Relationships - Parasocial Relationships

Question 1

Parasocial Relationships

Answer 1

One sided - other party is completely unaware of the other’s existence
- Different media culture may influence parasocial relationships

Question 2

Levels of Parasocial-Celebrity Attitude Scale - Maltby et al

Answer 2

Entertainment-Social
Intense-Personal
Borderline-Pathological

Question 3

Entertainment-Social

Answer 3

Interest in celebrity for fun
Source of gossip/interaction
Most people mainly stay at this level

Question 4

Intense-Personal

Answer 4

Intensive, compulsive feelings towards a celebrity - interest in personal life/soulmate
Quite obsessive
Deeper level
Common in teenagers

Question 5

Boarderline-Pathlogical

Answer 5

Most intense level
Extreme behaviours, fantasies (stalking)
Worships a celebrity - spending large amount of money on them
Believe feelings would be reciprocated by celeb if met

Question 6

James study

Answer 6

275 stalkers of Royal family
83% had form of psychosis
18% thought they were related
12% infatuated

Question 7

Absorption-Addiction model - McCutcheon et al

Answer 7

Absorption: people escape reality by absorbing themselves in celebrity lives
- Establish personal identity & identify with them
- Make up for personal deficiencies
Addiction: lead to extreme behaviour (stalking)
- Needs a more intense involvement to sustain commitment & gain satisfaction

Question 8

Maltby et al study

Answer 8

Linked BP level with psychotic traits using Eysenck’s personality questionnaire
Female adolescents - intense personal relationship with a female celeb whose body shape they idolised - tended to have poor body image

Question 9

Weaknesses of AA model

Answer 9

Doesn’t explain why different forms develop, only how
Doesn’t help prevent disturbing aspects of PSR(obsession, illegal behaviour)

Question 10

Attachment Theory Explanation - Bowbly

Answer 10

• Early difficulties in attachment may lead to difficulties in forming successful relationships in later life - IWM
• People with insecure-resistant attachment more likely to form PS relationships
• Can feel an intimate bond without the fear of rejection - doesn’t require the same social skills

Question 11

Different attachment types and PS relationships

Answer 11

Secure - not likely - have satisfactory real life relationships with people
Avoidant - least likely - find it difficult to form relationships in real life and PS - unlikely to seek them

Question 12

Support attachment theory explanation

Answer 12

Cohen:
381 adults completed questionnaires on attachment style & how would react if favourite TV characters taken off the air
- Anger, sadness, negative emotions - insecure resistant anticipated most negative responses
- Universal - not culture-bound

Question 13

Limitations for attachment theory explanation

Answer 13

McCutcheon:
Insecure resistant not more likely to form PSR with celebs than secure
- Gender differences - male pop groups/celeb - most fans are young girls
Males have interest in male figures in sports