Parasocial Relationships: Evaluate

Question 1

Research support for factors involved in parasocial relationships:
Schiappa et al

Answer 1

They found support that people with high levels of PSRs also watched more TV

found a positive correlation between the degree to which a person perceives a TV character as real and the tendency to form PSRs

found support for the link between characters proceed attractiveness and the similarity to the viewer

Question 2

Are PSRs linked to loneliness?
Greenwood and Long (2009)
Eyal and Cohen (2006)

Answer 2

G&L: showed that individuals may develop PSRs as a way of dealing with feelings of loneliness or loss

E&C: found that the intensity of participants PSR with their favourite character was the strongest predictor of the feelings of loneliness for the whimbrel cost of a final episode

This suggests that PSRs may not only compensate for the loneliness but their loss can also createloneliness

Question 3

The absorption addiction model: links to mental health

Maltby et al (2003)

Answer 3

used Eysencks Personality Test to assess the relationship between PSR level and personality

They found that the intense-personal level was associated with neuroticism

Neuroticism is related to anxiety and depression which explains why I levels of PSR associated with poor mental health

Question 4

Loss of PSR is linked to attachment style:

Cohen (2004)

Answer 4

Suggests that the viewers should show the same negative response to the loss of a PSR as they would loss to a real relationship

Findings: viewers expecting to lose their favourite characters anticipated negative reactions similar to those experienced after the loss of a close personal relationship

Such reactions were linked to the intensity of the PSR and the viewers attachment style i.e anxious-ambivalents anticipated the most negative responses