People's Trust in Authorities as a Phenomenon of Parasocial Relations in Modern Russian Society

The article features the concept of trust as a phenomenon of parasocial relations. Parasocial relationship is one-sided because its object is sometimes unaware of its subject. The phenomenon of people's trust in social institutions still remains largely understudied. The research was based on the sociocognitive approach developed by R. Falcone and C. Castelfranchi and the theory of social representations by S. Moscovici and D. Jodelet. In Russia, population's trust in authorities has always been low, and the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting it even more. The study revealed two forms of institutional trust, one based on social relations and the other based on parasocial relations. The institutional trust in modern Russia combines social and parasocial forms. They are closely interconnected, and the first can transform into the second. The deficit of social relations between Russian population and authorities in the conditions of declining institutional trust may lead to their replacement by less stable parasocial relations.

Beyond Influencer Credibility: The Power of Content and Parasocial Relationship on Processing Social Media Influencer Destination Marketing Campaigns

The power of social media influencers (SMIs) as effective endorsers for destinations and tourism products have been widely acknowledged. Despite being characterised as content generators by prior research, little has been done to examine how consumers perceive content produced by SMI, a key component of destination marketing campaigns. Moreover, parasocial relationship between SMI and the follower has been proven to enhance the persuasive impact of SMIs. Hence, this study aims to shed light on how consumers would assess the SMI and the content the SMI produced, as well as the effect of parasocial relationship on processing SMI destination marketing campaigns. Findings (N = 501) have highlighted that argument quality of SMI content has a stronger direct impact on campaign attitude, destination image and travel intention, as compared to source credibility. With the application of the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) as a framework, this study illuminates consumers’ interaction with the SMI destination marketing campaign and extends prior studies in understanding the importance of SMI content and parasocial relationship as a significant tool for future destination marketing.

Self-Presenting Virtually for Remote Social Influence

On the Social Web, social influencers have outsized effects on their peer followers and can influence worldviews, political decisions, aspirations, lifestyles, and buying-and-selling behaviors for varying periods of time. Social influencers attain their influence based on various factors (or combinations): the sharing of insider knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) or information; entertainment; charisma, personality, appearance, communications; engaging storytelling; social identity building for the followers; and parasocial relationship building. This work explores how social influencers self-present to attract and maintain a mass-scale remote audience in a competitive virtual popularity game. This explores “peer lessons” about social influence by masters, based on observed strategic and tactical communications from social video, in a particular target domain, namely survival in the more remote reaches of Alaska.

Acceptance of Health Messages Conveyed by Parasocial Opinion Leaders on Twitter among Followers

Social media does not only provide a space for individuals to communicate, but it also encourages individuals to find and share health information. This situation has led to a change in the patterns and functions of health opinion leaders that exist on social media. Health opinion leaders influence media users by sharing and delivering health information and are capable of fostering parasocial relationships with media users. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the process by which parasocial opinion leaders shape health messages on social media. In correspondence, this study sought to understand the level of acceptance of health messages among Twitter users of the information tweeted by parasocial opinion leaders. In-depth interviews were conducted on 25 followers of parasocial health opinion leaders on Twitter. This study found that the formation of health messages and information conveyed by parasocial health opinion leaders could influence their followers. Four forms of message reception were identified in this study: 1) information and complexity reduction (a description, information delivery style, information sharing, information, and health literacy, and correction of information and mythical perceptions), 2) health orientation, 3) stimulation of interest, and 4) strengthening of the image and ethics of professionalism. Additionally, this study also discovered that media users perceived health opinion leaders as mentors, family members, friends, and idols. Keywords: Health communication, opinion leader, parasocial opinion leaders, parasocial relationship, social media.

The Power of Unrequited Love: The Parasocial Relationship, Trust, and Organizational Identification Between Middle-Level Managers and CEOs

Previous studies have found that CEOs manage their firms through traditional methods such as leadership and management practices. In this study, we investigate how the parasocial relationship (PSR) between middle-level managers and CEOs affects the organizational trust and the organizational identification (OI) of middle managers. We find that the PSR between middle managers and CEOs has a positive effect on the OI of middle managers, which is mediated by the organizational trust of middle managers.Purpose: Middle managers and CEOs are the key components of a firm and are crucial to firm strategies and control systems. Middle managers play a vital role in information transmission like in the organizational hierarchy while CEOs influence low-level employees through middle managers. In this study, we investigate how the PSR between middle managers and CEOs affects organizational trust and OI.Design/Methodology: In this study, the data concerning OI, integrity perception, and organizational trust are derived from a survey conducted by the internal control research group of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). The research group began the survey on September 5, 2014, for the firms listed in the A-share market, accounting firms with securities and future practice qualifications, and institutional investors through the accounting department of the CSRC, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and the Asset Management Association of China. The research group members surveyed 2,536 A-share firms listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange. As of October 31, 2014, 2,154 sets of questionnaires with a total of 12,551 questionnaires were received, with a response rate of 84.95%. The financial and accounting data are from the China Stock Market and Accounting Research (CSMAR) database.Findings: We find that the PSR between middle managers and CEOs has a positive effect on the OI of middle managers, which is mediated by the organizational trust of middle managers. This study extends the application of the parasocial interaction (PSI) theory, organizational trust theory, and social identity theory in listed firms.Practical Implication: There are practical implications for internal relationship management, corporate governance, and performance management. CEOs should value the influence of organizational trust and improve his/her own social and work abilities on middle-level managers as the organizational trust of middle-level managers has a significant positive impact on their sense of responsibility, ethical behavior, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and performance. CEOs should adopt various methods to influence different managers because organizational trust mediates the relationship between the PSR and OI.Originality/Value: Our study is one of the first attempts to apply the PSI theory to the corporate world. Given the dynamics of present-day markets and changing stakeholder demands, there is little insight into how this relationship affects organizational health and functioning. Much less what a PSR between CEO and middle management looks like in practice. Our study attempts to fill the gap by investigating how CEOs might come to affect middle managers through their practices and behaviors.

Ystävyyttä vai illuusiota?

Sosiaalisen median vaikuttajien seuraajille voi muodostua affektiivisia ystävyyden kaltaisia tunnesiteitä eli parasosiaalisia suhteita seuraamiansa mediapersoonia kohtaan. Sosiaalisessa mediassa on otolliset lähtökohdat parasosiaalisten tunteiden syntymiselle ja kehittymiselle, kun vaikuttajat päästävät katsojat kurkistamaan elämäänsä kuvien ja videoiden välityksellä, kertovat itsestään henkilökohtaisia asioita seuraajilleen ja puhuttelevat yleisöä tuttavalliseen tyyliin.Artikkelissa syvennytään parasosiaalisen suhteen syntyyn ja sitä edistäviin tekijöihin. Tutkimuksen kohteena on sosiaalisen median vaikuttaja Mmiisas eli Miisa Rotola-Pukkila. Tutkimus toteutettiin netnografisella tutkimusmenetelmällä, ja parasosiaalisen suhteen ilmenemistä vaikuttajalle tarkasteltiin seuraajien lähettämistä Instagramin yksityisviesteistä. Lisäksi vaikuttaja kirjasi havaintojaan ja ajatuksiaan parasosiaalisesta ilmiöstä kolmen viikon ajan tutkimuspäiväkirjaan.Tuloksista ilmeni, että ainakin osalla seuraajista saattaa olla hyvinkin vahva parasosiaalinen suhde sosiaalisen median vaikuttajaan. Seuraajien yksityisviesteistä oli havaittavissa monia kuvitellun ystävyyden piirteitä, jotka osoittavat vahvaa yksipuolista tunnesidettä vaikuttajaan. Mmiisas-vaikuttajan lähes kaikki sisältö perustuu itsestäkertomiseen. Tuloksista on nähtävissä, että kaikista henkilökohtaisimmat aiheet edistivät vahvimmin seuraajien parasosiaalisen suhteen ulottuvuuksien ilmenemistä viesteissä.Tulosten pohjalta artikkelissa myös pohditaan, missä mielessä parasosiaalinen suhde on vaikuttajalle tavoittelemisen arvoista, sillä Mmiisas-vaikuttaja rakentaa tiivistä ja lähes ystävyydenkaltaista suhdetta seuraajiinsa yksityisyytensä kustannuksella. Seuraajien vastavuoroinen viestintä ja avoin itsestäkertominen antavat uudenlaista näkemystä siitä, että parasosiaalinen suhde voi olla kuvitellun ystävyyden lisäksi vastavuoroinen ja vahva luottamussuhde vaikuttajan ja yleisön välillä.Avainsanat: parasosiaalisuus, parasosiaalinen suhde, sosiaalinen media, julkisuus, InstagramFriendship or illusion? The appearance of parasocial relationships in followers’ messages to the social media influencerFollowers may develop an emotional, affective, and one-sided friendship-like bond with a social media influencer, also known as a parasocial relationship. Social media creates a good basis for the development of parasocial relationships because followers have an opportunity to peek into influencers’ private lives, while the influencers disclose personal issues and address the audience in an acquaintance-like style.In this article, the formation of parasocial relationships and the elements that foster them are considered. The study aims to investigate an audience’s relationship with Finnish social media influencer Mmiisas (Miisa Rotola-Pukkila). The method used was netnography. The data were collected from private messages, which the followers sent to the influencer on Instagram. The influencer Mmiisas also kept a research journal during the three-week research period.Results revealed that at least some of the followers had a strong parasocial relationship with the influencer. In the private messages, there were many features of imagined friendship that showed a strong one-sided relationship with the influencer. Nearly all of Mmiisas’ content is based on self-disclosure. The results showed that highly personal content seems to foster the characteristics of followers’ parasocial relationships in their messages.The article discusses how beneficial a parasocial relationship is for an influencer. For example, Mmiisas seemed to build a strong friendship-like bond with her followers by sharing pieces of private information. The followers’ reciprocal communication and self-disclosure create the perspective that a parasocial relationship may also be a confidential relationship between an influencer and his or her followers.Keywords: parasociality, parasocial relationship, social media, publicity, Instagram