Relationships: Parasocial relationships

Question 1

What are parasocial relationships (Horton and Wohl)

Answer 1

• They are 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.

Question 2

What are the key features of parasocial relationships

Answer 2

• The object of affection is perceived as attractive
• They are perceived as similar to us
• The viewer is usually female
• The viewer is lonely and shy

Question 3

What is the Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS)

Answer 3

• A tool used to measure PSR.
• Measures social aspect of celebrity worship - ‘My friends and I like to discuss what X has done.’
• intensity of person’s feelings towards the celebrity along with obsessional tendencies -> ‘I consider X to be my soul mate.’
• potentially harmful aspects of feelings towards the celebrity - ‘If X asked me to do something illegal as a favour I would probably do it.’

Question 4

What are the levels of parasocial relationships (3 levels)

Answer 4

1. entertainment-social
2. intense-personal
3. borderline-pathological

Question 5

What are borderline pathological relationships (Level 3)

Answer 5

• uncontrollable, extreme behaviours.
• e.g. willing to perform an illegal act if a celebrity says so.

Question 6

What are entertainment social relationships (level 1)

Answer 6

• Celebrity viewed as a fuel for social interaction -> gossip etc.

Question 7

What are intense-personal relationships (level 2)

Answer 7

• Intense thoughts and feelings are felt about the celebrity.
• Individuals like to share these thoughts with others who feel a similar way.

Question 8

What is the absorption addiction model (McCutcheon)

Answer 8

• McCutcheon et al. (2002) -> explains how parasocial relationships become abnormal.
• absorption: they have deficits in their own sense of personal identity.
  -> Absorption has addictive qualities so individuals go to further lengths to maintain a sense of fulfilment via the parasocial relationship.
• predicts an association between poorer mental health and 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.

Question 9

Explain how addiction is a factor in parasocial relationships

Answer 9

• The 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.

Question 10

Explain how attachment is a factor in parasocial relationships

Answer 10

• Theory proposes insecure attachment leads to an increased interest in celebrities.
• PSRs make no demands, and do not involve criticism or the risk of rejection.

Question 11

Explain the different attachment attachment styles which play a factor in parasocial relationships

Answer 11

• insecure-resistant: Most likely to form PSRs.
  -> concern that others will not reciprocate their desire for intimacy.
  -> They turn to TV characters to satisfy their “unrealistic and often unmet relational needs”.
• Anxious avoidant: Least likely.
  -> difficult to develop relationships and therefore are very unlikely to seek them from real or fictional people.
• Secure attachment: Not likely.
  -> have satisfactory real-life relationships and do not seek as additional relationship with a celebrity.

Question 12

(+) Explain Robert’s study on parasocial relationships

Answer 12

• studied 200 students (100 male, 100 female) who answered questions similar to the CAS and found a positive correlation between insecurely attached individuals and frequently contacting celebrities.

Question 13

(-) Explain McCutcheon’s study on parasocial relationships

Answer 13

• McCutcheon et al. (2006) –> 250 university 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

Question 14

List the evaluations for parasocial relationships

Answer 14

positive:
- Real World Application (eating disorders)
- Strong links to mental health
- Cultural influences

Negative:
- Problems with absorption addiction model (descriptive)

Question 15

(+) explain how research into parasocial relationships can help with understanding eating disorders (Maltby)

Answer 15

• Maltby (2005) looked in particularly at females aged 14-16 who had a parasocial relationship with a female whose body shape they admired.
• these females had a poor body image.
  -> could be a precursor to the development of anorexia.
• Understanding the development of anorexia, could lead to education on parasocial relationships in school.

Question 16

(+) explain how research into parasocial relationships has links to mental health (Maltby) (Eysenck personality questionnaire)

Answer 16

• 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).
• Borderline Pathological = Psychoticism (anti social, egocentric).
• found those with depression are potentially vulnerable to getting addicted to PSRs.

Question 17

(-) explain the problem with the absorption-addiction model

Answer 17

• 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.

Question 18

(+) Explain how there are cultural influences which are related to parasocial relationships (Schmid and Klimmt)

Answer 18

• Schmid and Klimmt (2001) found that the tendency to form a parasocial relationship with Harry Potter is not culturally specific.
• Individualist cultures and collectivist cultures showed similar levels of parasocial attachment.