Alexandria Brown, Madeline Furman, Lorena Marquez
Section 1: Introduction- Lorena
Our main research question was to measure the participants’ understanding of parasocial relationships and how they are formed. With social media being a key factor in today’s society and everyone using it, that plays a role in how people interact with parasocial relationships. Parasocial relationships can significantly impact our mental health and social lives, especially with the usage of social media, by providing a sense of connection and companionship, but also potentially leading to negative and unrealistic expectations and feelings of isolation if not managed appropriately.
The reason this research is important is because with the rise of social media and the way online influencers have become more prevalent there is no doubt that different kinds of parasocial relationships are being formed. The main reason is due to the influence on identity and behavior. Influencers and celebrities are seen as role models. Understanding how parasocial relationships impact behavior, self-esteem, and identity mainly in groups like; teenagers and young adults.
When conducting our qualitative interviews our group learned that emotions mainly take over parasocial relationships. Participants shared their own personal stories about the highlights of their parasocial relationships and how those were formed. When doing our qualitative interviews we also saw that a main theme that came along with these relationships were the use of social media and how it shaped these kinds of relationships.
The survey we conducted will further our knowledge by identifying more insights on a bigger number of people. The survey will help my group and I understand the prevalence of parasocial relationships, identify demographic trends and correlations when it comes to certain factors.
Section 2: Method & Participant Characteristics- Lorena
The type of quantitative research we did is a survey. The survey data was started December 4, 2024 and the survey went live through December 10, 2024. The data was collected through qualtrics which is a platform that allows people to create, distribute and analyze surveys. When it came to our research sampling method we decided to go with the convenience method. This method was easiest for us to be successful because we got to distribute out to groups that we knew would respond.
Overall we had a total of 66 responses, meaning 66 people took our survey. When it came to demographics and getting to know our audience here is what we found. When it came to seeing if participants were current students we found that 91% of participants are current students and 9% weren’t current students. When it came to age groups we found that: 17% of participants were 18 years old, 35% of participants were 19 years old, 21% of participants were 20 years old, 14% of participants were 21 years old, 3% of participants were 22 years old, and 11% of participants were 24 or older. We also found some information about our participants Marital Status. We found that 56% of participants are single, 11% of participants are married and 33% of participants are in a relationship.
Section 3: Results- Alexandria
To answer the question “To what extent is the general public aware of parasocial relationships and how they are formed?” we posed many questions to better understand our participants knowledge, behaviors, and perceptions. Many of our questions used a lickert scale to track our participants agreement with various statements in an attempt to gain a better understanding.
Main Findings
Based on the results, the three main questions that answer our research question are:
- Can participants correctly identify a parasocial relationship?
- What do our participant’s social media habits look like?
- How do our participants perceive parasocial relationships?
Can participants correctly identify a parasocial relationship?
To answer this question we asked the participants “Which of the following best describes a parasocial relationship?” The participants were given four different options to choose from: “A mutual friendship between two people who interact regularly online,” “An emotional bond where an individual feels close to someone whom the individual doesn’t personally know,” “A professional relationship between an influencer and their brand sponsors,” and “A group of fans who collectively interact with a celebrity or influencer who they personally know.” Of the four options available, participants were drawn to two: “A group of fans who collectively interact with a celebrity or influencer who they personally know” and “An emotional bond where an individual feels close to someone whom the individual doesn’t personally know.” Out of the 58 responses received, 16 selected the incorrect answer of “A group of fans who collectively interact with a celebrity or influencer who they personally know” and 42 selected the correct answer of “An emotional bond where an individual feels close to someone whom the individual doesn’t personally know.” This means that 75% of participants can correctly identify a parasocial relationship by definition alone. This means that the participants are aware of parasocial relationships and what they look like at a base level.
What do our participant’s social media habits look like?
To better understand the social media habits of our participants, the first thing we asked was “At what age did you first become active on social media?” Participants were able to select one of six options. The options cover the ages 13 or younger to 17 or older and an additional response of “I am not on social media.” From the 50 responses gathered, 46% selected “13 or younger” meaning the majority of participants entered the social media landscape during middle school. We followed this question by asking the participants to rank their average time spent on social media daily from 2 hours or less to 10 hours or more. 32% of participants averaged their daily social media usage at 4 hours while 20% averaged at 2 hours or less and an additional 20% averaged at 3 hours. We finished our analysis on social media activity by asking the participants to rate social media platforms according to frequency of use. Between the options of TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, X/Twitter, and YouTube it was found that most participants use TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat with the least used platform being X/Twitter. This data allows us to better understand what forms of content the participants are exposed to and how long they have been exposed to it.
How do our participants perceive parasocial relationships?
This final question was answered by asking the participants to rank their agreement to various statements. The statements that gave us the most insight were “Parasocial relationships can provide emotional support and comfort,” “Parasocial relationships negatively affect real-life relationships,” and “Parasocial relationships can cause emotional distress.” It was found that a majority of participants not only agreed with the statement “Parasocial relationships can provide emotional support and comfort” but also with the statements “Parasocial relationships can negatively affect real-life relationships” and “Parasocial relationships can cause emotional distress. This shows that the participants have mixed feelings about parasocial relationships.
Secondary Findings
The three main areas we could identify in our secondary findings were knowledge surrounding parasocial relationships, experience with parasocial relationships, and exposure to influencers.
We found that a majority of participants felt as though they have a good understanding and could identify a parasocial relationship through asking them to rate their level of agreement to various statements. Out of 54 responses, 46% agreed with the statement “I can identify a parasocial relationship” and an additional 30% felt neutral about the statement. 46% of participants also agreed to the statement “I have a good understanding of what parasocial relationships are.” This shows that the participants are fairly confident in their knowledge of parasocial relationships even if they do not understand it fully.
When asked to rate their level of agreement with the statements “I have experienced a parasocial relationship” and “Someone I know has experienced a parasocial relationship,” the majority of participants disagreed with the first statement but agreed with the second. Where 38% of participants disagreed that they had experienced a parasocial relationship themselves, 42% agreed that they know someone who has experienced a parasocial relationship. This shows that, despite their knowledge of parasocial relationships, they may struggle to identify it in their own lives.
When guaging the participants exposure to influencers we asked the participants to rate their agreement with a set of statements. Through the statements “I frequently see influencers on my social media” and “I follow many influencers on my social media.” we found that the majority of participants have had decent exposure to influencers. 78% of participants agreed with the statement “I frequently see influencers on my social media” while 50% agreed that they follow many influencers. This helps us better understand the participants social media habits and the influences on their social media habits.
Perceptions
Participant’s perception of the dangers of parasocial relationships was answered by several questions. When asked to rate their agreement to the statement “I believe that attachment can become an issue with parasocial relationships,” 83% of participants agreed with the statement. Additionally, 72% of participants agree that more awareness needs to be raised about parasocial relationships and that parasocial relationships can be dangerous. This shows that, despite understanding the benefits of parasocial relationships, the participants are aware of the issues that parasocial relationships can cause.
Participants also believe that parasocial relationships have been normalized in the age of social media. When asked to rate their level of agreement with the statements “Parasocial relationships are normal in the age of social media” and “Social media makes it easier for parasocial relationships to form” 63% of participants agreed with the first statement while 86% agreed with the second.
This normalization may be influenced by influencers online despite influencers being necessary marketing tools. When asking participants to choose how a media figure or influencer typically engages with their audience they were provided with four options: “They engage personally with each fan on an individual level, and the relationship is two-sided,” “They provide content that makes fans feel personally connected, and the relationship is one-sided,” “They maintain regular one-on-one communication with their followers,” and “They prioritize direct interactions with fans over producing content.” Participants seemed to favor “they prioritize direct interactions with fans over producing content” and “they provide content that makes fans feel personally connected, and the relationship is one-sided” over the other two options. 81% of fans feel that influencers provide content to make fans feel personally connected via a one-sided relationship. This view is corroborated by 55% of participants agreeing with the statement “Influencers create a sense of personal connection with their followers” despite the same amount agreeing to the statement “Influencers are necessary for promoting brands and setting lifestyle trends.”
Behaviors
Participants seem to agree that social media and influencers perpetuate the formation of parasocial relationships. Despite this, they themselves may play into the issue. When asked about their social media behaviors, 60% of participants agreed with the statement “I often pay attention to the engagement metrics (e.g. likes, comments, shares, followers, saves) on my social media pages” and 46% agreed to the statement “I often take inspiration from celebrities and internet personalities.”
Despite their knowledge of influencers and their impact on parasocial relationships, participants seem to still fall victim to their tactics. 72% of participants agreed with the statements “Influencers have influenced me to follow a trend” and “Influencers have influenced me to buy a product.” This shows that, despite knowing the tactics influencers may use to make consumers buy into a product or trend, its still just as easy to fall victim.
Section 4: Limitations– Madeline Furman
Our study has a few limitations that we should point out so future research can improve. First, we used a convenience sampling method, which means our data mostly reflects college students. That makes sense for us, but it also limits how much we can say about other groups, like younger teens or older adults, who might experience parasocial relationships differently.
The second limitation is the way the design of the survey itself, specifically some of the questions. While the questions gave us useful insights, they didn’t allow participants to explain their answers in much detail. For example, participants could agree or disagree with statements, but we couldn’t ask follow-up questions to understand their reasoning. With this imitation, it was harder to fully explore and understand their thoughts and experiences around parasocial relationships and social media in general.
Another limitation was the timing of when we conducted our survey. The timing of conduction might have also affected the responses. Since it was conducted during the school semester, participants may have been juggling other priorities, like studying for exams, which could have influenced how much effort they put into answering the questions. This is a big factor considering 91% of participants are current students. It was conducted near the end of the semester, a period when most students, were likely focused on final exams and major assignments. The timing might have discouraged overwhelmed students from participating, which could have affected the diversity and depth of the data collected.
We also realize there were some gaps in the topics we covered. While we focused on social media habits and perceptions of parasocial relationships, we didn’t ask about things like cultural differences or more in depth questions about mental health, which could play a big role in shaping experiences or a understanding of parasocial relationships.
Lastly, as with any self-reported data, there’s always the chance of bias. Participants could have potentially given their answers based on what they thought was socially acceptable instead of focusing on their honest and genuine answers. This is a very possible scenario especially when it comes to more personal questions about their own parasocial experiences. It is also a limitation given the possibility that participants could have rushed through the survey.
Section 5: Conclusion
Alexandria-
Based on our findings I think the information gathered would be beneficial in a campaign directed at middle schoolers. The majority of participants reported that they began using social media at age 13, which is usually around 7th grade, making them a prime group to spread awareness to. As the majority of participants reported that they see and engage with influencers, using an influencer-based campaign would prove beneficial in spreading awareness about parasocial relationships.
Our findings found that the majority of our participants believed that parasocial relationships had issues surrounding pre-existing relationships and emotional turmoil. It’s important to spread awareness about parasocial relationships to circumvent these damages and make people aware of the signs.
Madeline Furman-
To conclude, our research highlights how parasocial relationships play a significant role in shaping people’s social media experiences. Based on the findings, a communication campaign targeting middle school students would be the most effective way to spread awareness about these relationships. Since many participants said they began using social media at 13, this is the right age group to engage. Early intervention can help students develop healthier habits and better understand the emotional effects of parasocial relationships as they grow.
The campaign should focus on using platforms that middle schoolers are already on, like TikTok and Instagram, to ensure the message reaches them. Influencers could be key to delivering this message. Since the majority of participants reported seeing influencers regularly and feeling influenced by them, having trusted creators share content about setting boundaries and balancing online and offline relationships would likely resonate with younger audiences.
The campaign should include practical, relatable elements, like:
- Short, engaging videos of influencers explaining how parasocial relationships can be both positive and negative.
- Interactive challenges, such as “unplug days” that encourage kids to spend time offline with friends or family.
- Quizzes and polls to help kids recognize parasocial relationships in their own lives and reflect on their social media habits.
Another critical aspect of the campaign would be teaching balance. Participants in our study acknowledged the comfort parasocial relationships can provide, but many also noted the potential for emotional distress or harm to real-life relationships. The campaign could focus on showing how to enjoy parasocial relationships without letting them negatively impact other areas of life.
Ultimately, the goal is to empower and educate younger audiences to recognize the impact of parasocial relationships and manage them in a way that supports their mental health and social well-being. By working with influencers as advocates and creating content that really connects with middle and high school students, this campaign could genuinely help the next generation navigate the challenges of social media.
Lorena Marquez-
To conclude our research and the information that we found, most of our audience was active on social media therefore they felt as if they had some prior knowledge about the topic. I feel that for a campaign we can generate awareness for college students and the good and bad parts of having parasocial relationships. When it comes to parasocial relationships they can be healthy, in terms of being a fan and supporter. There can also be bad parts in terms of becoming over obsessive, and letting it inflict on your emotions.
A way that I would engage with my audience to create awareness about parasocial relationships and how to have a balance is to post infographics on social media that list positive behaviors and negative behaviors with these types of relationships. Influencers could also play a big role in this as well by advocating their audience on how to reflect with the relationships that they have online.