Parasocial Relationships and Virtual Influencers

Recently, I was approached by a master's degree student named Li Liang. She's working on an exciting research project in collaboration with Henrietta Batinovic from the Georg-August University of G?ttingen.

She suggested a 30-minute interview, but we ended up chatting for 120 minutes! It was a super funny and exciting session — one I hadn't had in a long time. It was also thought-provoking.

I was mentally depleted after the stimulating conversation.

Here's her initial message:

Immersive technologies like VR are transforming how we connect. Virtual worlds, accessed through headsets, offer three-dimensional environments where users interact via avatars, even exchanging virtual assets. Popular platforms include VRChat, Horizon Worlds, and Roblox.

Our research explores virtual influencers within these immersive spaces. We seek interview participants who:

• Follow virtual influencers (e.g., Lil Miquela) on social media.
• Are active on immersive platforms (e.g., Roblox) or have VR experience.
• Enjoy interacting with virtual influencers in these platforms.

The 30-minute interview (Zoom or optionally Meta Horizon Workrooms if you have a VR headset) will explore your experiences with virtual influencers in immersive settings, focusing on design features and potential improvements. Your insights are invaluable.

She certainly made me ponder many things about virtual influencers.

In today's article, I would like to write about parasocial relationships.        

Parasocializing refers to the phenomenon where individuals form one-sided relationships with media personalities, celebrities, or fictional characters. This concept, often discussed in media studies and psychology, describes how people can develop strong emotional attachments to figures they see on television, social media, or other forms of media, even though these figures do not reciprocate the relationship.

Parasocial interactions can provide a sense of companionship and emotional support, but they are inherently one-sided, as the media personality or character is unaware of the individual's feelings or existence.

So, if someone's chatting with a virtual influencer in the Metaverse, is that parasocial?

Yes, that scenario definitely aligns with the concept of parasocializing.

Here's why:

One-Sided Relationship

The individual is engaging with the virtual influencer, but the virtual influencer, while programmed to respond and chat in real-time, is not a real person (note: It is possible to have a real person working behind the scenes) with independent thoughts and feelings. The relationship is inherently one-sided.

Emotional Investment

The individual is likely experiencing emotional connection and investment in the virtual influencer, perhaps feeling a sense of friendship, admiration, or even dependence.

Conflation of Reality

The immersive nature of the Metaverse can blur the lines between reality and the virtual world, potentially leading individuals to feel a stronger sense of connection and intimacy with the virtual influencer than might be appropriate.

Why are humans so invested in fictional characters and their emotional impact?

Humans care so much about fictional characters because of parasocial relationships. Parasocial relationships are one-sided relationships that people form with those they don't know by consuming media about that person. These relationships can be formed with fictional characters and real people, such as celebrities.

Several factors contribute to humans' investment in fictional characters and the emotional impact they have:

• A-leaflike feeling People believe that fictional characters are not real, but have a gut-level, subconscious feeling that they are real.
• Benefits of real-world relationships The benefits of real-world relationships seem to correspond with the benefits of parasocial relationships, making it seem as if a person's social circle includes real and fictional people.
• Social and emotional support Parasocial relationships can buffer against losses of self-esteem and feelings of social rejection, as if people are drawing support from fictional friends.
• Social facilitation effect Exposure to a picture of a favourite television character can increase performance on certain cognitive tasks, which is the same effect that would occur if someone were in the presence of a real friend.
• Societal mirroring and learning People tend to do what they see other people do and can also learn from the mistakes of others.
• High anxiety, low interaction environment Parasocial relationships are the natural progression of human beings in a high anxiety, low interaction environment. During the isolating days of the pandemic, parasocial relationships saw a great uptick. As human interaction decreased, reliance on parasocial replacements for those relationships increased.

Key Differences in the Metaverse

Interactive Nature

The Metaverse provides a more interactive platform for parasocial relationships than traditional social media. The real-time chat and the ability to "be present" in the same virtual space amplifies the feeling of connection.

Avatars and Identity

Virtual influencers often have distinct personalities and identities conveyed through their avatars. This adds another layer to the parasocial experience, as individuals may be drawn to the virtual influencer's personality or appearance.

Overall, the interaction I have mentioned above is a prime example of parasocializing, albeit with some unique characteristics due to the immersive nature of the technology. As virtual influencers continue to evolve and gain prominence, addressing these ethical concerns is essential to ensure a responsible and ethical future for this emerging phenomenon. It's important to be aware of the potential downsides of parasocial relationships, especially in such immersive environments, and to maintain a healthy balance between real-world connections and virtual interactions.

Ethical Concerns Surrounding Virtual Influencers

The rise of virtual influencers, computer-generated personalities that exist solely in the digital world, has brought a wave of ethical concerns that warrant careful consideration. These concerns stem from the blurred lines between reality and fiction, the potential for manipulation, and the lack of transparency surrounding their creation and operation.

Here are some key ethical issues:

• Misidentification: Virtual influencers, especially those designed to be indistinguishable from humans, can lead to misidentification by consumers, who may perceive them as real individuals with genuine opinions and experiences. This lack of transparency can be deceptive and undermine consumer trust.
• Hidden Creators: The creators of virtual influencers often remain anonymous, making it difficult to assess their motivations and potential biases. This lack of accountability can lead to concerns about manipulation and exploitation.
• Blurred Endorsements: It can be challenging to distinguish between genuine opinions and paid endorsements when virtual influencers promote products or services. The lack of clear disclosure can mislead consumers and raise concerns about ethical marketing practices.

• Limited Representation: Virtual influencers are often created by teams that lack diversity, which can lead to the perpetuation of stereotypes and underrepresentation of certain groups. This can create a skewed and unrealistic portrayal of the world.
• Cultural Appropriation: The creation of virtual influencers that appropriate cultures or identities without proper understanding and respect can be offensive and disrespectful.
• Manipulation of Vulnerable Individuals: Virtual influencers' ability to create strong parasocial relationships raises concerns about the potential for manipulation, especially among vulnerable individuals who may be susceptible to their influence.

• Perfection and Idealization: Virtual influencers often portray idealized versions of themselves, which can contribute to unrealistic expectations and body image issues among their followers.
• Social Comparison: The constant exposure to seemingly perfect virtual influencers can lead to social comparison and feelings of inadequacy, potentially impacting mental well-being.

To address these ethical concerns, we can consider to:

Promote Transparency

Require clear disclosure of the virtual nature of influencers, the creators behind them, and any paid endorsements.

What role can consumers play in demanding transparency from brands and platforms that use virtual influencers?

Foster Inclusivity

Encourage diversity in the creation of virtual influencers and ensure they represent a wide range of identities and backgrounds.

How can we ensure that virtual influencers reflect the diversity of the real world, and what can we do to challenge harmful stereotypes that might be perpetuated by these digital figures?

Develop Ethical Guidelines

Establish gaming, metaverse and virtual influencer industry standards and regulations to govern the creation, use, and marketing of virtual influencers.

What kind of regulations and guidelines do you think are necessary to ensure ethical practices in the virtual influencer industry?

Raise Awareness

Educate consumers about the nature of virtual influencers and the potential risks associated with their influence.

How can we empower consumers to be more critical and discerning about the content they consume from virtual influencers?

The rise of virtual influencers is also raising new questions about the psychology of connection in a digital world.

1) How do parasocial relationships with virtual influencers differ from those formed with traditional celebrities, and what are the unique psychological implications of these differences?

2) What are the ethical considerations surrounding the creation and marketing of virtual influencers, particularly concerning the potential for exploitation or manipulation of vulnerable individuals who form strong parasocial bonds?

3) To what extent do immersive technologies, such as virtual reality and augmented reality, enhance or alter the nature of parasocial relationships with virtual influencers, and what are the long-term implications for social interaction and mental well-being?

I told Li Liang that I have set objectives and time limits for interacting with virtual influencers. If I ever become addicted or notice my real-world social life is suffering, I know to seek professional help. I'm participating in this research to discover new knowledge.

Building and designing DouDou has been a positive and rewarding experience so far.

However, I'm concerned about younger generations and parents who are unaware that their children are communicating with virtual influencers. Are you a parent concerned about your child's mental health and real-world social relationships?

Stay tuned for Part 2!

P.S: I know these questions are difficult to answer. That's why I went to sleep at 10 pm after the two-hour interview study.

Thank you, Li Liang, for the invitation. I look forward to contributing more to these research projects!

References:

1) Imaginary friends and real-world consequences: parasocial relationships | Jennifer Barnes | TEDxOU, TEDx Talks, uploaded March 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22yoaiLYb7M

2) Practicing Safe Parasocializing | Sarah Schreck | TEDxPointParkUniversity, TEDx Talks, uploaded Feb 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrM0KPqZ78I

About Jean

Jean Ng is the creative director of JHN studio and the creator of the AI influencer, DouDou. She is the Top 2% of quality contributors to Artificial Intelligence on LinkedIn. Jean has a background in Web 3.0 and blockchain technology, and is passionate about using these AI tools to create innovative and sustainable products and experiences. With big ambitions and a keen eye for the future, she's inspired to be a futurist in the AI and Web 3.0 industry.

AI Influencer, DouDou's Portfolio

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