Publication Date

Fall 2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Arlene Asuncion; Cheryl Chancellor-Freeland; Christine Ma-Kellams

Abstract

Increased loneliness trends coincide with increased media use. Media is turned to as a source of comfort and distraction from the real world. There is cause to believe that people also use media as a way to form parasocial relationships (PSRs), one-sided relationships audiences form with media figures (i.e., celebrities, influencers, and fictional characters). The connection between loneliness and PSR is thought to be moderated by social vulnerability, particularly the need to belong (NTB) and ethnicity. The medium from which PSRs originate lacks empirical study. To address the limitations, this study analyzed data collected from San Jose State University students (N= 603), examining PSR strength, loneliness, and NTB. It was hypothesized that loneliness and NTB would positively predict PSR (H1), the interaction effect, measuring the product of loneliness and NTB, would explain PSR above either alone (H2), ethnicity (dichotomized into White and People of Color) would interact with loneliness on PSR strength (H3), and that medium would differ in PSR strength (H4). Both loneliness and NTB predicted PSR strength (both with sr2 = .02, p < .01). The interaction failed to produce any change (ΔR2 = .001, p > .05). An interaction effect between loneliness and ethnicity was found in PSR strength (F(1, 118) = 4.87, p < .05, ή2 = .04). Medium was found to produce an effect on PSR (F(9, 593) = 2.30, p < .05, ή2 = .03). In total, the results expanded upon the current understanding of PSR in regards to loneliness.

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