Parasocial relationships are one-sided bonds that individuals form with media figures (Horton stronger parasocial friendships were associated with better psychological and social well-being. Study 3 experimentally tested the causal psychological functions of parasocial friendships. Participants (N = 195) were randomly assigned to view an image of a parasocial friend (vs. a real-life friend or a distant public figure) before experiencing social exclusion to test whether parasocial friendships can buffer the negative psychological effects of social exclusion. Contrary to my hypothesis, there were no significant differences between conditions. Overall, these findings suggest that parasocial friendships may be linked to better psychological and social well-being in everyday life. More broadly, this study discusses the importance of distinguishing among different types of parasocial relationships when examining their psychological antecedents and implications.
Elif Ulutaş (Thu,) studied this question.
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