Parasocial Compensation Hypothesis

Abstract

In America, socializing with friends has become a functional alternative to watching television. Such a drastic change in how we spend free time demands a closer look at media effects. The study at hand invokes intrapersonal communication research and parasocial interactions and relationships from the media effects literature, synthesizing a new line of research in the process. We ask, "What functions and characteristics of parasociability predict parasocial compensation for real-life interaction?" To explore this question, we combined data based on respondent identification numbers from two larger surveys that measured functions and characteristics of parasocial. An ordinary least squares regression with compensation as the focal variable revealed that parasocial thinking, when functioning as internal rehearsal and self-understanding, and when characterized by variety and selfdominance, predicts parasociability as compensation for human interaction. Retroactive parasocial thinking negatively predicted compensation. The bottom line is this: Under certain circumstances, people choose parasocial relationships

Parasocial Interaction Among Young Female Devotees of Korean Dramas

“…The researchers saw that "binge watching" produced recurrent parasocial interaction. A serial drama with a large number of episodes has similarities to the characteristic of "retroactivity" (Madison, Porter, & Greule, 2016). Repeated parasocial interaction can reinforce the themes seized upon by the viewers and defend interaction with the personas as compensation for the non-occurrence of the hoped for interaction, in reality.…”

“…Repeated parasocial interaction can reinforce the themes seized upon by the viewers and defend interaction with the personas as compensation for the non-occurrence of the hoped for interaction, in reality. Madison, Porter, and Greule (2016) stated that variation does not influence parasocial characteristics of the function of compensation. People tend to experience a parasocial interactional focus on the character they like.…”

Social and parasocial relationships during COVID-19 social distancing

“…Parasocial relationships can theoretically serve as functional alternatives to social relationships, a prediction often referred to as the parasocial compensation hypothesis (Madison et al, 2016). Contradictory to the hypothesis, studies suggest that media personae do not generally compensate for friendship deficiencies.…”

“…Social and parasocial relationships are not interchangeable; yet, theories predicting interpersonal relationship development have successfully been applied to parasocial relationships (Eyal & Dailey, 2012;Rosaen & Dibble, 2016), individual differences that have traditionally predicted friendship ties have also predicted how individuals engage with celebrities and fictional characters (Cole & Leets, 1999;Schiappa et al, 2007), and both friends and media personae can gratify the need for connection and belonging (Bond, 2018;Madison et al, 2016). How might social and parasocial relationships function, however, when people are faced with a global crisis that abruptly and involuntarily halts their abilities to sustain routine in-person social contact, thereby increasing time spent with screens?…”

Everyday (Imagined) Talk: An Exploration of Everyday Conversational Topics and Imagined Interaction Features

“…General patterns in II research reveal two common foci, one on extending and investigating II features in relation to a host of individual and relational concepts (Honeycutt, Choi, & DeBerry, 2009;Honeycutt, Zagacki, & Edwards, 1992;Madison, Rold, & Honeycutt, 2014), the other exploring, improving, and refining the theoretical framework of IIs (Bodie et al, 2013;Van Kelegom & Wright, 2013). Perhaps due the appeal and accessibility of the II framework as an investigative tool, current trends in the first research foci have investigated associations between IIs and night dreams (Eldredge, Honeycutt, White, & Standige, 2015) and the use of II features in parasocial relationships (Madison, Porter, & Greule, 2016). The current study, in contrast, focuses on connecting the theoretical framework of IIs back to the interpersonal counterpart of everyday topics, talk, and conversation by focusing on the topics of talk in IIs and how these topics of talk represent attributes like variety, specificity, and frequency, as well as describe IIs focusing on relational maintenance, rehearsal, and conflict, along with other features of IIs.…”