Relationships- Para-social Relationships

Question 1

One sided relationships:

Answer 1

Para-social relationships are those in which one member is heavy invested, while the other has limited or no awareness of their existence.

This is common with the relationship between celebrities and their fans, but can happen in any situation in which the interaction is one sided such as brands and customers, fictional characters and their readers, or even teachers and their students if meaningful communication is only one way.

Question 2

Levels of Para-social relationships
Name of scale

Answer 2

Celebrity attitudes scale CAS developed by McCutchen and Maltby to classify extent of attitudes and behaviours

Question 3

What are the three levels of PS rs

Answer 3

Entertainment social
Intense-personal
Borderline pathological

Question 4

• Entertainment Social -

Answer 4

Celebrities are discussed with friends for entertainment.

Question 5

Intense Personal -

Answer 5

Characterised by obsessive thoughts and emotions. Feelings that the relationship is in some way real

Question 6

•Borderline Pathological -

Answer 6

Extreme uncontrollable behaviours for celebrity

Question 7

The Absorption addiction model
(McCutcheon 2002)
PSR’s are an escape from deficiencies like:

Answer 7

-Poor sense of identity
-Poor psychological adjustment (eg stressed)
-Lack of fulfilment in life

(PSR’s allow an ‘escape from reality’ to seek fulfilment a bit behavioural)

Question 8

The Absorption-addiction Model
McCutheon: Para-social relationships are

Answer 8

an attempt to escape the reality of their own lives and relationships.
• Absorption -
• Addiction -

Question 9

The Absorption-addiction Model

• Absorption -

Answer 9

Intense involvement in finding information about the personal life and career of the celebrity, this is an attempt to feel closer to them.

Question 10

The Absorption-addiction Model
• Addiction -

Answer 10

Behaviours escalate similar to a drug addiction, becoming more extreme, may result in an attempt to contact the celebrity or stalk them.

Question 11

The Absorption addiction model
(McCutheon 2002)
Moving from absorption to addiction

Answer 11

A personal crisis in someone’s life may lead them to need to escape so they move from intense personal to Borderline pathological where addiction can occur

Question 12

A03
Schmid and Klimmt 2011

Answer 12

Research studies have identified a tendency for some people to form a parasocial relationship with Harry Potter, an entirely fictional character. Developing this, Schmid and Klimmt (2011) report that this tendency is not culturally specific.
Using an online questionnaire methodology, they found similar levels of parasocial attachment to Harry Potter in an individualist culture (Germany) and a collectivist culture (Mexico).

Question 13

A03
Real world application
Maltby 2005

Answer 13

Maltby (2005) looked 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

Question 14

A03
Maltby et al- links to mental health

Answer 14

Links to Mental Health
Maltby et al (2003) used the Eysenck personality questionnaire to assess the relationships between parasocial relationship level and personality.
Entertainment Social = Extraversion (sociable, lively)
Intense Personal = Neuroticism (tense, emotional, moody)
(Neuroticism is also linked to depression and anxiety)
Borderline Pathological = Psychoticism (anti-social, ego centric)