"The news spread quickly: Taylor Swift is engaged! Fans of the singer immediately took to social media to share their personal reactions. Thousands of posts showed people screaming with joy or with tears in their eyes. One TikTok video later reported to have been a skit showed an American professor canceling an exam because, he said, neither he nor his students could possibly focus after hearing the news."
"What's behind the phenomenon of people feeling as emotionally invested in a celebrity's life as if this stranger were their best friend? One-sided parasocial friendships Developing friendly or romantic feelings for a stranger is known as a "parasocial relationship." It can happen with a megastar such as Taylor Swift, but also with internet personalities like a favorite influencer or podcast presenter. The psychologist Sonia Jaeger describes such relationships as "my friend who doesn't know me.""
Mass social media reactions to a celebrity engagement demonstrate intense emotional investment from fans, including thousands of posts expressing joy or tears and viral videos showing extreme responses. Many users expressed feelings comparable to experiencing a personal engagement and reported difficulties concentrating on work or study. Such one-sided emotional bonds are called parasocial relationships, where people form friendly or romantic feelings toward public figures who do not know them. Increased visibility of celebrities' private lives through tours, social media, reality TV and personal disclosures has expanded opportunities for fans to learn intimate details and deepen emotional connections.
Read at www.dw.com
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