PARASOCIAL Definition & Meaning

parasocial

[par-uh-soh-shuhl]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

of or relating to the connection or imagined connection between a regular person and a fictional character, celebrity, or other public figure: Fans naturally project their values into parasocial relationships, but they are bound to be disappointed one day when their idols aren't who they’ve built them up to be.
Part of having a favorite TV show is the parasocial interaction that you get with the characters you come to know.
Fans naturally project their values into parasocial relationships, but they are bound to be disappointed one day when their idols aren't who they’ve built them up to be.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of parasocial¹

First recorded in 1960–65; para- ¹ ( def. ) + social ( def. )

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

That viral mastery, and the parasocial bonds it fosters, is part of what makes every game feel tight-knit.

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“They’re leaning into the album in a parasocial way, and what we’re excited about is the impact when fans are in a room with other fans.”

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Many on the Left have long romanticized on-the-ground politicking, but no amount of door-knocking can match the reach of conservative influencers who build parasocial bonds with one’s neighbors and provide them, each day, with powerful stories that make sense of political life.

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Fan culture plays into this too: The world of comic cons and fan sites that Gaiman inhabits encourages obsessive parasocial relationships with media creators.

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This was an era of my life when boys just became an endless parasocial fantasy, and Bieber in particular was who I had my sights set on.

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paraskiing parasol

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