The parasocial behavior it’s a behavior which takes place in a social framework although it turns out different from the behavior adopted by the majority of the members of said community.

Etymology

The etymology of the expression parasocial behavior requires the understanding of the two terms that compose it individually. It is called conduct to the manner of behavior of a subject. parasocialmeanwhile, is not part of the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), but it is possible to parse its components.

The prefix for- has several meanings: in this case we are interested in its meaning as “against or apart from”. Socialon the other hand, is that linked to the society (a set of individuals who live under common guidelines).

rejection of securities

parasocial behavior does not accept prevailing values ​​but does not intend to destroy them. This type of behavior can be related to traditions or practices that are considered foreign either atypical.

In this framework, we must briefly define other types of related behaviors to compare them:

• social behavior: is the one that does conform to the standards of coexistence and satisfies the common good. Follow the rules imposed to avoid conflicts. This is the most common;
• antisocial behavior: violates established values ​​and seeks to damage the social structure. A robbery is a clear example of this type of conduct, although not all of them are crimes. Alcohol addiction, for example, does not constitute a crime in itself, but going out into the street in a drunken state and making annoying comments to passers-by is antisocial behavior;
• asocial behavior: It has no link with the common good or with the rules of coexistence. It is a behavior that isolates the person, as happens when someone does not communicate with their neighbors or establish friendships, something that usually occurs due to emotional problems such as depression.

Returning to the idea of ​​parasocial behavior, it is similar to asocial behavior, with the exception that it cannot be carried out in isolation. The parasocial individual does not move away from the society no matter how much you do not believe in its values, and you can even enjoy its benefits.

Relationship with public figure

Parasocial behavior refers to the relationship that a person establishes with a public figure, whether real or fictitious, such as an influencer, an actor or someone who works on television. This relationship is not reciprocal, since the person only has access to the public image of the character, while the latter has no knowledge of the existence of that person. Parasocial behavior can be positive, such as when the bystander identifies with and is inspired by the other, or negative, such as when this leads to obsession and inappropriate or dangerous behavior.