Parasocial relationships: Have they gone too far in the age of social media?
How is the term parasocial defined?
The term 'parasocial' is often described as a one-sided relationship, whereby one person is heavily invested in another person who may have no idea they exist.
These relationships often manifest between celebrities and their fans.
Freelance journalist Moira Lawler explained that in reporting on this subject she learned that such relationships are extremely common.
In fact, you may be in a parasocial relationship of your own.
Lawler said: "Think about all the news figures or celebrities that you feel you know and trust but actually haven't met."
She added: "For the most part, these relationships are harmless and possibly even beneficial in terms of making someone feel comfortable in their own skin.
"But they can become unhealthy if a person becomes obsessive or avoids real, in person relationships to attend to their parasocial one."
Celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo, Paul Mescal and Taylor Swift are among those who have amassed huge fan-bases, with many of their followers being as invested in their personal lives as they are in their music or acting.
Are parasocial relationships spiralling out of control?
Doctor Claire Oduwo is a psychiatrist from Seattle who has accumulated 16,000 followers on TikTok, where she produces educational content on subjects regarding mental health.
One of her recent videos which explored the concept of parasocial relationships reached 1.5m viewers.
She said: "I think people often forget that these individuals who are putting out art are people.
"That is the first disconnect."
On how these relationships form, she explained that, in many ways, it is no different to seeking an escape from reality by reading a book or watching a film.
Doctor Oduwo said: "It is the same thing but now we are having someone else's reality and not fiction.
"It is just a different form.
"I don't want to villainise it completely because it is really not that different to reading a book or watching a movie."
She added: "People find community in these circles which are surrounded around someone else and not their own lives."
However, she explained that you can enjoy the art that someone puts out but if it reaches a point where they become a significant part of your day-to-day, that is where you should you reflect on the healthiness of the relationship.
"One of the biggest distinctions I think about is separating the artist from the art."
Taylor Swift
Image credit: University of York Swift Soc
Image credit: University of York Swift Soc
Taylor Swift is an American singer songwriter who has amassed one of the largest fanbases in the world.
According to a survey carried out by Morning Consult in 2023, roughly 53% of US adults said they were fans of Taylor Swift.
In terms of her influence in the UK, a motion has been proposed and signed by six members of parliament, which recognises that Swift's Eras Tour boosted the economy by nearly £1b.
However, in reaching this level of stardom, Swift is often at the centre of these parasocial relationships.
Anja Miller, President of Swift Soc at York University, said: "Celebrities are people too and deserve to have a level of privacy and also they deserve to be respected.
"If you are a true fan of someone you should respect them and thus not stalk or harass them."
While often, these relationships are harmless, they can also be taken too far and become detrimental to the celebrity's welfare.
Swift, who is well-known for sharing details of her personal life through her music, often faces criticism from her fans who feel they know what is best for her.
For example, her relationship with the 1975 singer, Matthew Healy, left the majority of her fans outraged.
The whirlwind romance reportedly ended in June 2023 which saw Swifties celebrate across social media.
The album that followed this break-up, 'The Tortured Poets Department', features songs, The Black Dog and Down Bad, which fans suspect are about Healy.
In sharing intimate details of her personal life through her music, fans feel closer and more connected to Swift, which is part of her appeal for many, but equally perpetuates the formation of parasocial relationships.
York is among many universities in the UK who have popular Taylor Swift societies.
Since its inception in 2019, York Swift Soc has become one of the largest societies on campus, with hundreds of members.
Anja explained: "People really appreciate the space to come together and just enjoy Taylor Swift and find friends who like Taylor too."
They run socials weekly which span from movie nights, club nights, brunches and, in true Taylor Swift fashion, Cat Cafe trips.
Anja explained that beyond the society being an opportunity for fellow Swifties to connect over their shared interest, it is also a safe space and community on campus.
Anja said: "I think as long as you are not sitting here thinking you deserve something from Taylor because of your investment into her professional and personal life, then it can be healthy.
"However, if you start thinking that this investment and love for a celebrity means you deserve something back from them, then it will become unhealthy.
"This is when stalking or harassment starts to become prevalent."
"Because she is writing about her own life, people think they know her inside out."
I spoke with self-proclaimed Swiftie, Gemma Heaphy, to learn what the artist means to her, why she believes she is so popular, and what her views are on celebrity/fan relationships.
Doctor Oduwo has also had her own run-in with devout Swifties on TikTok after sharing her controversial views on not liking some of the songs on the artist's latest album.
She explained that people had such an adverse reaction because once you form this parasocial bond you feel personally attacked when that person is criticised.
She said: "With big music artists like Taylor Swift, it has become a you are for us or against us kind of situation.
"We have lost the ability to criticise or not like things because you have to fit in with a group."
She added: "It is a basic psychological principle that people want to agree in general and fit into a group."
However, Doctor Oduwo added that lots of artists feed into this narrative and drip-feed their fan bases information about their personal life as that is the material that sells.
She said: "Artists definitely get bigger when they start writing about their personal life.
"Taylor also got bigger when she started putting easter eggs in her songs and music videos.
"So I do not think you can put full blame on the consumer."
Social media
Social Media had also played a profound part in the perpetuation of parasocial relationships, as exemplified by the rise in fan accounts dedicated to celebrities, which often gain hundreds of thousands of followers.
Journalist Lawler said: "I think these days many parasocial relationships come up through social media. "
York Swift Soc president Miller added: "Unfortunately, social media plays an incredibly large role in every aspect of life in our modern age.
"People have access to so much of what is going on in celebrities' lives which leads fans to thinking that they deserve something from them."
However, Doctor Oduwo argued that it is not just having this level of access which perpetuates parasocial relationships.
They are also driven by the celebrity as an effective marketing tool.
She said: "With social media, it feels like they are almost inviting us into their lives.
"It is now becoming a media strategy to create these bonds, respond to comments, go live, answer their questions and make them feel connected to you."
She added: "You become the product that they trust.
"No matter what you say, or what you sell, they will take it in because they trust you based off what image you present."
Lawler shared: "Social media influencers are literally trying to build what feels like a real relationship with their followers.
"They are trying to come across as authentic so the viewer feels like they know them."
TikTok is among the social media platforms that has a huge number of viewers engaging with short-form content where celebrities and influencers provide a window into their personal lives.
With social media making information regarding celebrities' lives more accessible than ever and stars even choosing to share more in a bid to grow their audiences, it is no surprise that parasocial relationships are on the rise.
Conclusions
Parasocial relationships are still on the rise, with over half of the American population either consciously, or subconsciously being involved in one.
Social media has significantly perpetuated these relationships, and made it easier than ever for them to become unhealthy.
As highlighted by Moira Lawler and Doctor Oduwo, most parasocial relationships should not be villainised and can function in a perfectly healthy manner.
In fact, like reading a book or watching a movie, it is vital that people seek escapism, and this is merely one of the forms it now takes in the age of social media.
However, it is crucial that fans monitor these relationships closely to prevent them from crossing into parasocial territory, which can be detrimental to both themselves and the celebrities they admire.
Fans are advised to take time to reflect on their relationships with celebrities by evaluating how much of their content they consume on a day-to-day basis, and how much the artist occupies their conversations for example.
In doing so, fans can ensure they maintain healthy and safe relationships with their idols.
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