REAL CHARACTERS The Psychology of Parasocial Relationships with Media Characters
As a result of the pandemic, many people have embraced the escapism afforded by streaming services such Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple Plus, and Disney Plus, strengthening the role that media characters play in their lives. The impact of such “parasocial relationships” is the subject of a new, groundbreaking study published by Fielding University Press, titled Real Characters (FUP/January 7, 2021/$24.95), combining the insights of 23 scholars and researchers from universities in the US, Canada, and Great Britain. Edited by Dr. Karen Shackleford, doctoral faculty at Fielding’s Media Psychology PhD program, Real Characters: The psychology of parasocial relationships with media characters explores the unique relationship between viewers and fictional characters in TV, film, and social media. The book shows how these characters, whether in literature, TV, film, or theater, serve as models and avatars that prompt us to consider our relationships, identities, and values. Throughout the book, the authors take us inside the human mind, revealing how these connections can benefit us as social creatures and help us to see our own experiences with fictional characters in a new and fascinating light. Real Characters is the collaborative product of leading experts in social psychology, media psychology, and communications theory. These scientists and storytellers present their research and reveal their own experiences with characters who have changed them. Real Characters is available in both printed and Kindle e-book formats from either FUP or Amazon. For more information, or to request a copy for book reviewers, please contact Pablo Morales at pmorales@fielding.edu. For more about Fielding University Press, please visit www.fielding.edu/universitypress. . Fielding University Press