Parasocial RS
AO1 Outline
Define Parasocial relationships refer to one-sided relationships with the target being
Parasocial unaware of the relationship. They are commonly a celebrity, a prominent
RS
person in the community or a fictional character, when a fan knows everything
about the subject of their adoration and feels very close to them, but there is no
chance of reciprocity. These relationships are less demanding with less risk
of rejection as they are one sided.
Giles & Giles and Maltby (2006) identified three levels of parasocial relationships, using
Maltby: the Celebrity Attitude Scale in a large-scale survey. The intensity of PSR
‘CAS’
intensifies as you move down the scale. It consists of:
Celebrity
Attitude - Stage 1 Entertainment–Social: most people engage in parasocial
Scale relationships at this level at some point in their lives. Celebrities are seen
as a source of entertainment and as a topic for lighthearted gossip with
friends. This is the least intense level of celebrity worship.
- Stage 2 Intense-Personal: At this level a person has a more intense
relationship with a celebrity. For example, they may see them as a
soulmate and they have an intense interest in the celebrity’s personal life,
such as their dress sense, food they like and entertainment in which they
take part. This type of parasocial relationship is typical for teenagers who
seem to be obsessed with every little detail of their favourite celebrity.
- Stage 3 Borderline-pathological: This is the most intense level of
parasocial relationships. At this level, a person takes celebrity worship to
an extreme, has obsessive fantasies about the celebrity, spends large
sums of money to obtain memorabilia and may engage in illegal activities
such as stalking. At this level, it is also usual for people to believe that if
only they were given a chance to meet their favourite celebrity in person,
their feelings would be reciprocated.
McCutcheon McCutcheon proposed the Absorption-Addiction Model to explain parasocial
The
relationships. She suggests that people engage in celebrity worship and
Absorption
Addiction parasocial relationships to compensate for deficits in real life relationships
Model and lack of meaningful relationships, such as difficulty forming intimate
relationships, poor psychological adjustment. Parasocial relationships enable
a sense of identity. Forming parasocial relationships with a celebrity allows
them to achieve the fulfilment they lack in everyday life and adds a sense of
purpose and excitement. Their addictive nature means that parasocial
relationships escalate through a series of stages.
- Absorption is the first stage of the model. Seeking fulfilment in celebrity
worship motivates an individual to focus their attention on the
celebrity, to become absorbed in the celebrity's existence and identify
with them.
, - The addictive stage is like a physiological addiction, the individual
needs to increase their ‘dose’ of involvement to gain satisfaction. This
may lead to more extreme behaviours and delusional thinking, and
stalking, in order to get mentally, and sometimes physically closer to
the celebrity they worship.
Attachment Parasocial relationships can be linked to attachment problems in childhood.
theory People with childhood attachment problems form parasocial relationships
to meet their need for attachment/affection. Such relationships do not
involve the same fear of rejection as real-life relationships. In contrast,
according to attachment theory, students who reported a happy/secure
childhood would have positive relationships with friends. These individuals
would also be less interested in celebrities because they did not have an
unfulfilled need for attachment.
Bowlby linked early attachment problems to parasocial RS. He noted that
failure to attach during a critical 2.5 year period led to later relationship
problems including e.g. affectionless behaviour, poor internal working
model of relationships and delinquency. These difficulties may lead to a
preference for parasocial relationships to replace one's own social circle, as
parasocial RS do not require the same social skills.
Based on Ainsworth’s research:
- Insecure attachments are likely explanations for parasocial RS.
- Insecure-resistant types are most likely to form parasocial RS because
they want to have their unfulfilled needs met in a RS where there is no
real threat of rejection.
- Insecure avoidant types prefer to avoid the pain and rejection of any
type of RS, either social or parasocial.
According to Hazan and Shaver, this behaviour translates into clingy and
jealous behaviour in adulthood, making it difficult for such people to
developed committed and lasting romantic relationships. Intensive celebrity
worship allows them to engage in fantasy about the perfect relationship,
without heartbreak and rejection.
AO3 EVALUATION
PARASOCIAL RS RESEARCH APPLICATIONS -> MALTBY ET AL -> LINKED ENTERTAINMENT
SOCIAL WITH EXTROVERT TRAITS -> INTENSE PERSONAL WITH NEUROTIC TRAITS ->
BORDERLINE PATHOLOGICAL WITH PSYCHOTIC P TYPES -> SUPPORTING
ABSORPTION-ADDICTION -> SUGGESTS RESEARCH CAN BE USED TO IMRPOVE PROFS
UNDERSTANDING AND HELP
Research into parasocial relationships has useful applications. Maltby et al (2003) linked the
‘entertainment-social’ CAS level with extrovert personality traits; the ‘intense personal’ category with
neurotic traits, and the ‘borderline pathological’ level with psychotic personality types, supporting the
AO1 Outline
Define Parasocial relationships refer to one-sided relationships with the target being
Parasocial unaware of the relationship. They are commonly a celebrity, a prominent
RS
person in the community or a fictional character, when a fan knows everything
about the subject of their adoration and feels very close to them, but there is no
chance of reciprocity. These relationships are less demanding with less risk
of rejection as they are one sided.
Giles & Giles and Maltby (2006) identified three levels of parasocial relationships, using
Maltby: the Celebrity Attitude Scale in a large-scale survey. The intensity of PSR
‘CAS’
intensifies as you move down the scale. It consists of:
Celebrity
Attitude - Stage 1 Entertainment–Social: most people engage in parasocial
Scale relationships at this level at some point in their lives. Celebrities are seen
as a source of entertainment and as a topic for lighthearted gossip with
friends. This is the least intense level of celebrity worship.
- Stage 2 Intense-Personal: At this level a person has a more intense
relationship with a celebrity. For example, they may see them as a
soulmate and they have an intense interest in the celebrity’s personal life,
such as their dress sense, food they like and entertainment in which they
take part. This type of parasocial relationship is typical for teenagers who
seem to be obsessed with every little detail of their favourite celebrity.
- Stage 3 Borderline-pathological: This is the most intense level of
parasocial relationships. At this level, a person takes celebrity worship to
an extreme, has obsessive fantasies about the celebrity, spends large
sums of money to obtain memorabilia and may engage in illegal activities
such as stalking. At this level, it is also usual for people to believe that if
only they were given a chance to meet their favourite celebrity in person,
their feelings would be reciprocated.
McCutcheon McCutcheon proposed the Absorption-Addiction Model to explain parasocial
The
relationships. She suggests that people engage in celebrity worship and
Absorption
Addiction parasocial relationships to compensate for deficits in real life relationships
Model and lack of meaningful relationships, such as difficulty forming intimate
relationships, poor psychological adjustment. Parasocial relationships enable
a sense of identity. Forming parasocial relationships with a celebrity allows
them to achieve the fulfilment they lack in everyday life and adds a sense of
purpose and excitement. Their addictive nature means that parasocial
relationships escalate through a series of stages.
- Absorption is the first stage of the model. Seeking fulfilment in celebrity
worship motivates an individual to focus their attention on the
celebrity, to become absorbed in the celebrity's existence and identify
with them.
, - The addictive stage is like a physiological addiction, the individual
needs to increase their ‘dose’ of involvement to gain satisfaction. This
may lead to more extreme behaviours and delusional thinking, and
stalking, in order to get mentally, and sometimes physically closer to
the celebrity they worship.
Attachment Parasocial relationships can be linked to attachment problems in childhood.
theory People with childhood attachment problems form parasocial relationships
to meet their need for attachment/affection. Such relationships do not
involve the same fear of rejection as real-life relationships. In contrast,
according to attachment theory, students who reported a happy/secure
childhood would have positive relationships with friends. These individuals
would also be less interested in celebrities because they did not have an
unfulfilled need for attachment.
Bowlby linked early attachment problems to parasocial RS. He noted that
failure to attach during a critical 2.5 year period led to later relationship
problems including e.g. affectionless behaviour, poor internal working
model of relationships and delinquency. These difficulties may lead to a
preference for parasocial relationships to replace one's own social circle, as
parasocial RS do not require the same social skills.
Based on Ainsworth’s research:
- Insecure attachments are likely explanations for parasocial RS.
- Insecure-resistant types are most likely to form parasocial RS because
they want to have their unfulfilled needs met in a RS where there is no
real threat of rejection.
- Insecure avoidant types prefer to avoid the pain and rejection of any
type of RS, either social or parasocial.
According to Hazan and Shaver, this behaviour translates into clingy and
jealous behaviour in adulthood, making it difficult for such people to
developed committed and lasting romantic relationships. Intensive celebrity
worship allows them to engage in fantasy about the perfect relationship,
without heartbreak and rejection.
AO3 EVALUATION
PARASOCIAL RS RESEARCH APPLICATIONS -> MALTBY ET AL -> LINKED ENTERTAINMENT
SOCIAL WITH EXTROVERT TRAITS -> INTENSE PERSONAL WITH NEUROTIC TRAITS ->
BORDERLINE PATHOLOGICAL WITH PSYCHOTIC P TYPES -> SUPPORTING
ABSORPTION-ADDICTION -> SUGGESTS RESEARCH CAN BE USED TO IMRPOVE PROFS
UNDERSTANDING AND HELP
Research into parasocial relationships has useful applications. Maltby et al (2003) linked the
‘entertainment-social’ CAS level with extrovert personality traits; the ‘intense personal’ category with
neurotic traits, and the ‘borderline pathological’ level with psychotic personality types, supporting the
