Parasocial Breakup Among Young Children in the United States

A survey of parents of children 2 to 8 years old was conducted to investigate parasocial relationships (PSR) and experiences with parasocial breakup among young children. Results indicated that boys were significantly more likely to have a female favorite character at a younger age than at their current age, but girls were no more likely to have a male favorite character at a younger age than at their current age. As children aged and transitioned to new favorite media characters, boys' favorite characters became more masculine and girls' favorite characters became more feminine. Child maturation, the influence of other media characters, and habituation to the character were the most commonly cited reasons for children experiencing parasocial breakup. Findings are discussed in terms of the similarities between face-to-face friendship dissolution and parasocial breakup among children and the importance of character gender to children's PSR, especially as children mature.