All of our analysis got three significant tries: (1) to examine adolescents’ different choices for news numbers and you may superstars to own parasocial interest, (2) to explore the newest prevalence and you can construal out of PSR when you look at the an adolescent sample, and you can (3) to ascertain if gender differences came up inside the teenage parasocial process. When it comes to adolescents’ different choices for mass media figures and you can celebrities, i hypothesized one very salient stars, like stars and artists, is seem to mentioned, with down cost of endorsement to possess low-artistic stars otherwise lifeless news data. I and additionally requested telecommunications ranging from particular celebrity picked as well as the properties teenagers of this all of them, for the reason that highly noticeable celebs might be for the physical appearance, whereas players and you may non-musicians and artists might possibly be enjoyed because of their strengths. To own PSR, i requested adolescence just who engaged in PSR to help you statement so much more hierarchical than just egalitarian matchmaking, however, on the quantity you to definitely version seemed, we asked hierarchical PSR are of this adore out of a good celebrity’s talent and you will egalitarian PSR is of this physical appearance. I in addition to questioned PSR become of the large involvement, power, and money when you look at the parasocial products. For gender variations, i questioned better acceptance out of sports athletes certainly one of boys and you will performers one of girls, higher pricing away from involvement, strength, and you can PSR inside the girls than boys, as well as for boys to comprehend the a-listers for their skills alot more commonly than simply girls. Lastly, i asked girls as far more private regarding their parasocial facts than boys.
Participants
The initial sample was 107 girls (Mage = , SD = 0.35) and 61 boys (Mage = , SD = 0.42) in ninth grade at a public high school in a US Northeastern suburb. However, seven girls (6.5%) and eight boys (13.1%) did not identify a celebrity of whom they were particularly fond, so the final sample included 100 girls (Mage = , SD = 0.35) and 53 boys (Mage = , SD = 0.38). This ratio reflects the gender ratios in much of the research on PSI (Cohen, 1999, 2003, 2004; Cole and Leets, 1999; Maltby et al., 2006; Derrick et al., 2008, 2009). Adolescents were 73% Caucasian, 12% Asian, 8% Biracial, 2% Latino, 2% African-American, and 1% Native-American (2% chose “Other” or did not respond), and approximately 75% had at least one parent who had graduated college. Participation (72.3%) was solicited through a letter and consent form sent to parents through the school. Participants received a $5 gift certificate for ice cream, and the school received a donation. This study was carried out with the approval of and in accordance with the recommendations of the Wellesley College Ethics Review Board with written informed consent from parents and assent from all participants in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.
Methods
A study addressed aspects of (PSI/PSR) including personality out of celebrities selected to possess parasocial attention and range and you will version inside the quasi-dating dreamed with the famous people. We examined whether celebrity vocation or dating dreamed had been regarding the features teenagers respected within their chosen superstars, and psychological and you may behavioural manifestations away from PSI/PSR, eg participants’ number kissbrides.com referans of involvement during the parasocial affairs, the mental concentration of the experience, their hard work finding away regarding their picked superstars, and whether or not they shared their attention in these news numbers having family and friends. Users had been basic asked to understand an exact same-sex celebrity away from whom these people were such happy (“Really adolescent girls/boys provides a prominent star or a favorite character out-of Tv, motion picture, or pop music community: hence Female/Male Superstar will you be including keen on?”). g., Derrick ainsi que al., 2008).
Celebrity Method of
Mass media rates named was categorized toward five star products: step one = actors, 2 = athletes, 3 = singers, 4 = general superstars (elizabeth.g., talk let you know servers Oprah), and 5 = writers. Celebrities that fit into the numerous categories (elizabeth.g., Oprah is also an actress) were coded depending on the classification in which they were top identified. A couple independent coders obtained most of the answers; precision is large (kappa = 0.92). Disputes was basically solved because of the discussion.