I guess it’s fair to ask: Are we capable of healthy fandom anymore? Have we reached peak parasocial? As human beings, we’re innately social creatures. Finding something to relate to in a celebrity is really quite normal, especially when celebrities use their platforms to share their very human struggles, insecurities, and anxieties.
But, as Dr. Rutledge explains, online communities can normalise boundary-crossing behaviours. “Fans can justify stalking, harassment, or unsolicited contact by convincing themselves or others that it’s harmless or supportive or that contact is a badge of honour,” she says.
In 2002, psychologists Lynn McCutcheon, Rense Lange and James Houran devised the Celebrity Attitude Scale, which evaluates a person’s level of interest (or worship or obsession) with celebrities on three levels: entertainment-social, intense-personal and borderline-pathological. The highest level is when people aren’t able to control their actions or fantasies involving their favourite celebrity. But that’s a small minority of people; they consider around 3 to 5% of people with parasocial relationships actually meet this criteria. Still, they’ve seen scores on the scale begin to increase year on year.
The pitfalls of parasociality
The evolving digital space has accelerated the development and intensity of parasocial relationships, and social media promotes the expectation of 24/7 access. “When artists don’t respond quickly, post regularly or keep fans in the loop of their lives, fans and followers can feel entitled to demand explanations,” explains Dr. Rutlege.
“Parasocial relationships also create a sense of entitlement and engender a lopsided sense of reciprocity,” she says. “Fans can feel they deserve attention and make overwhelming demands for interaction because they have invested time and emotions in the artist. When disappointed, fans can become angry at the celebrity for failing to meet their expectations by criticising their behaviour or worse, as Barry Keoghan experienced.”
A 2019 study found that people with stronger parasocial relationships with celebrities may be less satisfied with their romantic relationships—a kind of para-loveshock. People may become less motivated to invest in their real-life relationships. There’s also the possibility of media addiction, social isolation and impaired cognitive function that lead to unhealthy behaviours.
Why are we seeing a rise in parasocial behaviour?
Gomez, in particular, has been open and candid about her health and mental well-being online. “Unlike traditional PR handling—which presents celebrities in controlled, polished formats—social media gives fans a glimpse into lives, fostering the illusion of intimacy and creating stronger emotional connections,” says Dr. Rutledge.
For smaller content creators, the social media algorithm prizes big emotions and personal storylines; they’re encouraged to monetise their lives by sharing personal stories. “It can lead to followers viewing them as open books,” says Dr. Rutledge. “This dynamic can make it harder for creators to establish boundaries later.”
