Parasocial interaction and parasocial relationship: Conceptual clarification and a critical assessment of measures
Dibble, Hartmann and Rosaen argue that parasocial interaction and parasocial relationship are blurred in both definition and measurement. In an experiment with 383 participants who watched a short video of a woman who either addressed the viewer directly or did not, they compare the older PSI-Scale with the newer Experience of Parasocial Interaction scale. They conclude that the newer scale better captures parasocial interaction understood as a within-viewing experience of mutual awareness, that the older scale may reflect longer-term liking or something else, and that researchers should choose measures with more care.
Dibble, Hartmann and Rosaen argue that parasocial interaction and parasocial relationship are blurred in both definition and measurement. In an experiment with 383 participants who watched a short video of a woman who either addressed the viewer directly or did not, they compare the older PSI-Scale with the newer Experience of Parasocial Interaction scale. They conclude that the newer scale better captures parasocial interaction understood as a within-viewing experience of mutual awareness, that the older scale may reflect longer-term liking or something else, and that researchers should choose measures with more care.
Written from the abstract (Oxford Academic record); paywalled full text not read; 383 participants from the abstract.
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Dibble, J. L., Hartmann, T., & Rosaen, S. F. (2016). Parasocial interaction and parasocial relationship: Conceptual clarification and a critical assessment of measures. Human Communication Research, 42(1), 21-44. doi:10.1111/hcre.12063 https://doi.org/10.1111/hcre.12063