Following Your “Friend”: Social Media and the Strength of Adolescents' Parasocial Relationships with Media Personae

Bond, Bradley J.

doi:10.1089/cyber.2016.0355

Cited by 105 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Further, Lou and Yuan (2019) defined a social media influencer as “first and foremost a content generator” (p. 59) who attracts substantial number of followers by producing valuable content and profits from promoting sponsored content to his/her followers. Recent research suggests that social media influencers can exert greater influence over adolescents than peers and family members do (Al-Harbi and Al-Harbi, 2017), and that adolescents’ exposure to their favorite media personae on Twitter and interactions with them positively contributed to the strength of their PSR with the media personae (Bond, 2016). During the process of followers’ forming relationship with influencers, influencers’ traits, characteristics of influencer-generated content, as well as the influence of adolescents’ parents, are expected to play indispensable roles (e.g., Schooler et al, 2006; Collier et al, 2016; Lou and Yuan, 2019).…”

Section: Adolescents and Social Media Influencersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fancying the New Rich and Famous? Explicating the Roles of Influencer Content, Credibility, and Parental Mediation in Adolescents’ Parasocial Relationship, Materialism, and Purchase Intentions

2019

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While social media influencers are gleaning increasing trust and investment from brands, advertisers, and followers, insights on the role of influencers in adolescents’ relationship formation and consumption behaviors are still rare. Drawing on the literatures of influencer content value, influencer credibility, parental mediation, and parasocial relationship (PSR), this study proposed a conceptual model that expounds the appeal of influencers among adolescents. To test the model, we administered an online survey – recruited in proportion to demographic quotas (i.e., age, gender and ethnicity) – among 500 United States adolescents (aged 10- to 19-years old) via Qualtrics panel. Results revealed that, the entertainment value of influencer-generated content, influencer expertise, trustworthiness, attractiveness, and followers’ perceived similarity to their favorite influencers, are positively related to the perceived PSR between adolescent followers and their favorite influencers, which in turn, are associated with adolescents’ materialistic views and purchase intentions. We also explored the role of parental mediation of adolescents’ social media use in their PSR with influencers. Results indicate that, neither active mediation nor restrictive mediation is related to the PSR between adolescents and influencers. Active mediation is negatively associated with adolescents’ materialism, whereas restrictive mediation is positively related to adolescents’ purchase intentions toward influencer-promoted products. This study proposed and tested a comprehensive conceptual model that accounts for the role of influencers in adolescent followers’ materialism and purchase intentions. This study yields three major theoretical contributions. First, it adopts and applies the concept of PSR from the literature of media psychology to explicate influencers’ appeal among adolescents, which lays a theoretical foundation for future research on the impact of influencers. Second, it advances the current literature on social media influencers by specifying key contributing factors for the development of adolescents’ PSR with influencers. Lastly, it explores the roles of the two facets of parental mediation – active and restrictive mediation – in the appeal of influencers among adolescents, which offers directions for future research of parental mediation in the influencer context.

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Section: Adolescents and Social Media Influencersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fancying the New Rich and Famous? Explicating the Roles of Influencer Content, Credibility, and Parental Mediation in Adolescents’ Parasocial Relationship, Materialism, and Purchase Intentions

2019

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“…Some studies have indicated that a fan's social media use with celebrities tend to lead to higher parasocial bonds with the celebrity (i.e. Bond, 2016;Chung & Cho, 2014). Previous research has also attempted to examine the relationship between celebrity characteristics, such as attitude and background homophily (Schroath, 2016), social attraction (i.e.…”

Section: Parasocial Interaction and Social Mediamentioning

confidence: 99%

Celebrity-Fan Engagement on Instagram and Its Influence on The Perception of Hijab Culture Among Muslim Women in Malaysia

Shariffadeen¹,

A.Manaf²

2019

JKMJC

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Celebrities who use Instagram can influence their female followers in many ways, for instance, in influencing their perceptions on body image, adoption of healthy eating lifestyles, and persuading them to purchase products or services endorsed by these celebrities. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the influence of celebrity-fan engagement on Instagram on hijab culture among Muslim women in Malaysia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among female university students from the International Islamic University of Malaysia (N = 630). In order to participate in the study, respondents completed an online survey and are instructed to think about a favourite female Muslim celebrity they follow on Instagram while completing the research instrument. Results indicate that almost one-third of the most popular Muslim celebrities among females Instagram users are non-traditional celebrities (i.e. bloggers/vloggers, YouTube personalities and social media influencers). Furthermore, attitude homophily and parasocial interaction with said celebrity may significantly influence the likelihood that the celebrity's profile will be visited, and the number of likes on their photos. Finally, after controlling for the respondents' religious educational background, this study found that those who had positive attitude and behaviour towards the hijab, and perceived a higher degree of parasocial bond with Muslim celebrities on Instagram tended to have a more positive perception towards the hijab culture. The repercussions of these findings on the parasocial interaction theory, and the influence of celebrity-fan engagement on social media over hijab culture are discussed.

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“…There are some phenomena unique to SM connectedness such as parasocial relationship (PSR) development. A PSR defines the oneway relationship between a person and a media persona, mediated through television, radio, cartoon, or SM [12]. Needs for social interaction and attachment might lead to PSRs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Should You “Do It for the ‘Gram?” A Review of the Psychological and Sociocultural Effects of Social Media

2020

JCRC

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Even though Social Media (SM) has penetrated the lives of roughly half the population of the world, connecting billions of people with friends and family, there are disadvantages that span the psychological and sociocultural dimensions of these users’ lives. At the present time, the disadvantages of SM outweigh the advantages. Many users have developed SM-based psychopathologies, such as addiction and depression, and SM is contributing to sociocultural crises, such as the fear of missing out (FOMO), self-objectification, and life dissatisfaction. This awareness has spawned a plethora of studies; researchers are uncovering new complexities about SM, and are expanding communal knowledge of factors that contribute to the psychological and sociocultural lives of SM users. Effects of SM are examined in this integrative review because they directly and indirectly influence the mental and physical health of SM users.

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Following Your “Friend”: Social Media and the Strength of Adolescents' Parasocial Relationships with Media Personae

Cited by 105 publications

References 13 publications

Fancying the New Rich and Famous? Explicating the Roles of Influencer Content, Credibility, and Parental Mediation in Adolescents’ Parasocial Relationship, Materialism, and Purchase Intentions

Fancying the New Rich and Famous? Explicating the Roles of Influencer Content, Credibility, and Parental Mediation in Adolescents’ Parasocial Relationship, Materialism, and Purchase Intentions

Celebrity-Fan Engagement on Instagram and Its Influence on The Perception of Hijab Culture Among Muslim Women in Malaysia

Should You “Do It for the ‘Gram?” A Review of the Psychological and Sociocultural Effects of Social Media

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