Relacje paraspołeczne i ich znaczenie dla funkcjonowania psychicznego

Aleksandra Witkowska

doi:10.31648/mcsc.10396

Published: 2025-06-27

No. 21 (2025)

Parasocial Relationships and their Importance for Mental Well-Being

Aleksandra Witkowska

Media - Culture - Social Communication

Section: Articles

https://doi.org/10.31648/mcsc.10396

Abstract

In the 21st century, more often than ever, we can observe the influence of well-known individuals on people's thoughts, feelings, and decisions. This occurs through social media platforms, which facilitate communication with followers worldwide. These platforms allow celebrities, influencers, and other public figures to build strong connections with their audiences, often leading to the formation of parasocial relationships. These relationships can serve as an alternative to those maintained in the real world. They typically possess characteristics such as one-sidedness, the presence of the media persona in the interaction, and a low likelihood of face-to-face contact. Maintaining parasocial relationships can positively impact media users' well-being by improving their mood or filling the void resulting from loneliness. However, it can also lead to negative effects on mental health, such as succumbing to social comparisons, idealizing media figures, and consequently experiencing a decline in self-esteem.

Keywords:

parasocial relationships, social media, Internet, influencers, Facebook, Instagram

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Witkowska, A. (2025). Parasocial Relationships and their Importance for Mental Well-Being. Media - Culture - Social Communication, (21). https://doi.org/10.31648/mcsc.10396

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