Fiction Fans and Technology Exposure

Fiction Fans and Technology Exposure Abstract People can develop emotional connections with fictional characters through television shows, movies, books, and video games. These connections, called parasocial relationships, are one-sided but can involve feelings of friendship, comfort, and support. Childhood media experiences, relationships with caregivers, and belonging to a fandom may help explain why some people form stronger connections than others. The purpose of this study is to examine how childhood technology exposure, parent–child relationships, parental media rules, and fandom identity relate to parasocial relationships among young adults aged 18 and above. Participants will be recruited through Murray State University’s SONA research participation system, campus flyers, and participant referrals. They will complete an online survey about their childhood access to technology, childhood media use, parenting experiences, and parental rules and discussions about media. Participants will also identify a fictional character with whom they feel, or have felt, the strongest connection and complete measures of parasocial interaction, parasocial friendship, and fandom identity. The variables predicted are childhood technology exposure, parent–child relationships, parental media rules, and fandom identity, while the outcome variables are parasocial interaction and friendship. It is hypothesized that earlier technology access, greater childhood media use, and stronger fandom identification will be associated with stronger parasocial connections. Additional analyses will explore whether parental care, control, and media rules are related to these connections. Expected results are that participants with earlier technology access, more childhood media use, and a stronger sense of belonging to a fandom will report stronger connections with fictional characters. These findings may provide a better understanding of how childhood experiences and fandom communities relate to the emotional connections young adults form with fictional characters. Keywords: Parasocial Relationships, Childhood Technology Exposure, Fandom Identity, Parent–Child Relationships, Parental Media Rules.