Relationships - Parasocial Relationships

Question 1

Who developed the Celebrity Attitude Scale?

Answer 1

McCutcheon et al (2002)

Question 2

What does the Celebrity Attitude Scale establish?

Answer 2

Three different stages of parasocial relationship, each increasing with emotional intensity and commitment towards the celebrity.

Question 3

What are the three stages of Celebrity Attitude Scale relationship?

Answer 3

1. Entertainment-social
2. Intense-personal
3. Borderline-pathological

Question 4

What does the ‘Entertainment- social’ stage suggest?

Answer 4

Celebrity news is used as a source of gossip and so can strengthen real life relationships with friends due to having more common interests

Question 5

What is the ‘intense-personal’ stage about?

Answer 5

The second stage is characterised by obsessive thoughts about the celebrity and an advanced emotional connection

Question 6

What is the borderline-pathological stage associated with?

Answer 6

Associated with more pathological behaviours such as stalking and/or resentment against anyone who may prevent the individual from carrying out these behaviours

Question 7

What makes an individual more likely to develop abnormal, pathological para-social relationships?

Answer 7

If they are unfulfilled in their current relationships, have low self esteem or have experienced traumatic, life changing events e.g mid-life crisis.

Question 8

What does the absorption-addiction model indicate?

Answer 8

Absorption indicates the individual’s initial and developing obsession with the celebrity, whilst the addiction model indicates the individual’s need to increase the intensity and commitment of their parasocial relationship, through increasingly pathological behaviours.

Question 9

What attachment type is more likely to be involved in para-social relationships? Why?

Answer 9

Insecure-resistant due to lowering the risk of rejection and pain, alongside unfulfillment associated with real-life relationships

Also insecure-avoidant attachment type but with an emphasis on avoiding the feelings above, rather than being exposed to them in the first instance

Question 10

What are the strengths of parasocial relationship theory?

Answer 10

+ There is evidence to support the idea that different psychological states are associated with each of the three stages of parasocial relationship formation. For example, borderline-psychotic stage is linked to psychotic traits, whilst intense-personal is associated with neuroticism. Maltby also found a positive correlation between increasing body dissatisfaction and an increasing likelihood of developing a parasocial relationship. This supports the idea that abnormal psychological funcitoning is heavily implicated in the formation of parasocial relationships.

Question 11

What are the limitations of the parasocial relationship theory?

Answer 11

• Bowlby’s attachment theory may be a better explanation for the development of pathological traits in parasocial relationships, compared to the absorption addiction model. This is because the latter model accurately describes the acquirement and maintenance of parasocial relationships, whereas Bowlby’s attachment theory can explain why some people are more likely to begin pr than others. Therefore, Bowlby’s attachment theory has a greater practical explanatory value.
• The methodology of research studies which have formed the basis of theories of pr may be flawed. Correlational research can only demonstrate a link between two variables and so cnanot establish a ‘cause and effect’ relationship between for example, personality type and the likelihood of forming a parasocial relationship. Such correlational studies don’t take into account the ‘third variable problem’.
• Over-reliance on self-report measures , which depends on the accuracy of the participants’ honesty and memory. Susceptible to social desirability bias. This reduces the reliability of the Celebrity Attitude Scale.

Question 12

What are parasocial relationships?

Answer 12

An individual is attracted to another person (usually a celebrity) , who is usually unaware of the existence of the person who has created the relationship

Question 13

Explain proximity as an attachment behaviour in PSR

Answer 13

An attempt to reduce the distance between themselves and the attachment figure. For example, research has shown that people like to stay informed about their favourite celebrities - they collect trivia about them, will rearrange schedules to see them on TV and will even attempt to contact them through fan letters and in person.

Question 14

Explain secure base as an attachment behaviour in PSR

Answer 14

The presence of the attachment figure provides a sense of security for the individual. With a PSR , where there is little or no chance of rejection from the attachment figure, the individual is able to create a secure base from which they can explore other relationships in a safe way.

Question 15

Explain protest at disruption as an attachment behaviour in PSR

Answer 15

The best marker of an attachment may be the presence of prolonged distress following separation or loss of the attachment figure. E.g when Jeremy Clarkson was axed from Top Gear, fans started a petition page to get him back

Question 16

What attachment type is likely to form a PSR? (according to Cole and Leets)

Answer 16

insecure-resistant

Question 17

What is resistant attachment?

Answer 17

Characterised by a concern that others will not reciprocate one’s needs for intimacy.

Question 18

What is the reason for people with resistant attachment type to form PSR?

Answer 18

They turn to TV characters as a means of satisfying their ‘unrealistic’ and often unmet relational needs. Cole and Leets suggest that the parasocial bonds these individuals form with media figures simply reflect another manifestation of their desire for intimacy , even if this intimacy is with a TV character

Question 19

What attachment type is least likely to engage with a PSR?

Answer 19

Avoidant were least likely. People with an avoidant attachment type find it difficult to develop intimate relationships and therefore are less likely to seek real-life relationships or PSR. They appear to avoid not only relational intimacy, but imagined intimacy as well.

Question 20

Why do people form PSR?

Answer 20

• They lack real relationships in their own life
• Shyness and loneliness create a void which can be filled by a PSR
• Relationship makes few demands
• They do not run the risk of rejection

Question 21

What characters are people more likely to form an attachment to?

Answer 21

considered attractive by the viewer (the perception of attractiveness)

considered similar to the viewer (the perception of homophily)

Question 22

What is absorption?

Answer 22

Fans may be led to believe that they have a special relationship with the celebrity which motivates them to learn more about the object of their attention. If the level of absorption is high enough, the person may moved on to higher levels of PS interaction, where the motivational forces driving their behaviour become addictive , leading the person to more extreme behaviours in order to sustain satisfaction with the relationship.

Question 23

When does the PSR become addictive?

Answer 23

At the borderline-pathological stage

Question 24

Explain research support for the factors involved in parasocial relationships

Answer 24

Schiappa = meta analysis of studies that explored factors that were integral in the formation of PSRs. Found support for the assumption that people with higher levels of parasocial relationships also watched more TV. Analysis also showed that there was a significant positive relationship between the degree to which a person perceives TV characters as being real and their tendency to form PSRs .

Question 25

Explain how a loss of a parasocial relationship is linked to attachment type

Answer 25

An Israeli study lends support to the claim that viewers would show the same negative response to a loss of parasocial relationship as they would the loss of a real relationship. 381 ppts completed questionnaires about their relationship with their favourite TV character and how they would feel if they were taken off air. Viewers expecting to lose their favourite characters anticipated negative reactions similar to those experienced after the loss of close personal relationships. These reactions were related both to the intensity of the PSR and to the viewers attachment style, with anxious-ambivalently attached participants anticipating the most negative responses.

Question 26

Explain the cultural similarities in parasocial relationships

Answer 26

Schmid and Klimmt investigated whether there would be differences in the PSRs formed with the fictional character Harry Potter in tow contrasting cultures
Germany = individualist
Mexico = collectivist
Displayed very similar patterns of PSR , both admired Harry Potter. Demonstrates universal influence of mainstream media characters.