Empire State U Prof Releases New Book on Celebrities and Parasocial Relationships

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Gayle Stever, a professor in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Empire State University, has co-authored a new book titled “Parasocial Experiences: Psychological Theory and Application.” The book, published by Oxford University Press, was released on October 25.

Giles addresses theoretical traditions and how they relate to parasocial relationships, including psychoanalytic theory and dream analysis. Stever offers her insight from the participant observer, which she conveys through interviews with famous actors who have active fan groups, including Alexander Siddig, Nana Visitor, Robert Picardo, and Denise Crosby.  

Stever also explores the implications of a newer dynamic within parasocial relationships with the use of Cameo, a website where fans can purchase a custom-made video, for a fee, on a variety of topics from their favorite celebrities. 

Stever said parasocial relationships have always existed in pop culture and the increase in access to like-minded fan communities on the internet has caused them to become an even more visible aspect of pop culture.

“All one has to do is go back to the era of Elvis or Beatlemania to see that these influences in our culture have been significant as a part of mass media culture,” Stever said in a statement.

Stever and her co-author David Giles are well-revered in the field of parasocial relationships and previously co-authored “Understanding Media Psychology,” which is currently undergoing revision for a second edition.