The Psychology of the Parasocial Relationship
It’s more socially acceptable these days.
I’m an aspiring therapist, and I’m in the practicum portion of my graduate degree, where I get to work in a clinic where there are individuals, couples, and families in need of mental health support. I muse a lot about people and their unique behaviours surrounding relationships — including their parasocial relationships to their idols.
Parasocial relationships are not a new phenomenon. They embody one-sided relationships where a lot of time, energy, interest, and time are set aside for the other person.
Meanwhile, this other person has no idea that another person is looking at them in this regard. It’s increasingly common these days, where fans obsess over celebrities and other prominent public figures.
Parasocial relationships, while sounding somewhat alarming, can help us expand our social networks in unexpected ways. For example, perhaps others are in the same parasocial relationship to a celebrity, same as you. You both become good friends based on this shared interest.
On top of that, parasocial relationships are often influenced by what we see in the media. The image conveyed of your favourite celebrity may not be the full embodiment of how this person really is. For example, we don’t know what some celebrities are like off-screen, even if we think we know.
Due to the nature of the internet, parasocial relationships have evolved from those on our TV screens to those on our computer screens, tablets, or phones. You might even know someone who has a parasocial relationship with a blogger, a gamer, or even a meme artist.
Plus, more and more celebrities are showing bits and pieces of their real lives on social media, such as on a live stream, impromptu interviews, and other interactive outlets.
Parasocial Relationships Have Surged
Further internet dependency may continue to increase the likelihood of having a parasocial interaction. However, just like regular relationships, the research shows that parasocial relationships are also voluntary pursuits, can bind a group of people together, are fuelled by social interaction, and provide a sense of loyalty and encouragement towards others.
Contemporary research suggests that there has been a shift in how parasocial relationships are viewed. Historically, they were often seen as a symptom of loneliness, but researchers have identified very little connection between loneliness and parasocial intensity.
In fact, most people seem to have varying levels of parasocial relationships, even if they have genuine friendships. Thus, parasocial relationships are socially accepted these days, even if the premise does not sit well with everyone.
Final Takeaways
To summarize, parasocial relationships are one-sided arrangements where you invest a lot of energy, effort, and time in someone who does not know much about you. This other person is usually a celebrity, and in more recent times, have included streamers, gamers, bloggers, and other online influencers.
The earlier mentioned research has also shown a positive societal shift towards parasocial relationships, where they were first viewed as a sign of loneliness, but newer research has countered it, suggesting that it establishes other valuable friendships by proxy.
Only time will tell if the definition, benefits, and consequences of parasocial relationships will change people, for better or for worse. For now, we will just have to sit tight and hope that we will remain healthy with our relationships.
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