HOW DOES PARASOCIAL INTERACTION DEVELOP? WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS? : A QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH STUDY

Abstract

As a fascinating concept, although parasocial interaction (PSI) has been studied extensively in both the traditional and digital media, studies have usually focused on the operationalization, antecedents or effects of the concept. In this regard, there is a need for studies focusing the antecedents and consequences of PSI from holistic view, and thus contribute to broader understanding more accurately how PSI develop. This study aims to find strong empirical evidence on antecedents and effects of PSI. In this study, we propose a model that assesses the influence of physical and social attractiveness and attitude homophily of contestant on PSI; and PSI effects on audience commitment. By studying 689 audience, we found that i) social attractiveness, physical attractiveness and attitude homophily positively influence PSI, and ii) PSI positively influences audience commitment.