Empire State University Professor Featured in Time magazine for Expertise on Parasocial Relationships

(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – July 17, 2023) Empire State University Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences Gayle Stever was featured on Time.com for her research on the benefits of parasocial relationships.

Parasocial relationships are defined as non-reciprocated, and Stever’s research focuses on what happens when individuals build one-sided relationships with people they see while consuming media.

“There’s a tendency when you find someone whose work you like, to do this sort of immersion in their work, so that you’re looking at them – seeing their face, hearing their voice, over and over again,” Stever said. “And when you think about that much exposure to the face and voice of a person, this is the foundation for what we call attachment.”

Stever said yelling at the television during a sporting event or participating in fan communities are examples of parasocial experiences. An estimated 51% of Americans have been in parasocial relationships — and the benefits these types of relationships can offer can be more impactful than most people realize.

“One thing a parasocial relationship can do is mitigate loneliness,” she said.

This can be helpful for populations who are isolated, like the elderly, or anyone who wants to feel the connection that a relationship provides without the risk. Oftentimes, parasocial relationships can be safer for adolescents for this reason. It also offers the chance for members of a fan group, or fandom, to connect with each other over a shared interest.

“My experience has been that in the largest percentage of cases, the impact is positive,” Stever said.

Stever, the author of “The Psychology of Celebrity,” and “Understanding Media Psychology,” has also been featured on Today, BBC America, and the Phillip Defranco Show.

Read and watch the interview at www.time.com/6294226/parasocial-relationships-benefits/.