The DOI matches its Crossref record; 3 of the 3 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Parasocial Break-Up from Favorite Television Characters: The Role of Attachment Styles and Relationship Intensity
Abstract
This study examined the responses of television viewers to the potential loss of their favorite television characters. A sample of 381 Israeli adults completed questionnaires, including questions about their relationships with their favorite characters, how they would react if those characters were taken off the air, and their attachment styles. Results showed that viewers expecting to lose their favorite characters anticipate negative reactions similar to those experienced after the dissolution of social relationships. These reactions were related both to the intensity of the parasocial relationship with the favorite character and to the viewers’ attachment style. Anxious–ambivalently attached respondents anticipated the most negative responses. The results are discussed in light of their contribution to attachment research and as evidence of the similarity between parasocial relationships and close social relationships.
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In the citing paper
“For children and adolescents, these parasocial or semi-social bonds may feel particularly real and emotionally deep [31, 39].”
From Understanding Teen Overreliance on AI Companion Chatbots Through Self-Reported Reddit Narratives (2026) · cites this paper as [39]
In the citing paper
“The relational element resembles parasocial attachment, in which individuals experience one-sided intimacy, emotional involvement, and perceived relationship importance with a media figure or artificial partner (Cohen, 2004; Gleason et al., 2017; Rubin and McHugh, 1987).”
From When loneliness amplifies the risk of problematic emotional dependence: perceived anthropomorphism and basic psychological need satisfaction in AI companion use (2026) · cites this paper as Cohen, 2004
Citations
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“These expectations develop later in childhood into structured mental models that consist of beliefs about how one should behave toward significant others and expectations of how one should be treated by them (Hazan & Shaver, 1987).”
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
de Bérail, P., Guillon, M., & Bungener, C. (2019) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2019.05.007 · Cited by 191
Barnes, J. L. (2015) · Poetics · doi:10.1016/j.poetic.2014.12.004 · Cited by 59
Understanding Teen Overreliance on AI Companion Chatbots Through Self-Reported Reddit Narratives
Namvarpour, M. (., Brofsky, B., Medina, J. Y., Akter, M., & Razi, A. (2026) · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · doi:10.1145/3772318.3790597 · Cited by 24
Liu, T., Shih, R.-M., Luo, T., & Jin, S. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1900817
Metadata
- Authors
- Cohen, J.
- Affiliations
- University of Haifa
- Venue
- Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2004-04
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 187-202
- ISSN
- 0265-4075
- 1460-3608
- Cited by
- 188
- References
- 3
- Language
- en
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