What are parasocial relationships? What it means, how to define them.

People’s fascination with celebrities has been around for centuries – and has grown even greater in the Internet age. influencerToo often online content creators have blurred both the definition of “celebrity” and our relationship with them.

While it may seem like influencers are your friends because of the way they interact with followers online, chances are that’s not the case. Instead, these relationships are parasocial—one-way. But what exactly are parasocial relationships, and are they healthy?

What is a parasocial relationship?

Parasocial relationships are one-way relationships, usually with an everyday person and a celebrity or fictional character, said Natalie Pennington, assistant professor of communication studies at Colorado State University.

According to Noah Mallin, chief strategy officer at media tech company IMGN Media, parasocial connection is a perceived intimacy that audience members feel even if they have no actual relationship with that person.

These relationships existed long before the Internet – thousands of years ago. Researchers say ancient people had Parasocial relations with the pharaoh And gods, for example.

In the 20th century, early research on parasocial relationships analyzed people’s relationships soap opera characters and other fictional TV characters. “People will watch TV shows and become really invested in them, and feel like they have a relationship with some of the key people on the show,” Pennington said. “So even if they never met, they were like, ‘This person is my friend. I know them.'”

“Even if they never met, they were like, ‘This person is my friend. I know them.'”

As media and technology have evolved, so have parasocial relationships. With the rise of the Internet and social media over the past few decades, celebrities have revealed more information about themselves online, allowing fans to know more. This knowledge, previously impossible to know, has made these relationships seem real, as fans are learning more about the celebrity. However, this is still one-sided, as the celebrity may not know who the fan is.

Examples of Parasocial Relationships

one in Study on fan-celebrity interaction on Twitter Published by Pennington in 2016 with professor Jeffrey A. Hall and researcher Alex Hutchinson, the authors discussed the “illusion of closeness” that social media interactions give fans when it comes to celebrity interactions. “Like” or retweet a celebrity can not only increase one’s own social status, but also one’s perceived level of closeness with that celebrity.

Even the definition of “celebrity” is vague these days due to the rise of social media and especially influencers, who have blurred the parasocial lines even more due to increased interaction and the perception that an influencer is a “normal person” just like you.

Due to busyness, social media blurs the lines of parasocial relationships. Since that study, it has only increased — especially with TikTok, Pennington said. Referring to the Stitch feature of combining videos, he said, “For example, TikTok with Stitch… it blurs the line on parasocial because someone can actually respond to you and then you feel even more connected.”

The rise of YouTube vlogging had a hand in modern social interactions, Mallin said. Vloggers talk directly to the camera about specific personal issues they are dealing with (something not often done in previous forms of media), as if they were talking to a friend. It’s now common for an influencer to look directly at you during a video. There’s a perceived level of authenticity, even if a lot of work went into a video behind the scenes.

Influencers are not only watching you, but they’re also interacting – sometimes in real time. “It feels like you’ve got more access and more ability to communicate,” Mallin said. “A good creator will read comments, and comment back.”

Commenting frequently can make it feel like you’re having a conversation with an influencer (even if it’s their team and they’re not responding). This helps promote the feeling that “this is a real person,” Mallin said, “but it can also promote this feeling of, ‘Not only is this a real person, but we actually have a relationship with each other,'” even if you don’t.

“again, [this is] In most cases there’s still not a two-way relationship,” Pennington said. “But because there’s an additional level or possibility of interaction [interaction]”It can strengthen that bond for someone.”

How are parasocial relationships formed and ended?

Parasocial relationships arise from parasocial interaction or PSI. PSI is the process of connecting with a celebrity or influential person. You see their content, maybe even reach out to them. It’s possible that you are related to them in some way; Maybe their identity matches yours, or maybe you have similar viewpoints.

As much as it is possible for parasocial relationships to be formed, it is equally possible for them to end. The worst case scenario is when a public figure dies, but that is not the only way.

One way is, as Malin said, “the bubble has burst.” This is especially the case with influencers when they reach a certain level of notoriety where they no longer “feel real.” Perhaps his number of followers is in lakhs and he has come into the mainstream. “Once you realize that they’re not really just talking to you anymore… it can start to feel like it’s not a relationship,” Mallin said.

This can also happen when an influencer starts doing too many sponsorships that don’t match who they are (or, at least, who fans perceive them to be). “It starts to seem less authentic,” Moulin said.

Or, maybe the influencer started in an area that resonates with yours and then they evolved and moved on. In this way, the end of an antisocial relationship can feel like a friendship that has faded away.

This does not happen with all fans, but when the illusion of intimacy is somehow broken, parasocial relationships can deteriorate.

Are parasocial relationships healthy?

The simple answer is yes – but like most things, it’s best in moderation.

In the United States, people are lonely a lot, and the pandemic has made the situation worse “The Loneliness Epidemic.” people have less close friends Now compared to decades ago. Also, Pennington said, humans have an innate need and thus a need for connection, and when we don’t have that we will seek it. Humans developed these needs over millions of years, because we needed to be part of groups in order to survive. Although this is no longer necessary, we are still social creatures who thrive with others.

So, it makes sense that people want connection online and through celebrities and influencers. As long as they aren’t the only relationships in your life, parasocial relationships can be perfectly fine. When you connect with your favorite online personality, you may get a “boost” of good-relationship feelings – a hit of the feel-good chemical dopamine – and that’s a positive thing.

But if that’s the only way you’re connecting — or if you feel like your parasocial relationships are truly a two-way street — that’s when they can become problematic.

“We need people in our lives that we actively talk to,” Pennington said, “to help our well-being, whether that’s loneliness, self-esteem, belonging, relationships, all that stuff.”

Pennington continued, “There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a creator’s content in any capacity and appreciating the work they do with the joy of the moment it brings you.” However, it is not a good idea to have expectations from a celebrity. “It’s OK to reach out and say ‘hi’ to tweet, but don’t hope or expect a response,” Pennington said.

Additionally, Mallin said, parasocial relationships can cross the line into being toxic, especially if the influencer/celebrity is of a marginalized identity. “Parasocial relationships may seem quite benign,” he said, “but for some groups they can sometimes be a little more sinister.”

For example, during the worst of the pandemic, Influential people talk about increasing harassmentAbuse can extend from online to offline, such as Twitch “fans” are stalking streamersIn these ways, blurred lines of communication can be harmful,

When interacting with an influencer/celebrity, it is important to remember that the relationship is actually one-sided. It’s okay to be in love with someone famous – but keep your emotional and physical distance.

This article was first published in 2022 and republished in 2025.