What does research tell us about parasocial relationships?

The Parasocial Style in American Politics

“The internet brought people together,” Megan Garber notes in her book Screen People: How We Entertained Ourselves Into a State of Emergency. “The hyperlinks that bound its pages made bonds among humans, too. People watched one another through the screens as they always had and as they had never been able to before.”As Garber observes, the Internet, the smart phone and social media revolutionized things by turning our media consumption experienc…

What does research tell us about parasocial relationships?

Parasocial relationships have always existed, but social media has made them feel more personal. For Gen Z, constant access to influencers, streamers, and idols is blurring the line between fandom and real connection. What does the research say?