Would You Rather Be a Hero or a Celebrity? A Cross-Cultural Study of Celebrity Worship and Aspirations in Iran and Afghanistan: A Brief Report

The present study examined differences in the desire to become a celebrity versus a hero in Iran and Afghanistan and investigated whether admiration of one’s favorite celebrity was associated with these aspirations. Participants completed an online questionnaire including a 7-item version of the Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS-7) and measures of desire to become a celebrity or hero. In Iran, participants reported significantly greater interest in becoming a hero than a celebrity, whereas this difference was not significant in Afghanistan. CAS-7 scores were positively associated with the desire to become a celebrity in both Iran and Afghanistan. These findings suggest that the desire to be a hero, rather than a celebrity, extends well beyond American borders.