Dimensional Interaction, Intimacy Building: Roles of Perceived Intimacy and Parasocial Effects on Fans Relations with Virtual Idols
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The appearance of virtual idols has introduced discussions about the connection with fans, even though their idols are always disembodied and fictitious. To some degree, the theory of parasocial interaction can have academic value in the virtual characters, extending beyond the impact on the real stars and fans. This study emphasizes particularly on exploring the role of intimacy in the parasocial relationship, which contains the perspective of fan psychology and youth subculture. By exerting structured interview, the survey collects records from 7 college students who are fans of popular virtual idols including A-SOUL, Luxiem, LASER, etc. The results provide insights into how fans perceive the presence of intimacy and what factors influence the levels of intimacy based on the behaviors of online media usage. Compared with the real idols and life, there are some findings showcasing characteristics of virtual idol-fan intimacy when fans have developed the parasocial interaction.
Author: Shuochen Mu
Institution: Shandong University
Language: English
Subfield: Cultural Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4403844044