Parasocial relationships
- Created by: millmona
- Created on: 17-01-18 15:03
View mindmap
- Parasocial relationships
- Developing parasocial relationships with celebrities.
- One sided relationships developed by one person knowing about the relationship and the other being clueless about it. Many people are also attracted to the thought of being a celebrity.
- The 3 levels of Parasocial relationships.
- 1- Entertainment-social: where the relationship with the celebrity exists as a source of fun. Shared with others in a social group.
- 2-Intense-personal: obsessive thoughts begin to arise in relation to the celebrity.
- 3- Borderline-pathological: obsessive thoughts begin to give rise to fully-fledged fantasies and behaviours. It is at this stage where stalking may begin.
- Attachment theory: Bowlby suggests that people form close attachments with their caregivers. This bond can relate to how people form bonds in adulthood.
- In terms of celebrities, attachment theory suggests that children who didn't form close bonds with their caregivers may later develop insecure attachments as adults.
- More likely to be attracted to celebrities.
- Strengths: Robert's (2007) study supports the idea that there is a link between childhood and adulthood relationships.
- Found a positive correlation between insecurely attached indivudlas frequently contacting celebrities.
- Weaknesses: McCutcheon et al (2002) asked 250+ university students to complete questionnaires about their personality types and views on celebrities. Found no correlation between having an insecure attachment and forming parasocial relationships.
- In terms of celebrities, attachment theory suggests that children who didn't form close bonds with their caregivers may later develop insecure attachments as adults.
- The absorption addiction model: McCutcheon (2002). States that people from parasocial relationships when they have a weak sense of identity.
- Absorption: an individual becomes absorbed in following a celebrity. The relationship is a form of escapism.
- Addiction: In some cases parasocial relationships become addictive and the indivudlas becomes more and more obsessed. This can lead to extreme behaviour like stalking. Usually the result of poor mental health.
- Strengths of the Absorption addiction model:Maltby et al (2001)found that there was evidence that there is a connection between parasocial relationships and mental health. They also found a positive correlation between levels of anxiety and depression and frequency of more extreme parasocial relationships.
- Weaknesses of the Absorption addiction model: ignores the positive aspects of being a fan, also stigmatises people who form parasocial relationships by linking it with poor mental health.
- Developing parasocial relationships with celebrities.
Comments
Report