Our favorite TV characters might be a work of fiction, but our feelings for them are real. So when a character dies, or a beloved couple breaks up, viewers can also experience emotions of grief and sadness. Researchers have found that because humans are social animals, these feelings are to be expected and, in most instances, can be beneficial.
The term “parasocial relationship”(or PSR) describes the emotions viewers develop as they watch TV characters week after week. Viewers become acquainted with a character, learn their backstory and relate to their struggles. Over time, the character feels real, like a friend.
In the mid-1950s, social scientists recognized an interesting phenomenon. Many Americans had been going to the movie theater for decades, but television brought on-screen characters into people’s lives on a recurring basis, creating PSR.
Today, early into the NBC series, This is Us, fans knew beloved characters Jack and Rebecca ...
