Null: Why Fans Feel Real Grief When a Celebrity Dies

Yes, the grief is real, and psychology has a name for it. One-sided bonds with stars are called parasocial relationships. Researchers Donald Horton and Richard Wohl coined the term in 1956. Studies since then find that losing such a bond can hurt like losing a friend, only milder. That matters when a beloved star or character exits, because kids and parents alike can mourn someone they never met. The research treats the sadness as normal. Knowing how these bonds work makes the goodbye easier to share. For related coverage, see ESRB vs. MPA: How Game and Movie Age Ratings Actually Work. What Exactly Is a Parasocial Relationship? It is a bond that runs one way. Per Wikipedia's research overview, audiences react to hosts, actors, characters, and online creators as if the tie ran both ways. Horton and Wohl coined the term in 1956 while studying TV hosts who felt like familiar neighbors. The fan knows the star, and the star does not know the fan.

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