'Parasocial relationships' are at a peak. Know what exactly it is!

No matter how much we enjoy singlehood, there comes a time when we seek a relationship. And sometimes in desire of that, we end up having a 'Parasocial relationship'. No, it's not something like dating yourself rather it is forming a relationship with someone, most likely a celebrity in our own imagination.

Recently, there has been a major surge in parasocial relationships, all thanks to the coronavirus-induced pandemic. According to a May 2021 study, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of parasocial relationships and this happened because people started isolating and thus it gave people reason to get inclined towards a celebrity.

What exactly is the parasocial relationship?

A parasocial relationship is nothing new. This term was coined by researchers, Donald Horton and R. Richard Wohl in 1956. The parasocial relationship term came into force because of the rise in mass media. And thus people started having the illusion of having a face-to-face relationship with the stars.

In this relationship, a person starts having feeling towards a celebrity and become attached and invested in a particular fictional character played by them. It is more like a one-sided relationship, where you expect nothing out of it but get disheartened when you see some bad news related to that particular celebrity.

Are parasocial relationships healthy?

According to research, parasocial relationships can be healthy as they can help young people understand their identities and see themselves in a good light and it also expands their social awareness. However, there is a fine line between a parasocial relationship turning unhealthy from healthy. Therapists say that the ultimate goal is to see people have a real relationship instead of an illusional one.

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