In a Para-llel World: Delve into Cambridge Dictionary's Word of the Year 2025 : Parasocial
When news broke about the rumoured relationship of BTS Jungkook with Aespas Winter, Taylor Swift-Travis Kelces engagement, Selena Gomez-Benny Blancos wedding or Samantha Ruth Prabhu tying the knot with Raj Nidimoru, the reactions online were anything but distant. The emotions ranged from joy and protectiveness to disappointment and concern, as if these moments belonged to someone they personally knew. That intense sense of familiarity is exactly what the Cambridge Dictionary zeroed in on when it named parasocial, its Word of the Year for 2025. The term refers to a one-sided emotional bond people form with celebrities, fictional characters, influencers or even AI chatbots. Coined in 1956, parasocial has suddenly re-entered everyday vocabulary, fuelled by social medias constant access to public figures and the growing presence of AI companionship in daily life always available, always listening. Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Raj Nidimoru after their wedding in Coimbatore In simple terms, parasocial relationships are one-sided psychological bonds, explains Shreyaa S Murthy, consultant clinical psychologist at Narayana Health City. Such bonds, she notes, are common and even normative during adolescence. Young people use media figures as role models for identity exploration. Admiring someones personality, not just their looks or talent, can act as a psychological resource. While the word carries a negative notion, animation student Ayush KA feels it otherwise. From my experience, parasocial connections often begin with people who have low self-esteem. Associating with celebrities or characters makes them feel confident. I was shy growing up and found it difficult to talk to people. Watching streamers and YouTubers became a way to cope, he shares, adding that parasocial relationships have always been there people went to concerts, worshipped stars. But now its much worse because streamers and YouTubers create this illusion of closeness. They share their daily lives, respond to comments and create safe spaces where the lines start to blur. Jungkook of popular boy band BTS Another layer complicating the dynamic is AI, says Dr Umashankar S, public health specialist and Honorary Secretary of the Telemedicine Society of India. AI chatbots feel safe for many, because they seem non-judgmental, always available and never withdraw. That unconditional acceptance can be comforting, especially for people who feel lonely or lack social confidence, he explains. Whereas psychology and literature student Maseera Aiman sees how this spills into real life, stating, You might start expecting people around you to understand you the way a chatbot does, or expect your life to feel as entertaining as a reality show. For her, parasocial relationships are not inherently damaging, but they become a problem when you depend on them too much. Selena Gomez with her engagement ring Connection to Concern Parasocial dynamics differ from casual fandom or simple reliance on AI because they are emotional rather than behavioural, according to Dr Umashankar. Yet not all such bonds are harmful. They can provide companionship, comfort and motivation. But they become unhealthy when they replace real-life relationships or cause emotional distress, Murthy notes. Chatbots offer unconditional acceptance. They do not argue, judge or withdraw, which makes people feel safe. The red flag appears when people start spending excessive time tracking a celebrity or chatbot and experience emotional distress when that access is disrupted. Then a sense of entitlement begins to develop, feeling betrayed or dejected when a celebrity or AI does not respond, highlights Umashankar. Meanwhile, communication executive Aayushi Naik, notes that the reason parasocial has become mainstream is visibility. Social media delivers narratives in seconds that kind of access makes people deeply invested in celebrities lives sometimes to the point of obsession, she says. Interviews and behind-the-scenes videos add to this familiarity, even while she remains aware that much of what is seen is carefully curated. This constant exposure, experts agree, explains why younger generations are more susceptible, especially now that fandom has become 24/7, personalised and algorithm-driven.
19 C
