Commitment to favorite television characters: An initial application of the investment model to parasocial relationships

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Branch ◽  
Kari Wilson ◽  
Christopher Agnew
2020 ◽  
pp. 009365021990063
Author(s):  
Bradley J. Bond

The current study investigates parasocial relationships as the underlying mechanism explaining prejudice reduction following extended exposure to mediated outgroups. Heterosexual participants viewed a fictional television series for 10 weeks depicting outgroup (gay) characters in which the outgroup attribute (sexuality) was accentuated or sanitized. Parasocial relationships with outgroup characters grew significantly over the course of the study regardless of condition. White participants and participants who reported the strongest pretest prejudice experienced the most intense growth. Outgroup prejudice decreased significantly over time for participants in both experimental conditions. Parasocial relationships predicted both prejudice reduction over time and behavioral responses to the outgroup. Parasocial relationships with an ingroup character engaged in intergroup contact did not contribute to prejudice reduction beyond parasocial relationships with outgroup characters. This research suggests that audiences can develop socioemotional bonds with outgroup television characters that can influence attitudes and behaviors much the same as direct, interpersonal intergroup contact.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara E. Branch ◽  
Kari M. Wilson ◽  
Christopher R. Agnew

Comunicar ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 19 (37) ◽  
pp. 117-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Concepción Medrano-Samaniego ◽  
Ana Aierbe-Barandiaran ◽  
Juan-Ignacio Martínez-de-Morentín

This study was carried out on a sample group of 1,238 adolescents from eight different cultural contexts, and aimed to determine the values perceived by subjects in their favorite television characters. It also aimed to identify any possible differences between cultural contexts. The basic hypothesis for the study was that television conveys values and constitutes one of the forces for socialization at play during adolescence. The total sample group was made up by: three Spanish sub-groups, four Latin American sub-groups and one Irish sub-group. The instrument used for exploring perceived values was the Val.Tv 0.2, which is an adaptation of Schwartz’s scale. The data were collected both by means of an on-line platform and in person. In relation to the results, in general, the values most commonly perceived by adolescents are self-management and benevolence. As regards contextual differences, although significant differences were observed in all values, in no case were they particularly notable. The only exceptions were hedonism and achievement, for which no significant differences were found at all between the different contexts. The most relevant differences were found in the values of conformity, tradition, benevolence and universalism. From an educational perspective, we can conclude that the measurement instrument used may constitute an adequate tool for decoding the values perceived by adolescents in their favorite television characters. El objetivo general de este trabajo fue conocer los valores percibidos en su personaje favorito de televisión en una muestra de 1.238 adolescentes pertenecientes a ocho contextos culturales y establecer las posibles diferencias entre dichos contextos. Se parte de la hipótesis básica de que el medio televisivo trasmite valores y es una agente de socialización, entre otros, en la etapa de la adolescencia. La muestra total estuvo constituida por: tres submuestras españolas, cuatro latinoamericanas y una irlandesa. El instrumento utilizado para indagar los valores percibidos ha sido Val.Tv 0.2 que es una adaptación de la escala de Schwartz. La recogida de datos se realizó a través de una plataforma on-line y presencialmente. Respecto a los hallazgos encontrados, tomados globalmente, los valores que más perciben los adolescentes son autodirección y benevolencia. Respecto a las diferencias contextuales los datos nos indican que, a pesar de que existen diferencias significativas en todos los valores, éstas no son muy destacables. Hay que exceptuar los valores de hedonismo y logro, donde no se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los diferentes contextos. Las diferencias más relevantes se hallaron en los valores de conformidad, tradición, benevolencia y universalismo. Desde una perspectiva educativa se concluye que el instrumento de medición utilizado puede ser una herramienta adecuada para decodificar los valores percibidos por los adolescentes en sus personajes preferidos.


2021 ◽  
pp. 003329412110021
Author(s):  
A. Luke MacNeill ◽  
Enrico DiTommaso

Anxiously attached individuals tend to report stronger parasocial relationships with their favorite media figures than people with other attachment orientations. Researchers have suggested that these individuals may be inclined to see their favorite media figures as safe and secure attachment figures. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate this possibility by assessing the qualities of people’s favorite media figures, particularly within a television context. A sample of 200 online participants filled out an attachment measure, reported their favorite television figure, and rated several aspects of the television figure’s personality. It was expected that anxiously attached individuals would be drawn to figures that are high in warmth, emotional stability, and sensitivity. Instead, results showed that these individuals preferred figures with greater anxious and insecure characteristics. These results suggest that anxiously attached individuals may not see their favorite media figures as safe and secure attachment figures as previously theorized. Exploratory analyses failed to show significant effects for the second attachment dimension, attachment avoidance, or for the interaction between anxiety and avoidance.


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