Listening Goals and Parasocial Relationships: How Listening Styles Impact the Development of Parasocial Relationships with Media Personas

Abstract

ABSTRACT Recognizing the goal-directed nature of listening, this study investigates how listening style preferences relate to the development of parasocial relationships with hosts of popular media. Participants (N = 149) completed an online questionnaire which asked participants to identify their favorite media host(s), complete the revised listening styles profile, and complete a measure of parasocial relationships. The results of three exploratory research questions reveal that even with a wide variety of reported favorite media hosts, respondents frequently follow their favorite host(s) on social media and that YouTube, in addition to television, is a popular way to access rich visual and audio programming from host(s). Relational listening, in particular, emerges as an important predictor of the strength of parasocial relationships with media personas. We discuss theoretical and practical recommendations for future research at the crossroads of listening, interpersonal communication, and media studies.