Exploring Parasocial Relationships with Celebrities
By: Marie Schmidt
Taylor Swift Performing in Tokyo, Japan. / Sarah Pabst for The New York Times
Being a fan of someone famous is nothing new. From athletes to pop stars, our culture has long been a place of celebrity fascination. This can take shape through interest in their personal lives, buying their albums, and watching interviews. As an avid Taylor Swift fan, I have always understood the role public figures play in being sources of comfort and happiness for others. But what can happen when someone invests significant time and energy into someone who doesn’t even know they exist?
A parasocial relationship is when someone forms a strong connection to a public figure that they don’t know personally. The figure can be a movie star, an online influencer, or even a politician. Due in large part to social media, these relationships have only grown over time. Now, people have more access than ever before to their favorite stars. This was especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic when increased time spent at home looking at screens obscured the line between real-life and online relationships.
For example, in Vogue Magazine’s ‘Beauty Secrets’ series on YouTube celebrities walk viewers through their skincare and makeup routines and create an intimate and exclusive experience between the audience and the celebrity. It almost feels like the viewer is on a FaceTime call with the star. Social media gives people repeated exposure to the inner workings of celebrities they might not otherwise have access to, facilitating parasocial relationships.
Close attachments to celebrities are not always necessarily a negative thing. The Department of Psychology at the University of Buffalo reported that parasocial relationships can help with low self-esteem. It’s common for a person to see a celebrity's achievements and talents and feel a sense of inspiration from them. When a professional athlete such as Patrick Mahomes demonstrates hard work and passion on and off the field, it can encourage others to apply those same attributes in their personal lives.
According to the International Journal of Indian Psychology parasocial relationships can also provide a community that supports and eases feelings of loneliness. . Being a part of a group that shares a passion for the same person or thing can bring people together when they feel isolated.
Sam Margolis, a Temple University alumni, ran a fan account for Ariana Grande on Twitter from eighth grade through college. She said that through her love of the pop star, she felt more appreciated by her friends online than in real life.
“I think a lot of it comes from just wanting to connect with other people that share your interests as deeply as you do. Because there are some people that I was friends with [in real life] that didn’t really understand that so I didn’t feel comfortable talking to them about it,” said Margolis.
People also find themselves having close attachments to public figures because they find relatability in their content. Cassandra Balasabas, a junior marketing major, enjoys TikTok influencer Gabi Menard for her body positivity videos.
She does a bunch of fashion for mid-size and plus-size girls, and I just love her content. I could just scroll for hours,” Balasabas said.
However, parasocial relationships with celebrities can have their downsides if not balanced correctly with real-life relationships and other priorities such as jobs and school. It can take away from enjoying moments outside of the internet and exacerbate isolation.
“When my family and I would go to the pool together, I would just sit on my phone instead, on Twitter, and not really go have fun with them,” Margolis said. “I remember just being concerned about what was going on online instead of what was actually going on.”
Attachment to celebrities can turn intense, leading to real-life consequences. Balasabas, who follows K-pop groups, has observed on Twitter that some fans overstep boundaries trying to meet their favorite idols.
“I saw one where this American girl followed this K-pop group literally everywhere in America. She snuck into their hotel room, and I was just like ‘Wow, what are you doing?’,” Balasabas said. “People forget they’re humans too.” Balasabas said.
The one-sided relationships people form with media figures are not inherently negative, as they have been shown to build confidence, ease loneliness, and give people a chance to be a part of a passionate community. Striking a healthy balance between real-life and parasocial connections is key to avoiding letting a casual celebrity connection turn into a full-blown obsession.