When a Celebrity Shares a Health Story: Role of Parasocial Relationship and Narrative Involvement on Influencing Living Organ Donation-Related Outcomes

This study examined the role parasocial relationships with a celebrity figure (Selena Gomez) plays in influencing people’s perceptions and willingness to become living organ donors following the sharing of a celebrity health narrative involving living organ donation. Researchers recruited participants from a large university and an online research panel (i.e., Qualtrics panel) for an online experiment. In the experiment, participants viewed one of two treatment messages (i.e., an Instagram post or TV interview) featuring Gomez talking about her living organ donation experience or a control message (informational video about organ donation). Researchers measured participants’ parasocial relationship with Gomez and the level of narrative transportation experienced after viewing the messages. The primary outcome variables were attitudes towards and willingness to be a living organ donor. Several predictions were made based on the entertainment overcoming resistance model and narrative engagement research. Results show that people with a strong parasocial relationship with Gomez reported higher levels of narrative transportation, which positively predicted the willingness to become a living organ donor. The results of this study offer evidence to show the potential power celebrity health narratives have for promoting health activism among audiences.