Parasocial interaction

A parasocial interaction is a perceived personal connection with a media figure who does not know the audience member. It can feel reciprocal despite being structurally one-sided.

Parasocial relationship: A lasting sense of connection with a media figure who does not personally know the audience member. Repeated interactions can build this enduring bond beyond a single encounter.
Donald Horton: An American sociologist who studied television audiences and co-developed the concept of parasocial interaction. His research with Richard Wohl introduced the term in 1956.
Influencer marketing: A marketing strategy that uses influential online creators to promote products or services. Perceived closeness can make creator recommendations persuasive.
Interpersonal communication: Communication between people who can exchange messages and respond to one another. Unlike parasocial interaction, it allows reciprocal exchange between participants.
Parasocial breakup distress: Emotional upset following the loss of access to a media figure or fictional character. Its intensity raises questions about which bonds have meaningful psychological effects.
Social presence: The sense that another person is psychologically present during mediated communication. Direct address and expressive cues make media figures feel present.
R. Richard Wohl: An American sociologist who co-developed the concept of parasocial interaction with Donald Horton. His collaboration established the original account of audience-media relationships.
Celebrity endorsement: The promotion of a product or cause by a well-known public figure. Audience attachment can transfer favorable feelings to endorsed brands.
Parasocial breakup: Distress experienced when a media figure or program ends or becomes unavailable. It shows how a one-sided bond can produce feelings resembling relational loss.
Media equation: The tendency for people to apply social rules to computers and other media. It offers a broader account of why mediated figures can prompt social responses.

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