PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIP AMONG SELECTED FILIPINO FANS IN THE DIGITAL ERA:

A MULTIPLE-CASE STUDY

A Thesis

Presented to the Department of Psychology

College of Social Sciences and Philosophy

Bulacan State University

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

By

A8

Justine Clarice A. Lopez

Zona Rocelle C. Merto

Rianne Madeline P. Perez

Eiren Angel S. Reyes

March 2023
 Table of Contents

Chapter I - The Problem and Its Background

Parasocial Relationship among Selected Filipino Fans in the Digital Era: A Multiple-Case

Study.……………………………………………………………………………………………………....1

Review of Related Literature

Model of Parasocial Relationship Development…...…………………………..……...…...... 2

Audiences’ Responses from Exposure to Media Personae...…………………………........5

Intensity of Parasociality Based on Exposure to Media Persona....……..….…………….10

Gaps in the Literature……………………………………………………………………….…………. 13

Significance of the Study…………………………………………………………………………….....14

Conceptual Framework of the Study…………………………………………………………………. 15

Central Question and Sub-questions……….…………………..……….…..……..……...…15

Chapter II - Method

Research Design.…………………….…………………………………………………...……………. 17

Participants.………………………….………………………………………………………..…...........17

Instruments..……….…………………………………………………………………………..….……..18

Data Gathering Procedure....……………….……………………………………………..…...………19

Ethical Considerations..…………………………………………………………….……..….……...... 21

Data Analysis……………………………………………………………………………..….…….…… 21

References………………………………………………………………………………..…...…..……. 22

Appendices

Appendix A: Informed Consent Form………………………………………………....…….. 29

Appendix B: Participant Profile Sheet………………………………………….…….……… 30

Appendix C: Celebrity-Persona Parasocial Interaction (CPPI) Scale.…………………… 31

Appendix D: Interview Guide……………………………………………………….…….…... 33

Appendix E: Signed Declaration of Non-Plagiarism..…………………………….…….….. 34

PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 1

Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Parasocial Relationship among Selected Filipino Fans in the Digital Era: A Multiple-Case

Study

Various media forms provide a platform for people to connect with others, even without

actual face-to-face communication. Through mediated interactions, media users tend to form

imagined, parasocial relationships with media figures. The connections they have built with a

famous personality are parasocial in the sense that the audiences are aware of the actions,

information, and personality of their idol, though, in reality, the celebrity is not even aware of the

fans' experiences or existence per se (Xu et al., 2022). These faux relationships were explained

by Giles (2002), stating that parasocial relationships result from subsequent exposure to a

media persona's content and the interplay of psychological processes happening within the

audience during their parasocial interaction with the celebrity.

Previous research on the parasocial phenomenon has focused on the development of

parasocial relationships through traditional media platforms, such as the radio and television.

This body of work reveals that audiences only parasocially interact with celebrities during a strict

airing schedule, limiting their chances of exposure to celebrities' media content. However, given

the technological advancements and the advent of the internet and social media platforms, new

patterns of interaction between fans and their idols have arisen (Kowert & Daniel Jr., 2021).

Audiences can now access valuable details regarding their favorite celebrity, thus enabling them

to absorb information about the media figure quickly. Additionally, the internet has facilitated the

rise of online fan communities that have enabled audiences to consume and be exposed to their

favorite celebrity's media content through their fellow fans. Therefore, the emergence of

parasocial relationships in this digital era might also be a sign of the conceptual and theoretical

evolution of the phenomenon. This study aims to describe how parasocial relationships develop
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 2

in the digital era by presenting exceptional cases of people who use the internet to connect with

their favorite celebrities through their social media fan accounts. With this, we intend to provide

an understanding of the factors behind the formation of the audiences' parasocial relationships

and their ways of sustaining them. In addition, we would highlight the fans' strategies for

controlling their imagined relationships from further developing into an intense level. This

warrants to be studied since audiences' constant and effortless exposure to celebrities' media

content in the digital era makes them more susceptible to forming deeper faux relationships with

their idols.

Model of Parasocial Relationship Development

Parasocial relationships were described by Hartmann in 2017 as faux relationships that

audiences form with a famous personality they only knew from their consumption of media

content. This can range from extreme worshiping or fanaticism, to construal of normal, positive

(friendly or romantic) relationships or a negative and hostile one. Even with decades of research

on parasociality, the conceptual distinction between parasocial relationships and parasocial

interaction has been a withstanding issue for researchers in the field of Social and Media

Psychology. According to Dibble et al. (2016), although these two constructs are closely related,

there are still specific differences in their theoretical concepts. The interpersonal exchange of

parasocial interactions between the persona and media user can only occur and is limited

during exposure to media or the single viewing process. On the other hand, parasocial

relationships can be described as enduring relationships encompassing various situations

outside the bounds of viewing programs (Schramm & Hartmann, 2008).

David Giles (2002) further explained the phenomenon of parasociality through the lens

of psychology. He conceptualized parasocial interaction as a momentary and short-term

encounter and parasocial relationships as a long-term establishment of an association between

the audience and media figure. These concepts can be reflected in his Model of Parasocial

Relationship Development, which discusses the stages of forming these faux connections and
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 3

highlights the interplay of cognitive, behavioral, and emotive processes within the audiences

and their role during the process.

The process starts with a mere parasocial interaction from the single exposure of

audiences to the celebrity's media content. During the viewing process, the cognitive activity of

actively judging the media figure based on the audience's current knowledge occurs. The

audiences can be physically attracted to the celebrity based on their current standards of

physical appeal or form favorable opinions about the celebrity from sharing the same viewpoints

with them. These perceptions or judgments of the celebrity may lead to the intensity and

fulfillment of the relationship (Rosaen & Dibble, 2016). The process can also be influenced by

other people, such as those who are watching with the viewer. Individuals most involved in

watching the show are also the ones most inclined to talk about it with others (Rubin & Perse,

1987). The shared opinions of peers undeniably impact how the individual perceives the media

figure and their interactions with these celebrities, especially when they are receptive to peers'

opinions. Moreover, co-viewers might also impact how they interact with the media figure during

their next viewing of the program and how likely they will watch it again (Giles, 2002).

Upon the viewer's judgment, they may recognize their liking for the celebrity but decide

to limit their association with the figure within the viewing episode only. On the other hand, the

audiences may identify with the media figure, which leads to an enduring connection with the

personality outside the bounds of their parasocial interaction within the single viewing episode.

Judgments made by the individual on the media figure will subsequently determine their

behavior. Interacting with a media figure may result in imitative behaviors or modeling, imagined

interaction, and pursuance of subsequent parasocial encounters with the celebrity, facilitating

the development of a parasocial relationship (Giles, 2002).

As a means of preserving their association with the celebrity beyond viewing the

program, the individual commits to embodying the media persona in identity and personality

after watching an episode. In 2017, Stever explained that audiences identify with their favorite
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 4

celebrities and desire to have the same characteristics and qualities as them. Lim and

colleagues (2020) stated that viewers or audiences wishfully identify with their favorite

celebrity's ability and expertise. These wishful identifications of an audience may lead to using

celebrities as role models to acquire their preferred qualities. With that being said, finding

outstanding characteristics and behaviors in an individual's favorite celebrity and wishfully

identifying with them prompts the individual to imitate such behaviors (Ramasubramanian &

Kornfield, 2012). However, future encounters with the media figure can also deter audiences

from modeling their behavior with the said celebrity (Giles, 2002).

Additionally, in the case of parasocial relationships with media figures, viewers assess

whether they may or may not attempt to make contact with the celebrity. When making this

decision, Giles (2002) stated that audiences resort to imagining interactions with the persona

wherein they have a chance to weigh the cost and benefits of making an effort to meet them.

Aside from this function, audiences may also imagine interactions with the persona as making

contact with them may be costly or simply inaccessible (Giles, 2002), and it provides a way to

communicate with them without having the risk of being rejected (Theran et al., 2010). The

interactions an individual imagines are typically ones they are likely to find enjoyable. As a

result, individuals tend to be more attached to media personae due to imagining interactions

with them (Madison & Porter, 2015). The concept of imagined interactions was formulated by

Honeycutt (2008), which he described as a form of social cognition that individuals engage in

anticipation of an encounter or retrospect of past encounters. He outlined the fundamental

purposes of having imagined interactions, and the following are appropriate for Giles’ model:

preserving relationships, practicing communication for a potential encounter, and making up for

a lack of genuine connection. The individual takes on imagined interactions to maintain their

parasocial relationship with the figure and compensate for the lack of actual contact with their

favored media figure.

PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 5

In connection with the previously discussed audiences reactions and activities resulting

from the initial parasocial interaction with the celebrity, affinity and identification with the figure

may also result in the audience's willingness to have further parasocial encounters with them

through the consumption of media featuring the persona. These subsequent exposures to the

media figure through various media facilitate the development and maintenance of their

parasocial relationships (Giles, 2002).

Audiences’ Responses from Exposure to Media Personae

Giles' model of parasocial relationship development was further supported and explained

by the salient findings in the literature. As stated by the model, subsequent psychological

processes happen to the media audience upon exposure to the celebrity's media content. The

phenomenon of parasocial relationships specifically entails cognitive, behavioral, and emotive

aspects that have an enduring impact on the people involved (Schramm & Hartmann, 2008).

Cognitive Responses

The audiences' cognitive reactions from their exposure to the media persona mainly

revolve around comprehension, evaluation, perception, use of imagination, and attention

allocation. These processes also play an essential role in developing their parasocial

relationships.

The formation of parasocial relationships lies in the discretion and perception of the

audience of the media figure. As stated in Giles' (2002) model, audiences engage in cognitive

activities, such as actively making judgments about the media figure and their corresponding

actions, while consuming media content featuring the celebrity. When evaluating the media

figure, the audiences assess them based on their moral beliefs, performance, appearance, and

perceived truthfulness (Klimmt et al., 2006). The viewers access their memory of past

experiences to compare the celebrity with scenarios from their previously viewed media content

or their own life experiences. With this activity, individuals can judge media figures based on the

similarities of the celebrity's characteristics with those people around them (Rosaen & Dibble,
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 6

2016). Also, the audiences can compare themselves and find a point of relation to the

celebrities (Klimmt et al., 2006). This is related to Stever's (2017) idea of media audiences'

identification with the celebrity to the point that they start to believe that they are the media

figure due to possessing the same characteristics. The same author identified two types of

identification: personal and wishful. She differentiated between the two, saying that the former

occurs when an audience member already shares traits with the media personality. In contrast,

the latter occurs when an audience member aspires to possess the same qualities. According to

Hoffner and Buchanan (2005), people are more likely to wishfully identify with characters of the

same gender and with whom they believe they share similar characteristics. In addition, the

same authors claimed that women identify with successful, intelligent, attractive, and admirable

female figures, whereas men identify with successful, intelligent, and violent male figures. With

this, Gleason et al. (2017) described parasocial relationships as a safe agency for adolescents

still developing their identities. Adolescents choose a media figure according to what qualities

they want to identify with for their self-development.

Aside from the audience's judgment, their imagination, a cognitive process inherent to

human beings, also becomes the foundation for developing and sustaining parasocial

relationships (Giles, 2002). This being said, it requires a creative imagination from the audience

for the parasocial relationship to thrive and last (Madison & Porter, 2016). Furthermore, an

individual with high fantasy engagement has a better chance of forming more intense levels of

parasocialization toward media figures (Liebers & Straub, 2020). A part of this imaginative

nature of the phenomenon is transportation, which is a term used to explain narrative

absorption. It is when an audience gets too immersed in the content they are consuming to the

point where they transport themselves from the reality and physical world they live in into the

media world (Green et al., 2004). Media consumers appear more likely to engage with the

characters on a parasocial level when they are transported into the media realms and fully

immersed in the fictional world (Brown, 2015).

PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 7

Upon this media immersion, Klimmt et al. (2006) introduced the process of anticipatory

observation, which is thinking about and predicting what might happen to the future of the media

figure inside or outside the bounds of the show based on the media they consumed. Aside from

this, retroactivity also actively happens in a person's mind upon having parasocial encounters

with the celebrity. According to Madison and Porter (2016), retroactivity implies that a part of a

parasocial relationship involves ruminating on incidents involving a media persona or a

conversation between a persona and other personae. This cognitive process includes

repeatedly thinking about what media content the audience has viewed and possibly adding

their elements and variations. This idea was further explained by Slater and his colleagues

(2018) through their concept of retrospective imaginative involvement, stating that this

comprises envisioning the media figure in different settings or making different decisions than in

the narrative of media consumed, or even seeing oneself as the character after viewing the

media content featuring their favorite media personality.

From judging the media personality while viewing their media content to imagining

scenarios featuring the celebrity outside their viewing experience, a common cognitive process

underlying the audiences' overall experience is allocating attention and focus to the media figure

(Klimmt et al., 2006). With this, the audience's cognitive capacity might be highly occupied, thus

limiting their capacity for attention and focus on other activities (McCutcheon et al., 2021).

Behavioral Responses

Aside from the stated cognitive changes, parasocial relationships also entail verbal and

nonverbal behavioral responses from the audiences. Klimmt and his colleagues (2006)

identified the aforementioned verbal reactions as verbal utterances in response to the media

personality. These utterances may take the form of a comment or expression of liking and

admiration or hostile language to show displeasure to the media persona while consuming the

media content.
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 8

On the other hand, for nonverbal responses, the audiences tend to unconsciously mirror

the media figure's body language while watching their media content, from facial expressions to

gestures (Klimmt et al., 2016). The media audience might still imitate their favorite celebrity's

behavior even outside the viewing time upon developing a connection or bond with them, as

Giles (2002) said in his model. Since the audience might view the celebrity as their role model to

whom they can pattern their behaviors, it can be said that they highly admire the media

personality. They might mimic even their favorite celebrity's preferences or support a brand to

the point that they will buy the product their favorite media personality endorses or recommends

(Chung & Cho, 2017).

The abovementioned behavioral responses stem not only from the audiences' cognition.

Their behavior during their engagement in parasocial relationships also arises from their

emotional responses to their exposure to the celebrity.

Emotional Responses

As previously stated, the audiences react emotionally to their exposure to their favorite

celebrity, which can lead to the development of a parasocial relationship with the said figure. In

relation to what is stated in Giles' (2002) model, the audiences' interpersonal attraction has

received the most empirical focus when examining parasocial relationships (Tukachinsky et al.,

2020). McCroskey and McCain (1974) defined attraction as liking and a warm, favorable

perception of the other. It has been found that audiences' attraction to the celebrity starts the

development of parasocial ties (Brown, 2015). With this, Su and colleagues (2021) identified

three dimensions comprising the individual's interpersonal attraction: social attraction, task

attraction, and physical attraction. Social attraction happens when the media persona can

integrate themselves into their existing social group (Tukachinsky et al., 2020). On the other

hand, task attractiveness is characterized by Stever (2009) as the occurrence in which a media

persona attracts an audience because of their talent and expertise in their line of work. Lastly,
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 9

the same author referred to physical attractiveness as a romantic attachment, a strong attraction

based on the target's appearance or potential as a love partner.

Aside from attraction, viewers can also experience feeling socio-emotions consequent to

encountering celebrities through media platforms. Audiences show empathic emotions to the

media figure upon engaging in parasocial relationships with them (Hamzah et al., 2021). If

viewers agree morally with the character or personality, they may feel the same feelings the

persona conveys. This response might happen due to the emotional connectedness built by the

audience with the media figure (Lim et al., 2020). People have been shown to develop strong

emotional bonds with their favorite celebrities, sometimes even referring to them as their soul

mates (McCutcheon, 2002). In addition, identifying with the media personality may also be

related to the audience's empathy and shared feelings (Moyer-Guse, 2008). Apart from these

socio-emotions, parasocial relationships can also bring about Persona-Generated Own

Emotions in an audience member who may acquire self-related feelings from witnessing the

celebrity's experiences (Klimmt et al., 2006). Sample scenarios would be experiencing

second-hand embarrassment from media figures' mistakes or pride from their successes.

Other than the affective responses mentioned above, viewers can also emotionally gain

from parasocial relationships, as explained by the uses and gratification perspective of Katz and

colleagues (1973), where audiences and consumers seek out specific media content to satisfy

their perceived personal needs. The authors suggested that consumers use media content, like

watching television shows or soap operas, to meet their emotional or affective needs. Stever

(2009) referred to this concept as an infantile attachment in the context of parasociality. It is

when fans rely on celebrities to meet their unmet needs because they help fulfill those needs

somehow. Having faux connections with celebrities through media can also make an audience

think they have obtained their emotional need for belongingness, even though, in reality, it was

still not actually fulfilled (Derrick et al., 2009).

PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 10

To sum it up, parasocial relationships formed with celebrities entail psychological

processes within the media audience and impact their behavior, thoughts, and feelings.

However, the audiences’ cognitive, behavioral, and emotional responses to celebrities manifest

differently for people depending on their intensity and frequency, which will be discussed in the

next section.

Intensity of Parasociality Based on Exposure to Media Persona

Audiences tend to form deep and compulsive feelings for the media content they have

watched, such as a preferred drama series. As a result, the audience may feel compelled to

learn more about anything linked to the program (Hamzah et al., 2021), including the actors

featured in the show. The more a person spends their time knowing and learning about

someone's personality and characteristics, the more they become interested and captivated by

them (Eyal & Dailey, 2012). By gaining more exposure to celebrity information, they may

become more absorbed in engaging with the media persona. In a study by McCutcheon and

colleagues (2002), they stated differences in how fans or audiences react to celebrities' reported

life events. The reactions are said to range from mildly unusual to significantly pathological. As

such, they suggested that parasocial relationships could be divided into non-pathological and

pathological. They tested the intensity of people's parasocial relationships. With this, they found

three distinct levels of parasocial relationship: entertainment-social, intense-personal, and

borderline-pathological.

The entertainment-social is the first level of the parasocial relationship where an

audience watches, reads and learns about their favored celebrities. They can keep track of the

actors' activities for mere entertainment. With this, McCutcheon (2002) explained that people

admire their favorite celebrities because they find them entertaining and an interesting potential

conversation topic with their friends. Moreover, the activities at this level are things an individual

does on their own. These solitary behaviors become more socially involved when their

perceived connection with the celebrity increases.

PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 11

The slightly higher level of parasocial relationship or the intense-personal level involves

engaging in social activities with other people or fans, which includes talking, watching, or

hearing about a celebrity (McCutcheon et al., 2002). With this, audiences or fans start to have

questionable thoughts and believe that they have a personal connection with the celebrity. This

degree of faux relationships with a celebrity may develop during stressful situations or when an

individual lacks positive interactions (Giles & Maltby, 2004). Thus, the possibility of developing

an intense-personal level of parasocial ties may be connected to a person's current state of

mental health (Maltby et al., 2004).

Lastly, the third and highest level of parasocial relationship, or borderline-pathological, is

an extreme case that can also be identified as a form of celebrity worship. According to Maltby

et al. (2003), celebrity worship is a more intense and abnormal form of parasocial relationship

wherein an individual becomes overly obsessed with a celebrity. Individuals belonging to this

level of parasocial relationship cannot relate or empathize with other people within their social

circles even though they want to socialize and bond with them, so they choose to empathize

with celebrities instead (Houran et al., 2005). People who possess this level of parasocial

relationship are said to over-identify with their favorite celebrity's successes and, at times, their

failures. Shabahang et al. (2020) found that as an audience's fascination and attachment to a

celebrity grows, their feelings might become obsessive and addictive. The desire to be more

closely involved in the celebrity's life increases as the person's need for information about the

celebrity rises, yet, this is something that they are unable to do (McCutcheon et al., 2002).

Worshipers who find themselves in this situation often resort to stalking, attempting to acquire

the things of their favorite celebrities, and making up delusional ideas that they have a special

relationship or are intimately close to their favored celebrity. The characteristics of

entertainment-social and intense-personal still exist even at this level of parasocial relationship.

Several studies have connected parasocial relationships with other psychological

concepts. An example is a study by Maltby et al. in 2003 wherein celebrity worshiping is

PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 12

associated with an individual's attitude and behaviors. The three levels of parasocial

relationships—entertainment-social, intense-personal, and borderline-pathological—were shown

to relate to extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism, respectively, in Eysenck's

three-dimension personality theory. On the last level, an individual is expected to exhibit

impulsivity, antisociality, and egocentricity. Similarly, Maltby et al. (2006) discovered that extreme

parasocial relationships are related to having delusions of fantasy and dissociation. Celebrity

worshippers have a higher propensity to be detached from the real world and disconnected from

their daily lives. Furthermore, a study by Sheridan et al. (2007) suggests that celebrity worship

may be associated with criminality. Their study found that having high levels of parasocial

relationships makes an individual more open and willing to do illegal things if their favored

celebrity suggests or promotes it, thus increasing their criminal behaviors or tendencies.

An individual's engagement in parasocial relationships has different intensities that range

from mere acquisition of information about the media figure for entertainment to partaking in

extreme activities to get oneself involved in the media figure's life that may become deleterious.

However, acquiring and absorbing information about one's favorite celebrity is very different in

today's generation compared to when the degrees of parasocial relationships were established.

The rise of the internet led to the upsurge of different social media platforms, making it easier for

everyone to connect and access celebrities' media content—thus, leading to a more accessible

and efficient approach to forming parasocial relationships with celebrities.

Parasocial relationships can intensify due to multiple exposures (Rasmussen, 2018).

Exposure in the context of parasocial relationships is the equivalent of the time viewers spend

with the media figure. Individuals can learn more about the media figure and bond with them by

vicariously participating in the depicted activities within the viewed episodes (Tukachinsky et al.,

2020). Due to digital advances, celebrities, media personalities, and influencers frequently

upload content to be consumed by their online followers, thus increasing audience exposure to

their media content.

PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 13

The interaction between a viewer and a media personality was primarily limited to fan

mail sent via the postal service for most of the history of study on parasociality (Hu, 2016).

However, as media platforms have developed, many media figures and celebrities can now use

various social networking sites to connect with their fans. These online sites provide their fans

with yet another platform for parasocial relationships to thrive since they can contain a variety of

the most recent details about the individuals, including information about their work, personal

lives, interactions with other public figures, and preferences and dislikes. Celebrities are also

likely to manage their own social networking site pages, and much of the information posted on

their account may not even be released through other traditional media outlets. Therefore, the

audiences' perception of intimacy grows with more interactions and their perception of celebrity

disclosure (Perse & Rubin, 1989).

The changes brought about by the recent digital age constitute a need for an updated

assessment of parasociality. Internet technologies that facilitate the audience's ability to

communicate and send a message to their favorite celebrity are now said to resemble an actual

and realistic social interaction, even if the media personality does not acknowledge the

message (Rasmussen, 2018). Since parasocial relationships are typically classified as one-way

relationships, the massive growth in the reciprocity of information, ideas, and emotions prompts

a need to reevaluate the impact of studying the concept (Jarzyna, 2020).

Gaps in the Literature

Theoretical framework (Giles, 2002) and previous research (e.g., Klimmt et al., 2006;

Schramm & Hartmann, 2008) on the formation of parasocial relationships and audiences'

responses to celebrities have constrained their study on the said phenomenon with traditional

media, such as radio, film, or television. Specifically, they emphasized that parasocial

relationships only start from the audiences' consumption of or exposure to a single episode of

media content limited by scheduled air time. However, the rise of new media platforms and

content types and formats through the internet and social media has caused the idea of
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 14

parasocial connections to evolve. Social media's immediate and interactive nature makes it

advantageous for people to engage in various activities and methods of connecting with others,

such as convenient access and exposure to information about celebrities' experiences and

viewpoints. Since parasocial relationships start to form differently nowadays, unlike those

previously discussed by past studies, it might be possible that the manifestation of media

audiences' thoughts, behaviors, and feelings during the phenomenon has also changed.

In connection with this, the advent of social media platforms has facilitated the

emergence of online fan communities and their related activities. Aside from the audiences'

responses from their exposure to media figures, which was commonly discussed by previous

literature, the fans' interactions with their co-supporters may also strengthen their parasocial

relationship with their favorite celebrity (O'Donovan, 2016). Nowadays, it might be possible that

these faux connections with famous personalities can develop and thrive even if there is a lack

of direct parasocial interaction from the media personae themselves.

Significance of the Study

The present study will provide an overall understanding of the development of parasocial

relationships during the digital era and the role of the internet in this kind of mediated

connection. Especially in today's era, people are more susceptible to forming deep connections

with media figures due to social media's immediate, interactive, and possibly reciprocal nature.

Specifically, the research would offer an overview of the interplay of cognitive, behavioral, and

emotional processes underlying the audiences' engagement with parasocialization. In addition,

we will delve into the reasons and factors behind the fans' formation of faux relationships with

celebrities.

The research would also present an understanding of the audiences' experiences of

parasocially interacting and reaching out to their favorite celebrities, with the addition of their

indirect contact with their idols through fandom activities that help maintain their relationship

with the media figure. With this, we could broaden the scope of Giles' model and existing
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 15

research on parasociality by discovering new perspectives from the exceptional cases of people

who actively use digital technologies such as social media to reach their favorite celebrity's

media content and connect to their co-supporters online. Last but not least, this research is

expected to provide descriptions of the fans' strategies for limiting themselves from further

developing their imagined relationships with celebrities to an intense level.

Conceptual Framework

The present study will describe the development of parasocial relationships in the digital

era by presenting exceptional cases of people who use the internet to connect with their favorite

celebrities through their social media fan accounts. Firstly, this research aims to delve into the

motivations and reasons behind the audiences' decision to have imagined and one-way

relationships with media figures. Secondly, the current study would probe into the fans'

experiences of sustaining their parasocial connections– precisely their ways of reaching

celebrities, the contribution of online fan communities, and the role of digital platforms in

general. Lastly, the internet's capability of making media consumption more accessible and

convenient enables media users to be more exposed to media content and susceptible to

forming deeper relationships with celebrities. Thus, the study aims to understand how fans

control themselves from overstepping boundaries and intensifying their fictitious relationships

with celebrities. Overall, from studying these points, we will probe and gain a grasp of the

audiences' thoughts, behaviors, and feelings during the parasocial phenomenon.

Central Question and Sub-questions

Central Question: How do parasocial relationships develop in some Filipino fans in the

digital era?

Sub-question 1: Why do some Filipino fans form parasocial relationships with celebrities

in the digital era?

Sub-question 2: How do some Filipino fans sustain their parasocial relationships with

celebrities in the digital era?

PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 16

Sub-question 3: How do some Filipino fans limit themselves from having intense

parasocial relationships with celebrities in the digital era?

PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 17

Chapter II

METHOD

Research Design

The current study will operate under the lens of the Interpretivist (Constructivist)

research paradigm. In Interpretivist Social Science Studies, the constructivist view believes that

people create their reality by socially constructing their interactions and convictions (Neuman,

2014). With this perspective, individuals take in their social perception as a basis for truth and

treat the aspects of the social world as a normal and fixed reality. It is suitable for this research

because it is parallel with the intent of this study to construe the development of parasocial

relationships in the digital era based on the participant's meaning-making of their unique

experiences about the central phenomenon.

We will use a qualitative research design as this fits with the identified research gaps

and the central and subquestions. The nature of the questions warrants a qualitative approach

because it aims to understand the participants' current experiences and perceptions of

parasocial relationships. Additionally, this approach is appropriate because our goal is to

understand and offer new knowledge on parasocial relationships.

Specifically, we will study the phenomenon through a qualitative case study. With this,

we can obtain insightful information about parasocial relationships by exploring various sources

of information (such as interviews, observation, and analyzing documents) from specific cases

of individuals that undergo the event or phenomenon (Creswell, 2007). This research will

collectively investigate multiple cases to enable a broader understanding of parasocial

relationships' theoretical and conceptual development (Gustafsson, 2017).

Participants

The study participants will consist of three to five avid Filipino fans of celebrities.

Specifically, they must be 18 years old and above, have a score of 80-100 on the

Celebrity-Persona Parasocial Interaction scale and have an active social media fan account
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 18

dedicated to their favorite celebrity on Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok, Instagram, or YouTube. We

chose them as participants because they are highly representative of the goal of our research,

which is to describe the cases of individuals that utilize social media to reach out and connect

with their favorite celebrities. Filipino fans ranked highly on using social media to show their

support for and engage with their idols (Madarang, 2020). As stated by Chung and Cho (2017),

the ease of exposure to the celebrity’s media content through social media facilitates a deeper

connection with the media figure. We only considered obtaining three to five participants

following Creswell’s (2002) suggestion that three to five participants are sufficient and realistic

for case study research. We have also considered the limitations of our inclusion criteria since it

may be possible that not all Filipino media consumers are highly engaging in parasocial

relationships with celebrities and own a social media fan account.

A non-probability purposive sampling technique will be utilized to recruit the said

participants. This selection technique is recommended explicitly for case studies for an in-depth

focus on the phenomenon (Schoch, 2019). Purposive sampling allows the researchers to select

participants based on their judgment of the most qualified participants bearing expertise on the

phenomenon. These participants can be representative of understanding and exploring the

central phenomenon (Coolican, 2014).

Instruments

Before the interview, the researchers will utilize a profile sheet to obtain personal

information about the participants that are relevant to the study. The participant profile sheet is

made to acquire details about the participants' demographics and basic details about their life as

a fan of their favorite celebrity.

Additionally, before proceeding to the interview, we would use a screening tool to entail a

proper and scientific procedure in obtaining the rightful participants fitting our inclusion criteria–

ensuring that the participants are highly engaging in parasocial relationships. With this, we can

avoid errors and ensure the participant's quality and ability to provide insightful answers about
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 19

parasocial relationships, which would lead us to have higher chances of obtaining valid and

accurate data.

The Celebrity-Persona Parasocial Interaction (CPPI) Scale by Bocarnea and Brown

(2007) will measure the potential participants' level of parasocial relationship. It is a tool for

assessing how media consumers create parasocial relationships with celebrities or well-known

fictional characters. The scale has 20 items. Before answering the questionnaire, the

participants will be asked to think of a celebrity or persona on which they will base their

responses. The responses will be measured on a 5-point Likert-type scale with “1” being

strongly disagree, and “5” being strongly agree. Questions 8, 18, and 20 are scored in reverse.

To obtain the final score, get the total item responses. A sample item of the scale is, "I find

myself thinking about [celebrity or persona] on a regular basis." The scale has a good internal

consistency (α ranging from .80 to .90). The scale elicits good criterion-related validity and

satisfactory construct validity. Only those with a high score of 80 and above will be selected as

participants in this study.

Lastly, the current study will use a semi-structured interview guide. We constructed our

interview questions based on our central and sub-questions formulated from our identified gaps.

We started the questions with "how" and "what" to make sure that the participants can freely

share their experiences with parasocial relationships. With this, we can deeply probe into their

behaviors, feelings, and thoughts during the course of the phenomenon. We also made sure

that the questions were concise and easy-to-understand by the participants. As much as

possible, we have also minimized the possibility that the questions will evoke negative thoughts

and feelings in the participants.

Data Gathering Procedure

Prior to the final data collection, we conducted a pilot testing to ensure that the

formulated questions for the interview will exhaustively obtain the information that the study

requires and also see the feasibility of the study. Once the researchers were given clearance to
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 20

conduct the pilot testing, the researchers were able to recruit one female Filipino celebrity fan

that passed the screening process. A face-to-face semi-structured interview was conducted

inside the Bulacan State University E-Library. The interview lasted for approximately 20 minutes

and was recorded with the permission of the participant. After the interview, a debriefing session

took place. Lastly, we asked for her feedback regarding the pilot interview process.

Given the outcome of the pilot testing, the researchers noticed an issue with the

interview process. The prepared interview questions were insufficient in obtaining a full view of

the participant’s perspectives and experiences regarding the phenomenon. With this, we have

identified the need to improve our interview questions.

The final data collection will be done with a face-to-face interview, at a setting depending

on the convenience of the interviewee wherein they will be most comfortable to share their

personal experiences. We will ensure that the participants understand what they are consenting

to by allowing them to ask for clarification about the process and their participation. After the

participants read and sign the informed consent form, they will be asked to answer the

participant profile sheet, followed by the screening tool. When the participants pass the

screening process, estimated to be accomplished in 5–10 minutes, they will be invited to

continue with the interview. Depending on the interview flow, each session is anticipated to run

30 to 60 minutes. During the interview, we will actively take down notes if any unforeseen

circumstances may affect the data collection procedure. The interview will be documented

through a voice recorder and will be transcribed subsequently. Additionally, a simple debriefing

will be done on the participants after the interview to check their current feelings and to

guarantee that their state has been restored from the initial condition they had before the

session.

Since we will use a qualitative multiple-case study as our research design, it is

necessary for us to obtain data from various sources of information. With this, in addition to the

data collected from the interview session, the participants’ social media fan accounts’ posts and
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 21

activities will be monitored and observed for one week and utilized as a supplementary data

source

Ethical Considerations

Haigh and Witham’s (2015) distress protocols for qualitative studies will guide the

interview process within the bounds of ethical research principles. During the interview, if the

participant exhibits signs of emotional distress evoked by sensitive questions and recollection of

upsetting experiences, the data collection process will be temporarily stopped. The participants

will be asked about their current thoughts and feelings and if they can continue with the

interview. If the participants say otherwise, the interview session will be brought to a conclusion.

They will be asked to contact their mental health provider or referred by the researchers to a

professional for treatment and support.

Data Analysis

The study will utilize Yin’s (2003, as cited by Creswell, 2007) proposed data analysis

technique for multiple case studies, which follows a series of steps in analyzing the collected

data. First, we will conduct a within-case analysis. With this, we will describe the situation of the

individual cases under study based on the data collected. From these descriptions, patterns and

themes will eventually emerge and be labeled through coding (Schoch, 2019).

For the second step, the data from the within-case analysis will be subjected to a

cross-case analysis wherein the identified themes will be compared across all cases (Yin, 2003,

as cited by Creswell, 2007). However, these data analysis steps do not necessarily need to be

done in a linear manner, as these can also take place in an iterative way (Schoch, 2019).
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 22

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Appendices
Appendix A
Informed Consent Form
Greetings!

We are 4th-year students from the BS Psychology program of Bulacan State

University-Main Campus, currently enrolled in Research in Psychology II. We are conducting a
study as a requirement of our course subject. Our research will study the life and experiences of
being a celebrity fan. In line with this, we would like to request your permission to be part of our
study if you shall meet the following criteria:

● An avid fan with a social media account dedicated to their favorite celebrity
● Must be 18 years old and above

The screening process will take at least 5-10 minutes, while the face-to-face interview
process will take approximately 60-90 minutes to finish. The interview will be documented using
a voice recorder for transcription purposes. Please take note that there might be some words or
topics in the interview questions that can trigger negative emotions. We will also ask your
permission to observe your social media activities on your fan account for one week.

Participation in this research study is entirely voluntary and optional. You may withdraw
from the interview anytime– before, during, and after the data collection process without penalty.
The data gathered will be part of the study’s records and will be kept in a secure database. It will
be presented with utmost confidentiality and anonymity. Any forms of compensation will not be
given for participating in the study. However, your participation will be much appreciated as it will
be a vital part of our research.

If you have any questions or concerns about this study, you can reach us via email at
[email protected].

We highly appreciate your participation. Thank you very much!

Respectfully yours,

JUSTINE CLARICE A. LOPEZ ZONA ROCELLE C. MERTO

RIANNE MADELINE P. PEREZ EIREN ANGEL S. REYES

✂- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
DECLARATION FORM
I have read and understood the provided information above and have had the
opportunity to ask questions and raise my concerns. I understand that my participation is
voluntary and that I am free to withdraw at any time. With that, I voluntarily agree to take part in
this study.

______________________________ _____________________
Participant’s signature over printed name Date signed
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 30

Appendix B
Participant Profile Sheet
Name: ___________________________
Age: ___________________________
Sex:
☐ Male
☐ Female
☐ Others: _____________________
Contact information: ___________________________
Social Media Fan Account (please specify your account username):
☐ Facebook: ________________________
☐ Twitter: ___________________________
☐ Instagram: ________________________
☐ TikTok: ___________________________
☐ YouTube: ________________________

Questions:
1. Who is your favorite celebrity? ____________________________________________
2. How did you discover your favorite celebrity? _______________________________
3. How long have you been a fan of this celebrity?
☐ Less than one year
☐ 1-3 years
☐ 3-5 years
☐ More than five years
4. On average, how many hours per day are you exposed to your favorite celebrity’s media
content?
☐ Less than an hour
☐ 1-3 hours
☐ 3-5 hours
☐ More than five hours
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 31

Appendix C
Celebrity-Persona Parasocial Interaction (CPPI) Scale

Instructions: Kindly indicate on the blanks the name of your favorite celebrity. Please read the
following questions carefully and answer as candidly as you can. Please encircle your answer
using the scale:

1 - Strongly Disagree ………….. 5 - Strongly Agree

[celebrity or persona] makes me feel as if I am with someone I

1 1 2 3 4 5
know well.

If [celebrity or persona] appeared on a TV program, I would

2 1 2 3 4 5
watch that program.

3 I see [celebrity or persona] as a natural down-to-earth person. 1 2 3 4 5

If I saw a newspaper or magazine story about [celebrity or

4 1 2 3 4 5
persona], I would read it.

5 I would like to meet [celebrity or persona] in person. 1 2 3 4 5

I feel that I understand the emotions [celebrity or persona]

6 1 2 3 4 5
experiences.

I find myself thinking about [celebrity or persona] on a regular

7 1 2 3 4 5
basis.

8 I do not have any feelings about [celebrity or persona]. 1 2 3 4 5

9 I like to watch [celebrity or persona] on television. 1 2 3 4 5

Whenever I am unable to get news about [celebrity or

10 1 2 3 4 5
persona], I really miss it.

11 Learning about [celebrity or persona] is important to me. 1 2 3 4 5

I have been seeking out information in the media to learn more

12 1 2 3 4 5
[celebrity or persona].

I sometimes go to the Internet to obtain more information about

13 1 2 3 4 5
[celebrity or persona].

14 Sometimes I feel like calling or writing [celebrity or persona]. 1 2 3 4 5

[celebrity or persona] understand the kinds of things I want to

15 1 2 3 4 5
know.

I sometimes make remarks to [celebrity or persona] while

16 1 2 3 4 5
watching television.

17 I am very much aware of the details of [celebrity or persona]’s 1 2 3 4 5

PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 32

life.

I feel like I have very little understanding of [celebrity or

18 1 2 3 4 5
persona] as a person.

I look forward to seeing [celebrity or persona] on television or

19 1 2 3 4 5
in the print media.

20 I am not really interested in [celebrity or persona]. 1 2 3 4 5

PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 33

Appendix D
Interview Guide

Central Question: How do parasocial relationships develop in some Filipino fans in the digital
era?

Sub-question 1: Interview Questions

Why do some Filipino fans form 1. How did you discover your favorite celebrity?
parasocial relationships with 2. What interests you about your favorite
celebrities in the digital era? celebrity?
3. What do you think you get from being a fan of
your favorite celebrity?

Sub-question 2: Interview Questions

How do some Filipino fans sustain 1. In what ways do you express your support for
their parasocial relationships with your favorite celebrity?
celebrities in the digital era? 2. How do you seek information about your
favorite celebrity?
3. What do you typically do upon hearing news
about your favorite celebrity?
4. How do you reach out to your favorite
celebrity?
5. What do you do when you miss your favorite
celebrity?
6. What fandom activities do you engage with to
keep connected with your favorite celebrity?

Sub-question 3: Interview Questions

How do some Filipino fans limit 1. How do you control yourself from frequently
themselves from having intense thinking about your favorite celebrity?
parasocial relationships with 2. In what ways do you manage your
expectations when it comes to your favorite
celebrities in the digital era?
celebrity?
3. What restrictions did you set for yourself
when it comes to the extent of your support to
your favorite celebrity?
4. What serves as your reminder that your
connection with your favorite celebrity has its
boundaries?
PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 34

Appendix E
Signed Declaration of Non-Plagiarism

SIGNED DECLARATION OF NON-PLAGIARISM

Researchers: Justine Clarice A. Lopez

Zona Rocelle C. Merto
Rianne Madeline P. Perez
Eiren Angel S. Reyes

Title of Thesis: Parasocial Relationship among Selected Filipino Fans in the Digital Era: A
Multiple-Case Study

1. That the research paper is a product of our original research investigation;

2. That we have written it and that we have not submitted it for any previous
course/subject;
3. That it does not contain plagiarized material previously published or written by another
person or patterned from a previous thesis;
4. That it does not include contents or research data that are falsified or fabricated;
5. That we sought permission from the copyright owner to use text, illustrations, and or
framework substantively used in the paper; and
6. That we uphold academic honesty and integrity embodied in the Code of Ethics by not
sharing our thesis manuscript with incoming batches of students.

We understand that should Bulacan State University, represented by its Administrators and
Faculty, eventually discover that our attestations herein are untrue, we accept the right of the
University/professor to impose the appropriate sanctions (failing grade), including withholding of
an academic degree or record as provided in the Student Manual.

Signed at Bulacan State University, Malolos City, Philippines. Date: December 5, 2022

JUSTINE CLARICE A. LOPEZ ZONA ROCELLE C. MERTO

RIANNE MADELINE P. PEREZ EIREN ANGEL S. REYES