Parasocial Experiences: Psychological Theory and Application

This book covers key aspects of parasocial relationships (PSRs), or the relationships people have with media personalities, including fictional characters. The principal feature of a PSR is that it is not individually reciprocated although when the parasocial object is a real person, usually a celebrity, that celebrity often has a reciprocal relationship with their audience as a group.

The authors begin by addressing the many instances where relationships exist in a gray area that is neither...