The attraction of celebrities

Learning objective

To be able to explain psychological explanations of Celebrity Worship and Stalking

PASSING INTENSE

INTEREST WORSHIP

• Who do you consider to be a ‘celebrity’? List at least 10 people.

• Who is your favourite celebrity? Why?

• What characteristics are displayed by celebrities?

• What have they done to be famous?

What is a celebrity?A celebrity is a famous, widely-recognised person who commands a high degree of public and media attention. It has been said that they are well known just for being well known.

The rise of celebrity culture is linked to massive growth of reality TV – in particular Big Brother.

National Children’s Day Poll 2008

Who is the most famous person in the world?

Simon Cowell!

Social Psychological explanations

Pathological view:

AbsorptionAddiction

Model

Attachment styles

Positive/healthy view:

Jenkins Positive Action view

Parasocial Relationships• Relationships with

celebrities are usually entirely one-sided.

• The target individual is unaware of the existence of the person who created the relationship.

• These relationships may be appealing because they make few demands, and the individual does not run the risk of criticism or rejection as might be the case in a real relationship.

PSRs are more likely if….

• The TV characters perceived as attractive

• We perceive them as similar to us

• We perceive them as real

• If the viewer is female• The viewer is lonely

and shy

Celebrity Attitude Scale

1. Entertainment-Social: talk with friends about celebrities/gossip.

2. Intense-Personal: intensity of feelings for celebrities. Can become an obsession.

3. Borderline-Pathological: potentially harmful aspects of feelings for celebrities. Can lead to uncontrollable behaviours e.g. stalking.

Entertainment socialThis 10-items scale measures the social aspect associated with the celebrity worship such as discussion with friends and shared experiences. i.e. My friends and I like to discuss what X has done.

The intense personal sub-scale

This nine items scale measures the intensity of a person’s feelings towards the celebrity along with obsessional tendencies such as “ I consider X to be my soul mate”.

The borderline psychological sub-scale

This four item scale measures the potentially harmful aspects of feelings towards the celebrity i.e. “ if X asked me to do something illegal as a favour I would probably do it”

Absorption Addiction Model

McCutcheonPSR’s compensate for ‘defects or lacks’ within their own lives.Allows an escape from reality.

Most fans stay at level 1Fans with a weaker sense of personal identity or poor adjustment may “absorb” themselves in a celebrity’s life to gain a stronger sense of identity.PSR are addictive so increasing sense of involvement with the celebrity is needed.

Absorption Addiction ModelThis model therefore

predicts that there will be an association between poorer mental health and the strength of parasocial relationships.

To test this McCutcheon Devised (CAS) Celebrity Attitude Scale

Celebrity Attitude Scale Measures 23 attitudes on celebrities.PSR’s into three levels.These can be stages; a person can move up the levels.

Maltby et al. (2001)Ps: UK students (126 males+181 females)Completed 23 item CAS and mental health questionnaire measuring depression, anxiety and social dysfunction

Ps on level 1 had some degree of social dysfunction, experienced loneliness in real life.Ps on level 2 scored highly on anxiety and depression.Could not test for level 3 as mental health questionnaire did not include items on serious problems with adjustment.

Maltby et al. (2001) evaluation

Correlational

studyEthics

Use of

questionnaires

Evaluation of PSR• Support?• Challenge?• Are PSR really dysfunctional?• Benefits of PSR• Are PSR real?

Pathological (2) view of PSR’s

Attachment styles and Parasocial Relationships

• Theory proposes insecure attachment leads to an increased interest in celebrities.

• PSRs make no demands, and do not involve criticism or the risk of rejection.

Attachment styles and Parasocial Relationships

It is thought that those who can be needy and clingy in relationships may be more likely to develop PSRs.

This type of attachment style is known as insecure-resistant (anxious ambivalent)

Attachment style and PSRs• Most likely to form PSRs• They have concern that others will not reciprocate their

desire for intimacy. They turn to TV characters to satisfy their “unrealistic and often unmet relational needs”

Anxious-ambivalent

• Least likely• They find it difficult to develop relationships and therefore

are very unlikely to seek them from real or fictional people.

Anxious avoidant

• Not likely• Often have satisfactory real-life relationships and do not

seek as additional relationship with a celebrity.

Secure attachment

Support: Cole and Leets 1999

Those with an insecure resistant attachment style turn to tv characters as a means of satisfying their ‘unrealistic and often unmet’ relational demands

McCutchon (2006)Tested 3 hypothesis1. Adults with insecure

attachment are more likely to become attached to celebrities than those with a secure adult attachment type.

2. Insecure adults are more likely to agree with/condone stalking and obsessive behaviour towards celebrities.

3. There is a correlation between stalking and pathological tendencies towards attachment to celebrities.

• Sample: 299 students (age 16-42)

• Procedure:used celebrity attitude scale and a stalking scale.Measured adult attachment using a relationship questionnaireMeasured childhood attachment type through the use of a parental bonding scale based on their recall of the relationship with their parents before the age of 16.

McCutchon (2006): Findings

There was no relationship between insecure attachment and the tendency to form PSR with celebrities.

Those with insecure attachment types were more likely to think that stalking was acceptable and there was a relationship between pathological attachment and the tendency to stalking. Therefore insecure attachment is a predisposing factor

McCutchon (2006): Evaluation

Correlational

studyEthics

Use of questionnaires

Use of

retrospective data

THE POSITIVE/ACTIVE VIEW

Jenkins & Jenson (1992)Parasocial relationships serve an important function:Fans enhance lives by taking active & positive roleCreate social networks (fan clubs)Fans develop sense of appreciation of others people’s talents

Evaluation

Chamberlain et al (2008) examined idea that due to social power and status celebrities received more favourable treatment. However no differences found and social impact of celeb may be less than imaginedRichins (1994) individuals identified celebrities to construct their self-concepts and identities

StalkingStalking is obsessive behaviour focused on

an individual which is unwanted and creates fear in the victim. Most victims of stalking are not celebs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ALYijG7s7s&feature=related

Meloy (1999) suggests that ‘private’ stalking there has been a relationship between the victim and stalker; in ‘public’ stalking the victim is a public figure such as a celebrity.

Kienlen (1998) – Stalking and Insecure Attachment

TypesPREOCCUPIED STALKER

Poor self image; constantly seeking approval from others’ Stalking results from real or imagined rejection and is an attempt to restore a positive sense of self

FEARFULSTALKER

Poor self image, but sees others as unsupportive and unreliable. Stalking is a result wanting someone to boost self image but rejecting them because of a lack of trust. Stalking is a way of boosting self image.

DISMISSINGSTALKER

Is distant and aloof from others in order to maintain an inflated self image. When relationships fail this person may stalk out of revenge

Support for Attachment Theory of Stalking

• Kienlen et al (1997) – studied records of 25 stalkers & found disrupted childhood attachment and loss of an important relationship in the 6mths prior to stalking

• Lewis et al (2001) found that stalkers have traits typical of insecure attachment such as ambivalent attitudes to those they have relationships with and emotional instability.

• McCutcheon et al (2006) 266 university students, measured correlations between insecure attachment style and attachment to celebrities and tendency to condone celebrity stalking. Found that insecure attachment types more likely to condone celebrity stalking and are more likely to form parasocial relationships. NB – this is only a predisposing factor.

Relational Goal Pursuit Theory of Stalking

Based on the assumption that people desire relationships so if the ‘goal’ of having a relationship is thwarted people will engage in extra effort to achieve it. If people have been rejected they magnify the importance of the relationship goal. This leads to thoughts and feelings which further magnify their efforts.

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Attaining a relationship is a lower-order goal linked to a higher-order goal (e.g. happiness/improved self worth) and will be pursued in spite of resistance and obstacles. Failure to attain the lower-order goal and exaggerated belief in the consequences of goal failure leads to rumination and excessive pursuit is rationalised and belief in the ability to attain the celebrity relationship is reinforced.

Attaining a relationship is a lower-order goal linked to a higher-order goal (e.g. happiness/improved self worth) and will be pursued in spite of resistance and obstacles. Failure to attain the lower-order goal and exaggerated belief in the consequences of goal failure leads to rumination and excessive pursuit is rationalised and belief in the ability to attain the celebrity relationship is reinforced