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Who is your imaginary friend
Picto
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New psychological research suggests that loneliness can be alleviated by simply turning on your favorite TV show. In the same way that a snack can satiate hunger in lieu of a meal, it seems that watching favorite TV shows can provide the experience of belonging without a true interpersonal interaction.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=imaginary-friends
Parasocial relationships are the kind of one sided pseudo-relationships we develop over time with people or characters we might see on TV or in the movies.
So, just as a friendship evolves through spending time together and sharing personal thoughts and opinions, parasocial relationships evolve by watching characters on our favorite TV shows, and becoming involved with their personal lives, idiosyncrasies, and experiences as if they were those of a friend.
It appears that experiencing a lack of belonging actually caused people to revel in their favorite TV shows, as though the parasocial relationships with TV characters replaced the flawed relationships that had been recalled.
When I watch TV I thought I was just watching because I derived a varying degree of pleasure / knowledge from what I was watching. I didn't realise I was looking for a social surrogate. (although i did form a special parasocial bond with Cordelia from Buffy a few years back).
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=imaginary-friends
Parasocial relationships are the kind of one sided pseudo-relationships we develop over time with people or characters we might see on TV or in the movies.
So, just as a friendship evolves through spending time together and sharing personal thoughts and opinions, parasocial relationships evolve by watching characters on our favorite TV shows, and becoming involved with their personal lives, idiosyncrasies, and experiences as if they were those of a friend.
It appears that experiencing a lack of belonging actually caused people to revel in their favorite TV shows, as though the parasocial relationships with TV characters replaced the flawed relationships that had been recalled.
When I watch TV I thought I was just watching because I derived a varying degree of pleasure / knowledge from what I was watching. I didn't realise I was looking for a social surrogate. (although i did form a special parasocial bond with Cordelia from Buffy a few years back).
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Cordelia, umm I would worry.
I've never thought any were my friends but for characters I like, Gregory House, Gene Hunt, Nessa, The Master (John Simm) !!! Now I am seriously worried.
Have you formed a parasocial relationship with any of these characters though? Do you become involved with their personal lives, idiosyncrasies, and experiences as if they were those of a friend?
And they actually all have the same one - AND his dad!
I live next door to this big building that they go to to sing about their imaginary friend.
It's called a "church".
Totally weird in my opinion. :rolleyes:
Everyone is imaginary to me
It's taken me all this time to think about it. Only with House, and yes I do think about his motivations etc. I really wonder why.
I'm loving these replies.
"parasocial" - i must remember term.
Trouble with tv these days is that there aren't the right sort of people around so I have to rely on repeats to get a visit from my 'friend', so can feel just as lonely as if we're talking about real ones who dont visit very often.
In a way though it also works the same as with real friends. If you see them too often then they become a pain and you get bored of them and need a break.
I think maybe I'd better go to bed before I start beleiving this.
I've also just found out supporting a team is a form of parasocial interaction.
Same here. They are real people, I just imagine that they are my friends.