Psychology In The News | The Dark Side of Fame

In recent months, rising pop star Chappell Roan has been making headlines not just for her chart-topping success, but for her outspoken stance against toxic fan behaviour. Roan's experience highlights a growing concern in the entertainment industry: the intense and often problematic nature of parasocial relationships between fans and celebrities.

Parasocial relationships refer to individuals developing one-sided emotional connections with public figures. Parasocial relationships exist on a spectrum. These range from entertainment-social (casual interest in a celebrity's life), to intense personal (feeling a strong connection), to borderline pathological (obsessive behaviour and stalking).

The rise of social media has exacerbated this issue, allowing fans unprecedented access to their idols' lives. As Roan pointed out, "There's this delusion that they know you and that they can tell you anything." For Roan, this false sense of intimacy has led to incidents where fans have grabbed or kissed her without consent.

But why do people form these intense attachments? Bowlby’s attachment theory suggests that individuals who don’t form a strong bond with a primary caregiver in early childhood may try to find an attachment substitute in adulthood. Furthermore, those with insecure resistant attachment types will be more likely to form parasocial relationships as they are too afraid of the criticism and rejection that are part of ‘real-life’ relationships.

Furthermore, McCutcheon (2002) proposed the Absorption-Addiction Model to explain parasocial relationships. She suggests that people engage in celebrity worship to compensate for some deficiencies in their lives, such as difficulty forming intimate relationships, poor psychological adjustment and lack of identity. Forming parasocial relationships with a celebrity allows them to achieve the fulfilment they lack in everyday life and adds a sense of purpose and excitement. This stage of the model is referred to as ‘absorption’ and corresponds to the ‘intense personal’ level of parasocial relationships. The sense of fulfilment gained then becomes addictive for the person, leading them to engage in more risky behaviour such as stalking to try and get closer to the celebrity. This stage of the model is referred to as ‘addiction’ and corresponds to the ‘borderline pathological’ level of parasocial relationships.

Roan isn't alone in her struggle. Other artists including Billie Eilish, Mitski, and Paramore's Hayley Williams have also spoken out about fan harassment. This trend represents a shift in how celebrities are addressing the darker side of fame, with many now openly discussing mental health and setting boundaries.

As we navigate this new landscape of celebrity-fan interactions, it's crucial to remember that despite the illusion of closeness, celebrities are still human beings deserving of privacy and respect.

References

BBC News article: Why Chappell Roan and other stars are taking on toxic fans https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/art... (accessed 26.9.24)

Read more about parasocial relationships here: https://www.tutor2u.net/psycho... (accessed 26.9.24)

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

1. What are the three levels of parasocial relationships mentioned in the blog?

2. How has social media impacted parasocial relationships according to the blog?

3. According to Bowlby's attachment theory, why might some individuals form parasocial relationships?

4. What type of attachment style is more likely to lead to parasocial relationships, and why?

5. What are the two stages of McCutcheon's Absorption-Addiction Model, and how do they relate to parasocial relationships?

Challenge Question:

What challenges might psychologists who wish to investigate parasocial relationships face?