What does “parasocial” mean?
A parasocial relationship is a one-sided bond with someone who doesn’t know you exist: a streamer, a celebrity, a podcast host.
Where it comes from
Coined by the sociologists Donald Horton and R. Richard Wohl in 1956, about television audiences. Social media made it an everyday word.
Parasocial in a sentence
- My parasocial relationship with that podcast host is going strong.
- Fans’ parasocial attachment can turn possessive.
Can you say it at work?
Yes; it’s a real term from social science.
Related
Words: vicarious
More slang
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