“I like community more than Influencers”: Unraveling the influence of followers on parasocial Interaction and attachment with virtual influencers

Abstract

Millions of users follow virtual influencers and experience a sense of connection with them even though they do not exist in the physical world. Despite increasing academic attention, few studies have examined the role of follower interaction within virtual influencer communities in shaping users' relational experiences, particularly regarding parasocial interaction (PSI) and attachment to virtual influencers. This study examines the association between follower interaction, cognitive and affective social identity, PSI with virtual influencers, and attachment to virtual influencers using survey data from Instagram users engaged in virtual influencer communities (N = 303). The results indicate that follower interaction is significantly related to PSI with virtual influencers, both directly and indirectly, through cognitive and affective social identities. Additionally, PSI with virtual influencers is strongly associated with user attachment. These findings contribute to the theoretical discussions on PSI and social identity. They highlight how follower interaction within virtual influencer communities shapes users' relational experiences and attachments, particularly in contexts where influencers’ agency and authenticity are ambiguous.