triggered into a more intense involvement by a stressful life event
What is addiction in the model
Individual needs to sustain their commitment to the relationship by feeling a stronger and closer involvement with the celebrity
Leads to extreme behaviours and delusional thoughts
What does PSRs need to have
Needs to have unfulfilled needs met but in a relationship that is not accompanied by threat of rejection, break up and disappointment
Type of attachment is known as insecure-resistant (anxious ambivalent)
Most likely to form PSRs, then anxious avoidant, then secure least likely)
What does Roberts 2007 suggest about the correlation between attachment and PSRs
200 students (100 F, 100 M) answered questions similar to the CAS and found a +ve correlation between insecurely attached individuals and frequently contacting celebrities
McCutcheon et al. 2006 = 250 uni students completed questionnaires examining personality types and their views on celebrities
They did not find a relationship between having an insecure attachment and parasocial relationships
How does PSRs have real world application as a +ve evaluation
Understanding eating disorders
Malty 2005 looked in particularly at females aged 14-16 who had a parasocial relationship with a female whose body shape they admired
They found these females had a poor body image
They speculated this could be a precursor to the development of anorexia
What cud understanding the development of anorexia lead to
Education on PSRs in school, i.e. preventive measures implemented to prevent anorexia
How is the research for understanding anorexia unreliable
Correlational research has issues w determining cause and effect, cud just be speculative
How does PSRs link to mental health
+ve evaluation
Malty et al 2003 used the Eyseneck personality questionnaire to assess the relationships between PSR level and personality
Entertainment social personality traits
Extraversion
Sociable, lively
Intense personal personality traits
Neuroticism
Tense, emotional, moody
Also linked to depression and anxiety
Borderline pathological personality traits
Psychocitism
Anti social, egocentric
How are problems with the attachment theory noted by McCutcheon et al 2006 a -ve evaluation of PSRs
Adults w insecure attachment are more likely to become attached to celebrities than those with a secure attachment type
Insecure adults are more likely to agree with/condone stalking and obsessive behaviour towards celebrities
There is a correlation between stalking and pathological tendencies towards attachment to celebrities
What research supports the -ve evaluation of the attachment theory
Sample = 299 students (age 16-42)
Procedure = used Celebrity Attitude Scale and a Stalking Scale
Measured adult attachment using a relationship questionnaire
Measured childhood attachment type through the use of a parental bonding scale based on their recall of the relationship with their parents before the age of 16
What is a -ve evaluation regarding methodological issues
Self report measures can cause bias as people can give socially desirable answers
Correlational analysis - PSRs cause women to have poor body image
Cud it b the other way around?
Cud be addressed w longitudinal research
What is a -ve evaluation of PSRs regarding absorption-addiction model
A better description than explanation
Describes the characteristics of people who are most absorbed by and addicted to celebrities but does not explain how the characteristics develop
How is cultural influences a +ve influence
Schmid and Klimmt 2001
Found that the tendency to form a PSR with a Harry Potter is not culturally specific
Individualist cultures and collectivist cultures showed similar levels of parasocial attachment
