I worried about same-sex famous people to have consistency with past research (e
Our investigation got around three big aims: (1) to examine adolescents’ choices of mass media numbers and famous people to own parasocial desire, (2) to explore new prevalence and you may construal away from PSR from inside the a teen attempt, and (3) to find out whether gender variations came up inside teenage parasocial procedure. Regarding adolescents’ selections of mass media rates and you may stars, we hypothesized you to definitely highly salient celebrities, instance stars and you can musicians and artists, is apparently stated, that have lower prices from acceptance having non-artistic superstars or dead news numbers. We including requested communications anywhere between type of star chose in addition to properties teens of all of them, in this highly obvious famous people might be in the physical appearance, while athletes and you can non-music artists was preferred because of their talents. For PSR, i questioned puberty whom engaged in PSR so you’re able to statement alot more hierarchical than simply egalitarian relationship, however HД±rvatistan kadД±nlar, on the quantity you to definitely version checked, i asked hierarchical PSR as regarding the admiration of a good celebrity’s skill and you can egalitarian PSR to get associated with physical appearance. We and additionally asked PSR to-be for the large involvement, strength, and capital in parasocial issues. As for gender differences, i questioned better affirmation off professional athletes one of boys and actresses certainly girls, highest prices regarding engagement, intensity, and you can PSR within the girls than just boys, and boys in order to comprehend its stars for their speciality alot more will than girls. Finally, we requested girls getting much more personal regarding their parasocial things than simply boys.
Members
The initial sample was 107 girls (Mage = , SD = 0.35) and 61 boys (Mage = , SD = 0.42) in ninth grade at a public high school in a US Northeastern suburb. However, seven girls (6.5%) and eight boys (13.1%) did not identify a celebrity of whom they were particularly fond, so the final sample included 100 girls (Mage = , SD = 0.35) and 53 boys (Mage = , SD = 0.38). This ratio reflects the gender ratios in much of the research on PSI (Cohen, 1999, 2003, 2004; Cole and Leets, 1999; Maltby et al., 2006; Derrick et al., 2008, 2009). Adolescents were 73% Caucasian, 12% Asian, 8% Biracial, 2% Latino, 2% African-American, and 1% Native-American (2% chose “Other” or did not respond), and approximately 75% had at least one parent who had graduated college. Participation (72.3%) was solicited through a letter and consent form sent to parents through the school. Participants received a $5 gift certificate for ice cream, and the school received a donation. This study was carried out with the approval of and in accordance with the recommendations of the Wellesley College Ethics Review Board with written informed consent from parents and assent from all participants in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.
Procedures
A survey addressed areas of (PSI/PSR) also personality from celebrities picked having parasocial focus as well as the range and you may adaptation into the quasi-relationship envisioned with these celebrities. I investigated if or not star vocation or matchmaking thought have been about the advantages adolescents admired within their picked famous people, and mental and you may behavioral signs out of PSI/PSR, including participants’ number of engagement inside parasocial points, the newest emotional intensity of the action, the time and energy in finding out regarding their picked superstars, and you will if they mutual their interest throughout these media rates with family and friends. Participants have been basic asked to determine an exact same-sex celebrity out-of who they certainly were like happy (“Extremely adolescent girls/boys enjoys a well known superstar otherwise a prominent character regarding Tv, motion picture, otherwise pop music culture: hence Female/Men Star will you be like keen on?”). grams., Derrick ainsi que al., 2008).
Celebrity Type
Media rates titled was indeed classified into the four celebrity designs: 1 = stars, 2 = professional athletes, step three = vocalists, cuatro = standard famous people (elizabeth.grams., chat let you know machine Oprah), and 5 = writers. Superstars that suit with the multiple categories (age.g., Oprah is additionally an actress) was coded depending on the group for which these were most useful understood. Several independent programmers scored all responses; reliability try high (kappa = 0.92). Conflicts were resolved of the conversation.