Covid Connections
Did quarantine encourage parasocial relationships?
Isolation from the real world lead most of us to turn to the internet for social interactions and entertainment during the pandemic. Whether it be binge watching Tiger King, investing in the #FreeBritney movement , or endlessly scrolling through TikTok, most of us were consumed by media during the pandemic.
Face-to-face social interactions were scarce during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of people only had real interactions with those who were in their immediate family or living in the same household as them. Being constantly surrounded by family and sharing the same space with the same people lead to many looking for an escape. This escape was the media. Media allowed people to forget about their current situations and become immersed in celebrities and trending topics. Having all of this free time and limited in-person interaction lead to people completely investing in the latest drama in the media.
Parasocial relationships flourished during the pandemic. This type of relationship between fan and celebrity creates the illusion that one personally knows and builds a relationship with a famous figure they have not actually had an interaction with. The fan becomes so emotionally invested in the well-being, relationship status, and success of the celebrity that it builds a personal connection when in reality the famous figure most likely does not even know they exist. Parasocial interaction can occur, “at the individual and group level, in ways that are both positive and negative (and likely neutral at times)” according to Carol Laurent Jarzyna. Parasocial relationships create “fandoms”, groups of fans dedicating their time,money, and energy to a famous figure. These tight knit groups form a bond and sense of community in their shared interest/passion towards a celebrity.
Free Britney Movement
Britney Spears has grown up in the spotlight but many became emotionally invested in her well-being during the pandemic. Britney Spears had been in a conservatorship for almost 14 years, giving her father control over her life in almost all aspects. Jamie Spears had control over her financials reportedly limiting her to a, “ $2,000 weekly allowance” even though she is an international pop star continuing to make millions. Britney fans had been aware of the conservatorship for years, but the concern for Britney’s well-being became prominent during the pandemic. Britney Spears was still very active on social media making Tiktoks, going live on Instagram, etc. People began picking up on slight clues and hints in her videos that suggested she was in need of help.
Fans became so invested in picking up on these clues in her videos noticing differences in her clothing, body language, and the way that she was talking. One fan commented under a video of hers to wear a yellow shirt in her next video if she needed help. Can you guess what Spears was wearing in the next video she posted? A bright yellow top. This was seen as a cry for help and ignited not only fans but the general public to call attention to put an end to her conservatorship. #FreeBritney became an increasingly popular trend in the pandemic, leading people to come up with their own conspiracies and completely dive into this movement. People ended up dedicating a majority of their time to uncovering this conservatorship by making videos on Youtube, Tiktok, Instagram, etc.
But why did people feel so strongly to fight for someone’s freedom who they don’t even know?
Sally Theran, professor of psychology unpacks the reasoning behind parasocial relationships. Theran comprehends the relationship between Britney and her fans by stating that, “You see her grow and change and you feel like you’ve watched her all along. …It’s possible that some of her fans are projecting their own views of her and her family onto Britney.” People felt so passionately to fight for Britney’s rights due to their own lack of control in their lives. The lack of control brought a sense of similarity and allowed fans to relate to Britney in an emotional sense.
Pros and Cons of Parasocial Relationships
Positive Outcome on Parasocial Relationships
The idea of having a relationship with someone you don’t even know seems a bit delusional and naive right? Surprisingly researchers have found that parasocial relationships (PSR) can be healthy and beneficial, especially in youth and teens. “In one study of parasocial relationships and self-esteem, Jaye Derrick, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Houston, found that one-sided relationships encouraged people with low self-esteem to be more goal-oriented and more comfortable in their own skin” (Annette Choi, 2017). PSR eliminate the fear of rejection. They are typically one-sided relationships with no personal interaction between celebrity and fan. There usually is no fear that that their affection will not be reciprocated due to most famous figures stating how much they “love their fans”. These kind of statements and interactions with fans showing love and appreciation help to develop the idea that celebrities can love their fans without knowing them to some extent. An article by Auden Svoboda explains this by stating that, “For some people, parasocial relationships can help with conquering the fear of rejection that stems from social anxiety, as well as alleviating feelings of loneliness and depression through the sense of connecting with another person.” PSR create a kind of online community allowing their fans to interact with one another on Twitter, Instagram, etc. This develops a ‘fandom”, or group of people who share a passion for the same artist or celebrity.
Negative Effects of Parasocial Relationships
Though PSR relationships can build positive connections between people and boost self-esteem they can also do some serious damage. Fans can become so emotionally and financially invested in their favorite celebrities it becomes harmful. Putting so much into the one-sided relationships and not getting anything can start to take a toll on one’s mental health. Certain decisions and actions that these celebrities take affect not only them but their fans as well. For example on March 25 of 2015, Zayn Malik, member of the popular group One Direction left the boy band. Emotional distress ensued around the world in many young fans of the band. The hashtag #AlwaysInOurHeartsZaynMalik trended worldwide with videos and tweets of thousands of young fans crying over Malik’s departure. This kind of deeply rooted emotional investment is dangerous to one’s mental health and can lead to harmful outcomes.
One of the biggest fandoms created by the fans of the popular boy band, One Direction, deemed themselves “directioners” and heavily influenced the idea of fandom on the internet. These dedicated preteens had more power than you would think. Fans were able to take a track from their album Four to be released a single by just campaigning and promoting it across the internet. This track that originally was not supposed to be released as a single flew to the top of the charts and even becoming a number one hit on the Billboard Charts. Their popular album, Four, even started trending again on the charts over the pandemic. Many fans who had been obsessed with the band in 2015, rekindled their “one Direction” phase over the pandemic. By rewatching their old interviews, listening to their music, and becoming invested in the fandom again the pandemic allowed directions to relive this phase of their lives. “One Direction fans recently reunited for a concert online. This concert saw tremendous response online and even led to the hashtag ‘1D Online Concert Stay At Home’ to trend worldwide” (Tanvi Dhote, June 2020).
Parasocial relationships will continue to develop and grow in today's age of social media. The pandemic has proved how easily invested we can become in other’s lives that we don’t even know. Whether you realize it or not, you most likely have developed a parasocial relationship with your favorite artist, athlete, or actor. The important thing is to recognize this type of relationship and not let it go too far or before you know it you’re running your bank account dry to see your favorite artist five times (speaking from personal experience).
