You may have heard this term before in passing, but what does it really mean?
The Beginning
Parasocial relationships are the ones we, viewers, form with media personae. Parasocial relationships began with television and film actors where people consistently watched the same stars on screen and began to feel a connection with them. Parasocial relationships started out as being one-sided. The viewer has formed a connection with a person they will likely never be able to talk to, and this person will never know who the viewer is.
The Evolution
Regardless of interpersonal connection, intimacy is felt by the viewer and nonexistent for the public figure. As time went on, parasocial relationships evolved with the wide availability of magazines and the influx of talk shows. Now, viewers not only felt a connection with characters on-screen, but they also connect with their real-life counterparts. Celebrities talking about their personal lives and showing their actual personality gave readers and viewers even more reason to invest in this one-sided relationship.
The Modern State
With the birth of social media, parasocial relationships have evolved into an even trickier concept. The fourth wall has been completely obliterated when it comes to influencers making content for their audiences. Whether it be Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok, influencers are much more open about their lives. These types of media personae rack up an audience on the basis of them talking to their cameras directly. Viewers take the influencers’ levels of self-disclosure as a sign of intimacy and may even start to think of them as a friend, meanwhile, the same paradox applies – interpersonal relationships are not interpersonal relationships if one of the parties involved has no comprehension of the other’s existence.
Another modern aspect of parasocial relationships is comment sections. On all social media platforms, there is a function that allows audiences to comment, thus creating the illusion of correspondence. While it is true that influencers respond to their comment sections, there is no intimacy involved in the act. Both the influencer and the audience members are so far removed from one another that closeness is impossible.
Possible Implications
It’s completely normal in this day and age to have parasocial relationships with the creators of the content we interact with on a regular basis. Whether it be Emma Chamberlain, Victoria Paris, or Kylie Jenner, it is inevitable that you are going to form an affinity for them when they are consistent within your life. The idea that you can have access to some of your favorite people whenever you want, is certainly a source of comfort, but the age-old saying ‘everything is good in moderation’ applies here as well. This sort of behavior is typical for our generation, but the level to which we indulge in it is the key to keeping ourselves sane. After all, we don’t want to end up as shut-ins, only interacting with media and closing ourselves off from real interpersonal relationships.