The Attachment Theory Explanation

People enter into parasocial relationships because they lack something in their own lives. At least, that’s what McCutcheon (2006) suggests. What exactly might a person lack that causes them to enter into unilateral, unrequited relationships? Bowlby’s attachment theory addresses why parasocial relationships develop, and other psychologists such as McCutcheon (2006) and Kienlen et al. (1997) have also suggested we may find the answer in childhood attachment.

Social relationships, freepik.com/vectorjuice

Attachment theory explanation of parasocial relationships

Parasocial relationships occur when a person enters a one-sided relationship, usually with a higher-status person unaware of this infatuation. Parasocial relationships are typical for celebrities and well-known or popular people in society and fictional characters. Attachment theory states that parasocial relationships develop due to developmental problems in childhood.Bowlby’s explanation states that people who cannot form close relationships with their caregivers in childhood have difficulty forming attachments and relationships with others as they grow older.

Since these bonds are one-sided and the other person is usually unaware of the existence or infatuation of the particular person, they avoid the problem of rejection.

Attachment theory: Ainsworth’s attachment types

In the context of attachment, we explore Ainsworth’s (1970) attachment types. We can use these types to explain the formation of parasocial relationships because attachment theorists assume people who form parasocial relationships probably had difficulty forming attachments early in life.

Here is a recap of Ainsworth’s attachment types to jog your memory:

• In childhood, people with an insecure-resistant attachment type are most likely to enter into a parasocial relationship because they do not risk rejection. They may engage in the clingy behaviour typical of insecure-resistant attachment (e.g., obsessively following every news story about their celebrity crush) without experiencing the pain of childhood rejection.

Chart showing the four types of attachment. Created with Canva.

According to Hazan and Shaver (1987), an insecure-resistant attachment type manifests itself in adulthood through clingy, jealous behaviour that makes it difficult for them to form relationships with others, meaning they are more likely to form parasocial relationships.

Insecure-avoidant attachment types avoid all relationships, including the parasocial relationships mentioned above.

Bowlby: maternal deprivation theory

Bowlby’s (1969, 1988) maternal deprivation theory of attachment can further explain parasocial relationships. In his theory, Bowlby assumes those who do not form strong attachments in early childhood seek attachment substitutes in adulthood.

Bowlby’s internal working model could be another explanation for parasocial relationships.

Thus, if your caregiver did not comfort you, respond to your needs, or provide you with a sense of security, as with insecure-resistant attachments, you may seek out similar relationships in adulthood. A parasocial relationship reflects this attachment type because it is one-sided, meaning your ‘partner’ does not address your needs or comfort you.

Overall, Bowlby’s model suggests that, according to attachment theory, parasocial relationships develop because of a lack of close attachments in childhood. People seek attachments to celebrities because they are less likely to be rejected and form insecure attachments.

Attachment to celebrities, freepik.com/vectorjuice

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Attachment theory explanation of parasocial relationships: evaluation

McCutcheon et al. (2006) argued that adults with insecure attachment behaviours are more likely to develop parasocial relationships. However, they found no correlation between insecure-resistant attachment and more intense parasocial relationships. This finding contradicts the idea that attachment theory proposed that certain types of childhood experiences and their influence on attachment affect parasocial relationships in adulthood.Correlational research: most research on parasocial relationships is correlational, meaning that we cannot claim a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

However, Cole and Leets (1999) examined the parasocial relationships that teenagers with TV personalities developed. To do this, they used 115 student participants who completed the parasocial scale and two attachment style questionnaires. They found individuals with anxious-ambivalent attachment styles were more likely to develop parasocial relationships, while avoidant styles were least likely to develop parasocial behaviours. This supports the idea that attachment styles influence the development of parasocial relationships.Similarly, Roberts (2007) found that individuals with insecure attachment were more likely to have some form of contact with celebrities.