Flashcards
parasocial relationships
Cards in this deck (24)
- 1What is a parasocial relationship?A one sided, unreciprocated relationship, usually with a celebrity, where the fan expends a lot of time, energy and commitment on their idol and the other party are unaware of their existance
- 2Who came up with the three levels of parasocial relationships?Giles and Maltby
- 3What is the first level of parasocial relationships?Entertainment social
- 4Describe the first level of parasocial relationshipsCelebrities are a source of entertainment and a topic of conversation amongst friends. E.g. friends discussing Ariana Grande's new music video
- 5What is the second level of parasocial relationship?Intense-personal
- 6Describe the second level of parasocial relationships.Fan has greater personal involvement with the celebrity, with an intense interest in the celebrity's personal life. E.g. a Shawn Mendes fan having frequent thoughts about him and seeing him as their soulmate
- 7What is the third level of parasocial relationship?Borderline pathological
- 8Describe the third level of parasocial relationshipsStrongest level of celebrity worship- may engage in illegal activity such as stalking, fans have uncontrollable fantasies about the celebrity and spend large sums of money on celebrity related objects. E.g. a Justin Bieber fan believing that if he met them, he would fall in love with them
- 9Why does the absorption addiction model suggest people engage in parasocial relationships?Because they have deficits in their real life. They may follow the celebrity to gain a sense of personal identity or fulfilment
- 10What does the absorption part of the absorption addiction model propose?The fan may absorb themselves in the other person's life. Involves being preoccupied with them and focusing all their attention and time on them.
- 11Why does the absorption part of the absorption addiction model take place?Weak sense of personal identity, difficulty forming intimate relationships, low life achievements, poor psychological adjustments.
- 12What does the addiction part of the absorption addiction model propose?If the level of absorption is high enough, the individual may become addicted by it. The object of the parasocial relationship becomes more important than other domains of life e.g. work/relationship, the fan is driven to more extreme behaviour in order to maintain their connection e.g. stalking
- 13What is an evaluation point for the absorption addiction model?There is research that supports the absorption addiction model. Maltby et al found that entertainment social levels was linked to extraversion, intense personal levels was linked to neuroticism and borderline pathological levels was linked to psychoticism. This increases the validity of the idea that extreme parasocial relationships are associated with poor mental health.
- 14What is an evaluation point into the research into the absorption addiction model?There are methodological issues with the research. There are issues with cause and effect as Maltby's research is correlational, so we cannot confirm that psychoticism causes the development of an extreme parasocial relationship. The results of the research give us a correlation, not a causation, so there may be other variables that cause the parasocial relationship. As well as this, the research uses a self report method so the participants may have given socially desirable answers if they were embarrassed about the intensity of their parasocial relationship. This decreases the validity of the idea that parasocial relationships are caused by psychotic personality traits, given that the evidence only shows a correlation between the two.
- 15What is the first property of parasocial relationships according to the attachment theory?Proximity seeking behaviour.
- 16Explain the first property of parasocial relationships (attachment model)Individuals attempt to reduce the distance between them and their attachment figure for example by collecting trivia about them, attempting to contact them or rearranging their schedule to see them on TV or in person
- 17What is the second property of parasocial relationships according to the attachment theory?A secure base
- 18Explain the second property of parasocial relationships (attachment model)A presence of the attachment figure provides a sense of security for the individual. For example, Stever (2009) found that Michael Jackson became a substitute father for a fan after their father left.
- 19What is the third property of parasocial relationships according to the attachment theory of relationships?Protest at disruption
- 20Explain the third property of parasocial relationships (attachment model)The presence of prolonged distress upon the separation or loss of the attachment figure. For example, when Top Gear was axed from the BBC, the loss of Jeremy Clarkson was emotional for some. One fan wrote 'I want to cry' on a 'Bring Back Clarkson petition.
- 21Why does the attachment figure suggest some people form parasocial relationships?Due to attachment difficulties in their childhood (lack of secure attachment). This is because they don't have a fully functioning internal working model so don't realise these relationships are unusual.
- 22Which attachment type is most likely to form a parasocial relationship according to the attachment model and why?Insecure resistant (Type C) attachments as they have unfulfilled needs, and developing a parasocial relationship could fill these needs without the fear of rejection that is associated with real life relationships.
- 23What is a strength of the attachment theory?There is supporting evidence. Cohen (2004) asked a sample of 381 adults to complete a questionnaire about their relationship with their favourite TV character and their attachment type. Viewers expecting to loose exposure of their favourite character anticipated feelings of sadness, anger and loneliness, similar to the feelings felt when loosing a real relationship. Those anticipating the more extreme emotions were more likely to be insecure resistant. This increases the validity of the attachment theory by showing that parasocial relationships are associated with the insecure resistant attachment style.
- 24What is a weakness of the attachment theory?Not all research shows the same results as Cohen. McCutcheon measured attachment styles and celebrity related attitudes and found that those with a secure attachment were no less likely to form a parasocial relationship than those with insecure attachment styles. This reduces the validity of the attachment theory as the results don't support its central claim.
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- GCSE Psychology Flashcards on parasocial relationships, created by Emily Mawson on 31/08/2020.
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- Emily Mawson
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