准社会关系parasocial关系的破裂的研究方法

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INTRODUCTION Parasocial grief can occur after the end of a parasocial relationship, comparable to grief reactions after the end of reciprocal social relationships and can lead to mental health issues. METHODS Based on Parasocial Interaction Theory, this correlational study investigated parasocial grief reactions after the natural occurrence of a parasocial breakup, ways to cope, and relations to personality traits and mental health. RESULTS Cross-sectional data from 123 participants indicate that the presence of an understanding social network affects how people experience and cope with parasocial grief. Personality variables appear to play a role in the availability of such a network. Attachment styles further seem to play an important role in the experience of parasocial grief. DISCUSSION As parasocial grief negatively impacts mental health and can lead to coping through non-constructive means such as substance use, parasocial grief reactions need to be taken seriously.

ABSTRACT Binge watching represents a relatively new means of engaging with television narrative that fundamentally changes how we relate to stories and characters on screen. The present study was designed to examine how binge watching indirectly impacts parasocial breakups through retrospective imaginative involvement, and positive and negative parasocial relationships. We also examined how the liking of a given character (liked vs. disliked) may moderate these indirect paths. We conducted a quantitative mixed-design study to explore these effects. We found that binge watching positively predicted RII, which positively predicted positive, but not negative, PSR. Both positive and negative PSR positively predicted parasocial breakup intensity. Character liking moderated the indirect path through positive PSR, but not through negative PSR. These results and their implications are discussed in detail.

Children’s parasocial relationships (PSRs) with media characters end through a process called PSR breakups. An online parent report measure was used to describe preschool and school-aged children’s breakups with media characters, as well as the attributes of past and current favorite characters. According to parents (N = 138), 51% of children experienced PSR breakups. PSRs lasted about two years before a breakup occurred. Past and current favorite characters were animated, human-like, and embedded in fantastical content. Current favorite characters taught fewer academic lessons than past favorite characters. Both boys and girls had current favorite characters that were more gendered in their physical appearance than past favorite characters. However, girls’ current favorite characters had more masculine traits than past favorite characters. Our findings suggest possible avenues for the design of future media characters that can teach as they entertain.

Parasocial scales assume one-sided bonds with media figures—but what happens when the media talks back? The rapid emergence of conversational AI has transformed how children interact with digital characters, yet existing parasocial interaction (PSI) and relationship (PSR) measures are still grounded in passive television viewing. Through a systematic review of 24 studies spanning 1976–2024, we reveal critical gaps in current measurement approaches for understanding child-AI interactions. Our analysis exposes methodological weaknesses, including age-indiscriminate measurement tools, inconsistent conceptualisation of character realism, and an oversimplified positive friendship framework. Existing measures predominantly treat PSRs as unidirectional, static constructs, failing to capture the long-term, reciprocal nature of AI interactions. We identify promising directions for measurement evolution, including the revival of early affective scales, refined behavioural measures, and an expanded relationship taxonomy. This analysis provides an urgent review of current frameworks to help us understand and assess children’s relationships with increasingly sophisticated AI characters.

Social media has intensified parasocial relationships, one-sided bonds between individuals and media figures. While extensively researched in Western populations, parasocial engagement remains unexplored in culturally diverse contexts, particularly Latin America. The Multidimensional Measure of Parasocial Relationships (MMPR) is a validated tool that captures four dimensions of parasocial relationship engagement: Affective, Cognitive, Behavioral, and Decisional. Cross-cultural validation of parasocial relationship measures is essential for understanding how cultural context shape media psychology phenomena. We aimed to validate the Brazilian Portuguese adaptation of the MMPR, with four primary objectives: (1) replicate the correlated bifactor structure from previous research, (2) evaluate internal consistency and dimensional performance in the Brazilian cultural context, (3) analyze the intercorrelations among those dimensions, and (4) examine measurement invariance across gender. Brazilian participants (N = 398; Mage = 24.66, SD = 9.24) completed the 18-item Brazilian MMPR. We conducted a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using the Weighted Least Square Mean and Variance method to test the correlated bifactor model. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s Alpha (α) and McDonald’s Omega (ω), with Spearman correlations examining inter-dimensional relationships. Additionally, multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess measurement invariance across gender. CFA supported the correlated bifactor structure with acceptable fit indices (χ² = 190.89, RMSEA = 0.08, CFI = 0.91). Standardized loadings ranged from − 0.40 to 0.79. The total scale demonstrated high internal consistency (α/ω = 0.88/0.87), while coefficients varied across dimensions (Affective: α/ω = 0.64/0.66; Cognitive: α/ω = 0.75/0.75; Behavioral: α/ω = 0.58/0.58; Decisional: α/ω = 0.82/0.81). The Decisional dimension demonstrated the strongest correlation with overall parasocial engagement (ρ = 0.86), whereas the Behavioral dimension showed the weakest (ρ = 0.65). Measurement invariance testing showed acceptable model fit for women, consistent with the full sample; however, convergence issues for the male subsample prevented further assessment of configural invariance. The Brazilian adaptation of the MMPR replicated the correlated bifactor structure and demonstrated strong overall reliability, supporting its uses as a valid measure of parasocial engagement in Brazilian populations. However, variability in the reliability of individual dimensions, particularly the strong contribution of the Decisional dimension and the weaker performance of the Behavioral dimension, suggest culturally specific patterns in parasocial engagement. Additionally, partial evidence for gender invariance suggests the scale performs more consistently among women than men, warranting further investigation. These findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive psychometric adaptations and provide a foundation for future cross-cultural research in consumer behavior, social media psychology, and therapeutic applications.

The COVID-19 pandemic is stressful for people, yet it has witnessed an exponential growth in the number of Virtual Youtubers and their viewers in China. Virtual Youtubers (VTubers) are people represented by virtual 2D or 3D avatars on different platforms. From the perspective of media psychology, an online survey of 669 participants was conducted to examine the intensity of Chinese viewers’ parasocial attachment to the VTubers and the influence of such attachment on the stress of these viewers during the pandemic. As a result, positive correlations were found between viewers’ parasocial attachment to VTubers and the stress relief of these viewers.

Research in Terror Management Theory finds that close interpersonal relationships (e.g., parents, romantic partners) mitigate threat reactions to reminders of mortality. Parasocial relationships (imagined relationships with media personalities) afford many of the same benefits as interpersonal relationships. Do these benefits extend to mortality concerns? We investigated whether those with strong parasocial attachments were differentially influenced by reminders of death. Results showed that those with strong parasocial relationships had more defensive reactions to a mortality prime, suggesting that such attachments may not afford the same existential benefits given by close human others and may instead indicate a heightened vulnerability.

Introduction Low fertility has become a global challenge that threatens sustainable social development. In China, fertility intentions among people of marriageable and childbearing age (18-35 years) remain persistently low. A prevailing "risk consciousness" in online culture, together with the tendency for digital activities to substitute for real-world interactions, further weakens young people's intrinsic motivation to have children. The relationship between simulated gaming environments and real-world fertility desire, therefore, deserves more rigorous investigation. Methods Drawing on parasocial relationship theory and attachment theory, we collected questionnaire data from 612 game players. We tested the theoretical model using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Measurement properties were examined via confirmatory factor analysis, and direct and indirect effects were evaluated using bootstrapped mediation tests. Results Eleven of the sixteen hypotheses were supported. Game Concentration (GC) positively predicted Identification Friendship (IF), Parasocial Cognition (PC), and Parasocial Emotions (PE), but showed no direct effect on Fertility Desire (FD). Mediation analyses revealed significant indirect effects through the affective pathway. The cognitive path involving PC did not yield substantial indirect effects. Discussion/conclusion Our findings indicate that simulated-game experiences are linked to FD mainly via affective rather than cognitive pathways. We propose an "Emotional Compensation Hypothesis," whereby virtual emotional bonds buffer real-world stressors and, in turn, shape reproductive attitudes. This framing positions emotional bonding as a key theoretical lens for exploring the association between virtual gaming experiences and affective orientations toward parenthood, offering preliminary insights into digital-era reproductive attitudes. Future studies should use longitudinal designs and assess the model's generalizability across diverse contexts.

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Emerging reports of the harms caused to children and adults by AI sycophancy and by parasocial ties with chatbots point to an urgent need for safeguards against such risks. Yet, preventing such dynamics is challenging: parasocial cues often emerge gradually in private conversations between chatbots and users, and we lack effective methods to mitigate these risks. We address this challenge by introducing a simple response evaluation framework (an AI chaperone agent) created by repurposing a state-of-the-art language model to evaluate ongoing conversations for parasocial cues. We constructed a small synthetic dataset of thirty dialogues spanning parasocial, sycophantic, and neutral conversations. Iterative evaluation with five-stage testing successfully identified all parasocial conversations while avoiding false positives under a unanimity rule, with detection typically occurring within the first few exchanges. These findings provide preliminary evidence that AI chaperones can be a viable solution for reducing the risk of parasocial relationships.

Despite the significant increase in popularity of Virtual YouTubers (VTubers), research on the unique dynamics of viewer-VTuber parasocial relationships is nascent. This work investigates how English-speaking viewers grieved VTubers whose identities are no longer used, an interesting context as the nakanohito (i.e., the person behind the VTuber identity) is usually alive post-retirement and might "reincarnate" as another VTuber. We propose a typology for VTuber retirements and analyzed 13,655 Reddit posts and comments spanning nearly three years using mixed-methods. Findings include how viewers coped using methods similar to when losing loved ones, alongside novel coping methods reflecting different attachment styles. Although emotions like sadness, shock, concern, disapproval, confusion, and love decreased with time, regret and loyalty showed opposite trends. Furthermore, viewers' reactions situated a VTuber identity within a community of content creators and viewers. We also discuss design implications alongside implications on the VTuber ecosystem and future research directions.

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ABSTRACT This scoping review evaluates the literature on the social aspects of smart speaker use, with a focus on how parasocial relationships form and their outcomes. A key contribution of this review is the proposal of a ‘Parasocial Relationship Spectrum’, which classifies the types of relationships users develop with smart speakers. Additionally, we establish isolation and older age as predictors of parasocial relationships with smart speakers, while identifying emotional comfort and reduced loneliness as key outcomes. A major gap in existing research is the lack of long-term, targeted studies on the full range of effects from smart speaker-based interventions, particularly in vulnerable populations. To address this, we integrate findings from parasocial and human–computer interaction research to propose a novel framework – the ASAP Pathway (Anthropomorphic – Social Agent – Parasocial) – as a mechanism explaining how users develop parasocial relationships with smart speakers. This framework offers a structured approach to further studying interactions with smart speakers and their outcomes. Finally, we emphasise the need for future research to refine and validate the ASAP Pathway, ensuring that smart speaker-based social interventions maximise benefits while minimising risks. By doing so, this review provides theoretical advancements and practical implications for implementing smart speakers in social and therapeutic contexts.

Despite the importance of romantic relationships to the majority of individuals, romantic relationships end often. This article advances understanding of why romantic relationship dissolution occurs by considering dissolution through the lens of two prominent theories of intentional behavior: the reasoned action approach and the theory of interpersonal behavior. The components of each theory are explained and examined within the context of romantic relationship dissolution. Additional factors including anticipated affect, implementation intentions, and attitude toward the process, are considered to provide an integrative framework that can increase understanding and prediction of relationship dissolution. This article responds to calls for more theoretical integration of romantic relationship dissolution research. Future research using this integrative framework should explore the causal relationship among the proposed theoretical antecedents to relationship dissolution to reduce the negative outcomes of breaking up as well as to facilitate fulfilling romantic relationships. The integrative framework can also be applied to remedy relationship dissolution issues as well as to enhance the development and maintenance of romantic relationships.

Amid growing scholarly calls highlighting the theoretical importance of parasocial processing (PSP) for enabling closer accounts of users’ cognitive, affective, and conative reactions to media characters, communication research lacks a comprehensive short survey instrument for capturing PSP. The article overcomes this gap by introducing the PSP Short Inventory – a parsimonious short-scale measuring PSP as a multifaceted concept with nine items. Building on existing theory, PSP and its three components of cognitive, affective, and conative PSP are defined and conceptualized. A selection of items was derived to start the scale development, which then progressed through three preregistered studies (with 500 participants each). The analyses of the three studies combined exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and covered various reliability analyses and analyses of discriminant, convergent, and nomological validity. Based on the three studies, we find strong empirical evidence that the PSP Short Inventory provides a valid, reliable, and practicable PSP measure for future parasocial research. The theoretical and methodological advances enabled by the measure are discussed.

Pet owners may experience grief following the loss of their pets, stemming from the disruption of the emotional bond between them and their pets. This study aimed to examine the relationship between pet attachment and pet loss grief. A total of 160 college students who had experienced pet loss completed measures assessing pet attachment, deliberate rumination, pet loss grief, continuing bonds, and disenfranchised grief before their mental health course in China. The results indicated that deliberate rumination mediated the relationship between pet attachment and pet loss grief. Additionally, continuing bonds and disenfranchised grief moderated the relationship between deliberate rumination and pet loss grief. Specifically, deliberate rumination was positively associated with pet loss grief when continuing bonds were low and disenfranchised grief was high (β = 0.33, p < 0.01), while it was negatively associated with pet loss grief when continuing bonds were high and disenfranchised grief was low (β = −0.32, p < 0.01).

OBJECTIVE Interpersonal loss, whether through bereavement or separation, can trigger profound emotional distress. While grief is a natural and universal process, some individuals develop maladaptive responses, increasing their vulnerability to posttraumatic symptoms. The present research aimed to explore the association between risk factors for posttraumatic symptoms among individuals who have experienced loss, specifically investigating the role of anxious attachment and defense mechanisms. METHOD The study included 405 participants who reported experiencing at least one significant loss, either through bereavement or separation from a significant individual. Participants completed a survey comprising the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, the Forty-Item Defense Style Questionnaire, and the Relationship Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using a path analytic approach. RESULTS Among the participants, 52% reported symptoms indicative of a probable presence of posttraumatic stress disorder. Fearful and preoccupied attachment styles were significantly and positively associated with posttraumatic symptoms. Furthermore, neurotic and immature defenses mediated these relationships. The effects of time since the loss and type of loss were controlled as potential covariates. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the significant role of anxious attachment and defense mechanisms in favoring posttraumatic symptoms in individuals who have experienced loss. Such data may provide useful insight to inform targeted clinical interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

ABSTRACT Although there is extensive literature on bereavement after the loss of pets, it has almost exclusively focused on traditional pets, such as cats and dogs, to the exclusion of many other species that are also popular pets. We targeted caregivers of less-traditional pets, such as reptiles, birds, fish, and exotics, to assess their experiences when grieving their loss. Specifically, we examined the manner in which they reported the loss and the degree of perceived support they received from close and more distant associates as well as their grief over the loss. We surveyed 464 pet owners, 337 of whom reported the loss of a pet other than a cat or dog. We examined whether their experiences of grief, sharing loss, and receiving support differed from those of cat and dog owners. We also assessed the role of the pet (i.e., as companion or other), whether they were housed in an enclosure, concerns about the pet, and problem behaviors as predictors, with the owner’s attachment to the pet as a mediator. Pet role, enclosure, and attachment significantly predicted grief. Overall, attachment was a better predictor than pet type for grief, reporting of the loss, and perceived support from others. These findings suggest that owners experience grief similarly for traditional and nontraditional pets as long as they feel bonded to their pets.

All of us experience self-change in relationships, but our subjective experiences of change may not always align with external metrics of such change. We hypothesized that people with higher attachment avoidance are more likely to experience self-change as a loss, which in turn predicts lower relationship commitment. We further hypothesized, however, that there would be a disparity in perceptions, such that avoidant people will experience self-loss that external metrics-including their own behaviors and ratings from third-party coders-do not detect. Results from four studies, which employed a variety of cross-sectional (Studies 1 and 4) and longitudinal (Studies 2 and 3) methods, demonstrated that higher attachment avoidance predicted greater experienced loss of self, which in turn predicted lower commitment. Studies 2-4 also revealed evidence for the hypothesized disparity in perceptions: Avoidantly attached individuals' experience of greater self-loss failed to emerge when using a variety of external metrics of self-loss, producing Avoidance × Loss Type (experienced vs. external metric) interaction effects. These studies suggest that avoidantly attached people, who tend to be vigilant to autonomy threats in relationships, experience relationship-linked changes as losses, even though external metrics fail to detect such loss. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Attachment theory provides a useful framework for understanding emotional reactions to separation and loss and the process of adapting to these painful events. In this article, we review adult attachment studies that have examined emotional reactions and adjustment to separation and loss in romantic and marital relationships. We begin with a brief account of attachment theory. Next, we review studies examining the emotional consequences of losing a relationship partner and the coping responses that can help a person adjust to this loss. Throughout the article, we also summarize research documenting attachment-related individual differences in responses to separation and loss. (99 words).

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The declining fertility rate and an aging population have accelerated the number of single-person households and nuclear families, and the number of households raising pets has naturally increased. However, pet owners experience great sorrow and trauma due to the death of their pets. The stronger the attachment to pets, the more severe the separation pain caused by pet loss. The purpose of this study was to analyze the moderating effect of a cognitive emotion regulation strategy mediated through separation pain on the relationship between attachment and post-traumatic growth after pet loss among owners. The study participants were 303 owners who have experienced pet loss. We analyzed the mediated moderating effects by PROCESS macro. The results showed that the adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategy strengthened the effect of attachment to pets on post-traumatic growth and decreased the effect on separation pain. Conversely, the maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategy weakened the effect of attachment to pets on post-traumatic growth and strengthened the effect on separation pain. The act of intentionally expanding the perspective on pet loss experience, switching into a more positive focus, and accepting reality will reduce the grief of its companions and become an opportunity for growth.