The Taylor Swift Effect: A Parasocial Relationship
I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
John 10:16 (NIV)
In a “parasocial relationship,” the friends may never meet physically, which explains social media’s success!
Now I understand the psychology of fervent fans tracking celebrities. It boils down to the way our brains are wired, and it scientifically explains… why YOU MUST RISE in media’s fields!
SHORT STORY: “ ‘We are wired to connect to other people,” explains Lynn Zubernis, a psychologist at West Chester University in Pennsylvania who has written eight books about the psychology of fandom. ‘That’s the way humans have stayed alive for a long time,’ she says. Talking to people helped our ancestors learn new information and pass it on through generations. The best socializers lived longer and safer lives, passing their genes on to more children. We became a social species.”
“This need for connection is a key reason why we have friends, and also why we’re so connected with celebrities. ‘We form attachments to celebrities — even though we don’t actually know them — because our brains are not really very good at telling the difference between someone who is in our home every day and someone who is on our screen every day,’ Zubernis says. Someone on a screen can be in our lives just as regularly as a friend, so our brains can have the same reaction.” (Scienceline article, linked below)
In other words, the endorphins we feel in the joy of our physical friendships… also come from our virtual “friendships.” A friend’s positive impact on our lives, in helping us feel loved and connected (even though they may not know who we are)… is STILL FELT by the fans of Taylor Smith.
Actors, models, and talent for Christ:
As scientists continue to discover, (whether all of them admit it or not), God’s Hand is present in every detail.
The research I did for this devotion was eye-opening and validating! It explains your call scientifically, as well as the fervor of Taylor’s fans.
Also, remember:
The size of your fandom doesn’t matter, but the impact of your presence is GOLD.
For all good reasons, make your fans your friends. Follow the popstar’s methodology, while taking it one crucial step further. When fans follow you, they discover God!
The Taylor Swift Effect: A Para-Social Relationship, AKA Celebrity (Part 18)
NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players.’ Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.
LINKS, NOTES & THINGS TO CONSIDER
* This particular article explains the “science” of how parasocial relationships stimulate the friendship-stimulated endorphins in our brains– in the same way as the joy we feel in physical (face-to-face) friendships. Why so many of us love Taylor Swift - Scienceline
Why Taylor Swift's Fans Love Her So Much | Psychology Today Canada
Why Do People Love Taylor Swift? – The Gallery