Parasocial Relationships- Levels of Parasocial Relationships

Question 1

What are parasocial relationships?

Answer 1

• Where an individual will believe they’re in a relationship with someone of a higher status (typically a celebrity), usually without the celebrities knowledge and is known as ‘hero worship’
• The individual tends to come across the celebrity on TV and comes to think of seeing them as an actual physical experience with them and feel they understand them more than everyone else
• Start off on a basis of a friendship but very often proceed in physical attraction and sexual desire

Question 2

Which individuals are most likely to experience a parasocial relationship?

Answer 2

• Typically those aged 11-17 and then sharply declines after
• The lower the education of an individual, the greater the intensity of the parasocial relationship

Question 3

What are the levels of parasocial relationships?

Answer 3

1. Entertainment social sub scale
2. Intense personal sub scale
3. Borderline pathological sub scale

Question 4

What is the entertainment social sub scale and what level is it?

Answer 4

• Level 1
• Measures items like the discussion of media personalities with friends

Question 5

What is the intense personal sub scale and what level is it?

Answer 5

• Level 2
• Measures strengths of feelings and levels of obsessions about media personalities

Question 6

What is the borderline pathological sub scale and what level is it?

Answer 6

• Level 3
• Measures levels of uncontrollable feelings and behaviour about media personalities