m-Reading: Fiction reading from mobile phones

Mobile phones are reportedly the most rapidly expanding e-reading device worldwide. However, the embodied, cognitive and affective implications of smartphone-supported fiction reading for leisure (m-reading) have yet to be investigated empirically. Revisiting the theoretical work of digitization scholar Anne Mangen, we argue that the digital reading experience is not only contingent on patterns of embodied reader–device interaction (Mangen, 2008 and later) but also embedded in the immediate environment and broader situational context. We call this the situation constraint. Its application to Mangen’s general framework enables us to identify four novel research areas, wherein m-reading should be investigated with regard to its unique affordances. The areas are reader–device affectivity, situated embodiment, attention training and long-term immersion

Parasocial Interactions Online: Candidate Intimacy in Webpages and Facebook

Research presented in this article assesses cognitive processing and behavioral outcome differences that occur when the public interacts with political candidates’ webpages as opposed to viewing their Facebook pages. Further, an exploration into perceptions individuals have of these candidates and the potential for developing parasocial relationships is pursued. Findings suggest that perceptions of intimacy are directly related to perceptions of candidates’ credibility and potential political action; these findings have clear implications on future political marketing strategies

Celebrity versus non-celebrity: parasocial relationships with characters in reality-based television programs

Research of parasocial relationships suggests that audiences engage in one-sided relationships with their favorite personae in the media. This study attempts to explore two types of reality stars: those who had fame before being on reality television and those who have fame because of the show. Using the PSR-Processing Scale, I compared levels of parasocial interactions for each, as well how moral disengagement might play a role for each type of reality star. I also explored whether these parasocial relationships are influenced by the frequency with which respondents watch various types of sub-genres of reality-based programs (i.e. game docs, dating shows, documentary soap operas). To measure levels of parasocial relationships, moral disengagement, media consumption, and reality television viewing habits, I administered an online survey to 244 students at a large southern university. Results show that respondents’ parasocial relationships and degree of moral disengagement with their favorite celebrity and non-celebrity on reality shows are influenced by the type of sub-genres of the reality-based programs (i.e. game docs, dating shows, documentary soap operas)

Examining The Effects Of Parasocial Interaction And Identification With Social Media Influencers On Collaborating Brands

The thesis explores the phenomenon of social media influencers, reveal their distinctive features, explain how followers develop relationships with them and clarify how and why a cooperation with influencers could be effective. Based on parasocial interaction theory and social influence theory, the study examines the associations between parasocial interaction and identification with a social media influencer along with the effect it carries towards the collaborating brand; in terms of advocacy, purchase intention and brand image. Antecedents of parasocial interaction with social media influencers have been investigated in terms of awareness, credibility, and physical attractiveness. The data were collected using an online questionnaire from 252 respondents. The findings suggest that the three predictor variables; awareness, credibility physical attractiveness significantly influence parasocial interaction. Parasocial interaction affects identification which in turn exert significant impact on advocacy, purchase intention and perceived image. The findings have essential managerial implications, as such most importantly it proves that identification with social media influencer has a different level of effect on collaborating brands, depending on the fore sought marketing outcome

Polygamy is creepy, wrong, and sick! (however, I find it fascinating) : parasocial comparison, parasocial processing, parasocial contact hypothesis, and polygamy

This dissertation examined tolerance of polygamists as a result of exposure to television programming. Specifically, it looked at how audiences form attitudes toward the practice of polygamy and its participants in light of viewing its portrayals in popular television entertainment. Using historical research, semi-structured interviews, surveys of viewers and students, and an experiment, I explored the issue of tolerance among different types of Americans. The findings in these studies demonstrate that Americans never cared for polygamy and continue to find little appeal for its practice. Yet, we are captivated by television shows that focus on polygamy. Part of our habit of tuning in is related to how we process portrayals of individual polygamists; we compare ourselves with them, sometimes upwardly or downwardly, and may build parasocial bonds with them through our screens. I found strong support for the parasocial contact hypothesis, and argue that with positive portrayals over time, viewing individual characters in such shows could erode the sense of “divergence” we feel as a result of our unfamiliarity with the practice. On the other hand, negative and even mixed portrayals of polygamists can reinforce our existing stereotypes and prejudices

Testing the TEBOTS model in self-threatening situations: The role of narratives in the face of ostracism and mortality

The TEBOTS model predicts that narratives are sought after more often in times of depletion. The present study aimed at expanding this idea by testing whether engagement with narratives is also intensified under self-threatening conditions. Further, we examined whether narratives can serve coping functions. In a 3(Threat: mortality salience vs. ostracism vs. control condition) × 2(Review of the narrative: positive vs. negative) online experiment (N = 228), we tested whether self-threats and the expectation towards the narrative increase entertainment experiences and facilitate self-serving attributions. The results demonstrated that self-threats and a positive review indeed increased the entertainment experience. Narratives could support coping with an existential threat through enhancing self-serving attributions. The findings are discussed in light of the TEBOTS model and its application in the context of self-threats

Exploring Consumer Relationships with Human Brands: How Reference Groups, Affiliation Motives, and Biological Sex Predict Endorser Effectiveness

Using human brands (also termed “celebrities”) as product endorsers is a popular marketing tool. Although human brands are traditionally regarded as aspirational others, a concept based on reference group literature, no research has examined whether adopting a reference group framework is of theoretical or substantive value when predicting a human brand’s endorsement potential. I explore this issue, arguing that the traditional conceptualizing of human brands as purely aspirational, while not incorrect, is restrictive. How consumers interact with human brands and who they classify as such is evolving, and the result is that consumers see some human brands as similar others and even friends, concepts linked with membership groups. In this thesis, I propose and find support for the premise that predicting a human brand’s endorsement potential is best done by assessing both the aspirational and membership elements of the human brand, an approach which offers several benefits. To begin, it facilitates a deeper exploration of why reference group ratings matter. I demonstrate that reference group ratings exert their effects via affiliation motives, finding that whereas aspirational ratings positively predict both intrinsic and extrinsic affiliation motives, membership ratings almost exclusively predict intrinsic affiliation motives. Sex moderates this effect, with females more influenced by intrinsic motives and males more influenced by extrinsic motives. Finally, I demonstrate that human brands can strengthen their reference group ratings by increasing their self-disclosure levels, which benefits their persuasiveness as endorsers. I test my propositions across four studies, using a mix of survey and experimental methodologies

The socio-psychological aspects of the personalization of politics : examining the process, conditional factors, and implications of parasocial relationships with political figures : a dissertation presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor in Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

Amidst the growing complexity of modern politics, it has been documented that people tend to focus more on individual candidates instead of parties, developing psychological bonds with them personally. Although this phenomenon has been under much discussion recently, the socio- psychological explanation of political personalization in the literature is still largely scant. In addressing this gap, I advocate for the use of parasocial relationship theory to explain the social psychological aspects of political personalization. According to this theory, people have the ability to develop a one-sided feeling of intimacy with popular figures from a distance, as they repeatedly encounter the figures through media (conceptualized as parasocial relationships). To show the utility of this concept, I present a series of evidence showing the validity as well as generalisability of parasocial relationships with political figures as a psychological construct across Indonesia, New Zealand, and the United States in Chapter 2. Interestingly, our analyses also indicated that the type of political systems (presidential vs parliamentary) and the level of democratic maturity of a country play a crucial role in facilitating the formation of parasocial relationships with politicians. In Chapter 3, I demonstrate that parasocial relationships with political candidates are consistently linked to political news consumption. Moreover, this link was found to be largely mediated by experiences of being in imaginary interactions with the candidates during the news exposure situations. In Chapter 4, our analyses suggest that the presence of social media is likely to amplify the personalization of politics. It was revealed that those who frequently use social media are more likely to engage in social media interactions with political figures, leading to the formation of parasocial relationships with them. Finally, in Chapter 5, I elaborate on the theoretical implications of my findings within the broader context of the political psychology literature on political attachments. The practical implications of the findings are discussed in light of the rising popularity of the use of media technologies to cutivate people’s sense of intimacy with political candidates

Developing a Parasocial Relationship with Hotel Brands on Facebook: Will Millennials Differ from GenXers?

Facebook, particularly its brand page, is becoming one of the most powerful tool for relationship building and customer engagement for hospitality companies. As the social media marketing practices evolve in the hospitality industry, the industry starts to realize the importance of customer participation behaviors based on relationship quality rather than quantity of interactions and the rising significance of the Millennials generation. To respond to this trend, this study pursues an empirical investigation of the antecedents for consumer-hotel brand relationship on Facebook, and the potential differences between Millennials and non-Millennials, particularly the GenXers. It also examines the potential varying relational consequences on consumers\u27 online participation behaviors and brand loyalty between these two groups. More specifically, this study positions Facebook as an innovative communication medium, and applies the “parasocial relationship” framework in mediated communication literature as an overarching theoretical guide. Five social-media related factors are included to explain the psychological mechanisms of consumer’s parasocial relationship with brands: utilitarian benefits, hedonic benefits, perceived self-disclosure, perceived interactivity, and perceived information overload. This study also investigates the effects of parasocial relationship on Facebook users’ online participation behaviors with brands and their offline brand loyalty. The hypothesized model is tested with multi-group SEM modelling. Practical and theoretical implications are also discussed in the study