A01: Describe (6 marks)- Q) Discuss one or more explanations of parasocial relationships
Parasocial relationships are one-sided relationships where a person feels a strong emotional connection to a celebrity,
fictional character, or prominent figure, despite no chance of reciprocity. The person knows a lot about the celebrity but the
celebrity is unaware of their existence.
McCutcheon developed the Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS), which Maltby used to identify three levels of parasocial
relationships:
1. Entertainment-social — Celebrities are viewed mainly for entertainment and as a topic of gossip with friends. This is
the least intense level.
2. Intense-personal — The fan forms a deeper, more personal attachment. They may think of the celebrity as a
soulmate or feel emotionally connected to their life.
3. Borderline-pathological — The most extreme level. The fan may experience obsessive fantasies, believe the celebrity
would reciprocate their feelings if they met, and possibly engage in risky or illegal behaviour such as stalking.
McCutcheon also proposed the Absorption-Addiction Model to explain parasocial relationships. She suggests that
people engage in celebrity worship to compensate for some deficiencies in their life, such as difficulty forming
intimate relationships, poor psychological adjustment and lack of identity.
McCutcheon explains that looking for satisfaction in celebrity worship makes a person focus intensively on parasocial
relationships and achieving a sense of fulfillment motivates them to become even more intensely attached to the
celebrity. This is the first stage of the model, absorption.
This sense of fulfilment then becomes addictive for the person, leading them to engage in more risky behaviour such
as stalking, to get mentally, and sometimes physically, closer to the celebrity they worship.
Attachment theory also explains parasocial relationships. According to Bowlby’s theory of attachment, individuals
who failed to form a secure attachment with a caregiver in early childhood seek attachment substitutes in adulthood.
Ainsworth’s Strange Situation showed that insecure-resistant infants are clingy and fear rejection — these traits
may lead them to form parasocial relationships, which are safe and cannot reject them.
Hazan and Shaver found that these individuals often display clingy, jealous behaviour in adult relationships.
Parasocial relationships allow them to fantasise about a perfect relationship without the fear of heartbreak and
rejection.
Parasocial relationships are one-sided relationships where a person feels a strong emotional connection to a celebrity,
fictional character, or prominent figure, despite no chance of reciprocity. The person knows a lot about the celebrity but the
celebrity is unaware of their existence.
McCutcheon developed the Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS), which Maltby used to identify three levels of parasocial
relationships:
1. Entertainment-social — Celebrities are viewed mainly for entertainment and as a topic of gossip with friends. This is
the least intense level.
2. Intense-personal — The fan forms a deeper, more personal attachment. They may think of the celebrity as a
soulmate or feel emotionally connected to their life.
3. Borderline-pathological — The most extreme level. The fan may experience obsessive fantasies, believe the celebrity
would reciprocate their feelings if they met, and possibly engage in risky or illegal behaviour such as stalking.
McCutcheon also proposed the Absorption-Addiction Model to explain parasocial relationships. She suggests that
people engage in celebrity worship to compensate for some deficiencies in their life, such as difficulty forming
intimate relationships, poor psychological adjustment and lack of identity.
McCutcheon explains that looking for satisfaction in celebrity worship makes a person focus intensively on parasocial
relationships and achieving a sense of fulfillment motivates them to become even more intensely attached to the
celebrity. This is the first stage of the model, absorption.
This sense of fulfilment then becomes addictive for the person, leading them to engage in more risky behaviour such
as stalking, to get mentally, and sometimes physically, closer to the celebrity they worship.
Attachment theory also explains parasocial relationships. According to Bowlby’s theory of attachment, individuals
who failed to form a secure attachment with a caregiver in early childhood seek attachment substitutes in adulthood.
Ainsworth’s Strange Situation showed that insecure-resistant infants are clingy and fear rejection — these traits
may lead them to form parasocial relationships, which are safe and cannot reject them.
Hazan and Shaver found that these individuals often display clingy, jealous behaviour in adult relationships.
Parasocial relationships allow them to fantasise about a perfect relationship without the fear of heartbreak and
rejection.
