Harry Potter Makes Me Feel Things: Parasocial Relationships and State Empathy
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Graduate
Major
Experimental Psychology
2nd Student Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Graduate
2nd Student Major
Clinical Psychology
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Jana Hackathorn, PhD
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
State-dependent constructs can be thought of as internal reactions to events that can possibly influence future behavior (Nezlek et al., 2007). Research indicates that empathy can operate at the state level and varies throughout the day in response to mood and social events (Nezelek et al., 2007). Research also implies that state-level empathy changes in response to a wide variety of factors (e.g., Batson, 2002; Martin-Allan, Leeson, and Lovegrove, 2021). Yet, few researchers have sought to identify the possible relationship between valence of parasocial processing (i.e., positive, or negative) and state-level empathy.
Parasocial relationships are described as one-sided relationships individuals hold with a fictional character or celebrity (Schramm & Hartmann, 2008). Parasocial processing is described as an individual’s psychological engagement with a fictional character or celebrity, potentially manifesting itself through acute thoughts (Giles, 2002). Research suggests that parasocial processing is driven by concepts like attention, knowledge activation, and emotional contagion (Kilmmt et al., 2006). Researchers have reliably identified relationships between parasocial processing and various components of empathy (Tsao, 1996; Zillmann, 1994). Empathy is often explained by an individual’s ability to adopt another’s perspective or a person’s ability to feel visceral reactions in response to another’s feelings (i.e., cognitive, or affective empathy).
In the current study, participants (N=107) first completed the State Empathy Scale (Shen, 2010) in response to a short videoclip to serve as a baseline. Participants were then randomly assigned to write one of four potential essay topics. Participants either write about their favorite or least favorite fictional character, celebrity, or influencer (i.e., parasocial relationship), or wrote about their favorite or least favorite real person (e.g., friend). Participants then completed the State Empathy Scale (Shen, 2010) in response to the target they chose to write about in their essay.
A repeated measures ANOVA revealed a difference in pre-test and post-test state-empathy scores based on condition, F (3, 103) = 20.82, p < .001; that is, simply having imaginary interactions with individuals influenced state-level empathy. Potential implications could apply to the political, multicultural, and education spheres.
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Psychology: Completed Projects
Harry Potter Makes Me Feel Things: Parasocial Relationships and State Empathy
State-dependent constructs can be thought of as internal reactions to events that can possibly influence future behavior (Nezlek et al., 2007). Research indicates that empathy can operate at the state level and varies throughout the day in response to mood and social events (Nezelek et al., 2007). Research also implies that state-level empathy changes in response to a wide variety of factors (e.g., Batson, 2002; Martin-Allan, Leeson, and Lovegrove, 2021). Yet, few researchers have sought to identify the possible relationship between valence of parasocial processing (i.e., positive, or negative) and state-level empathy.
Parasocial relationships are described as one-sided relationships individuals hold with a fictional character or celebrity (Schramm & Hartmann, 2008). Parasocial processing is described as an individual’s psychological engagement with a fictional character or celebrity, potentially manifesting itself through acute thoughts (Giles, 2002). Research suggests that parasocial processing is driven by concepts like attention, knowledge activation, and emotional contagion (Kilmmt et al., 2006). Researchers have reliably identified relationships between parasocial processing and various components of empathy (Tsao, 1996; Zillmann, 1994). Empathy is often explained by an individual’s ability to adopt another’s perspective or a person’s ability to feel visceral reactions in response to another’s feelings (i.e., cognitive, or affective empathy).
In the current study, participants (N=107) first completed the State Empathy Scale (Shen, 2010) in response to a short videoclip to serve as a baseline. Participants were then randomly assigned to write one of four potential essay topics. Participants either write about their favorite or least favorite fictional character, celebrity, or influencer (i.e., parasocial relationship), or wrote about their favorite or least favorite real person (e.g., friend). Participants then completed the State Empathy Scale (Shen, 2010) in response to the target they chose to write about in their essay.
A repeated measures ANOVA revealed a difference in pre-test and post-test state-empathy scores based on condition, F (3, 103) = 20.82, p < .001; that is, simply having imaginary interactions with individuals influenced state-level empathy. Potential implications could apply to the political, multicultural, and education spheres.