parasocial relationships

Question 1

attachment theory explanation

Answer 1

• parasocial relationships with TV stars exhibit 3 important features:
  a) proximity seeking:
  
  • individuals try to reduce distance between them & attachment figure
  • stay informed about fav celebs
    b) secure base:
  • attachment figure provides sense of security & feel comfortable
  • no chance of rejection hence secure base
    c) protest at disruption:
  • distressed at separation & upset when series ends

Question 2

research into attachment theory

Answer 2

• cole & leets explain how far people of different attachments are likely to engage in psr
  
  • secure: moderate level & takes place when find it hard to trust relational partner
  • insecure avoidant: avoid all types of attachments include psr
  • insecure resistant: hold negative views of themselves so likely to turn to psr

Question 3

absorption addiction model

Answer 3

• different levels of psr with many not going further than admiring a celeb but some go further
• identify these with celebrity attitude scale:
  a) entertainment - social:
  
  • attracted to celeb & keep up to date with gossip
    b) intense - personal:
  • intense & compulsive feelings/obsessive
    c) borderline - pathological:
  • identify with their success & failures & over-identify with celeb

Question 4

research into absorption & addiction

Answer 4

• McCutcheon explains how introverts may be absorbed in psr
• focus their attention on celeb effortlessly & feel motivated to find out more about them
• if absorption levels high psr can be addictive
• maintained through psychological addiction

Question 5

evaluation 1

Answer 5

RESEARCH SUPPORT: from meta analysis suggesting that people with higher levels of PSRs watch more TV. These individuals often perceive the characters to be real either PSR based on attractiveness & similarities.
STRENGTH: these factors recognised in both attachment & absorption-addiction explanation
SELF REPORT: when questioned on PSR, individuals may lie to make them look better so findings will not be reliable

Question 6

evaluation 2

Answer 6

AAM LINKS TO MENTAL HEALTH: using personality questionnaire, Malibu found those in entertainment-social level associated with extraversion and those in intense-personal level associated with neuroticism
STRENGTH: offers explanation as to why higher levels of PSRs are associated with poorer mental health
NO TREATMENT: theory explains levels of sadness felt when PSR is disrupted & explains who is most likely to be effected but doesn’t offer strategies to help individual & left traumatised which is unethical
LIMIT