Parasocial Relationship Defense Practice Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering Parasocial Relationship Theory, theoretical frameworks, methodological terminology, and statistical validity for dissertation defense preparation.

Parasocial Relationship Theory

A theoretical framework proposing that audience members can develop an enduring sense of relationship or psychological bond with a media personality even though the personality does not know them personally.

Parasocial Interaction

The momentary experience or immediate feeling of being socially engaged with or spoken to directly by a public figure during a specific media encounter.

Parasocial Relationship

The enduring, longer-term psychological bond or generalized connection an audience member feels toward a public figure over time across multiple media exposures.

Parasocial Relationship Intensity

The central theoretical construct measuring the self-reported strength of a respondent's perceived bond with a mediated public figure.

Quasi-Reciprocity

A feature of social media platforms where actual brief interactions occur (such as likes or replies), but the audience member's overall sense of relationship remains primarily psychological and one-sided.

Uses and Gratifications Theory

A media theory that explains why audiences select and consume specific media, but is less effective at explaining how enduring relational bonds develop with public figures.

Source Credibility Theory

A framework explaining why a communicator is perceived as believable, trustworthy, and persuasive, distinct from measuring an enduring relational connection.

Identification Theory

A theoretical concept explaining how audience members psychologically identify with or feel similar to a public figure, which helps explain how parasocial relationships emerge without replacing the relational bond itself.

Value Congruence

The degree of shared faith, beliefs, and values between an audience member and a religious or public figure, which can strengthen perceived similarity and relational bonds.

Statistical Generalization

The process of inferring that quantitative findings from a study sample accurately represent a larger target population.

Analytical Generalization

The theoretical inference evaluating whether findings and conceptual insights from a study may apply or transfer to another context, requiring replication.

Alignment

The logical fit and consistency among all key structural elements of a research study: Problem, Purpose, Research Questions, Hypotheses, and Method.

Statistical Prediction

The mathematical accounting of variance in an outcome variable through regression analysis, which does not establish temporal precedence or causal effects.

Phenomenon-Proximal Sample

A study sample composed of participants who have direct, recent experience with the specific subject or media context under investigation.

Cross-Sectional Correlational Design

A quantitative methodology that collects data at a single point in time to evaluate statistical associations among variables without experimental manipulation or causal claims.

Reciprocal Causality

A bi-directional dynamic where two variables influence each other over time, such as media exposure deepening a parasocial bond while the bond simultaneously drives further media consumption.

A Priori Power Analysis

A mathematical calculation conducted prior to data collection to determine the required sample size based on expected effect size, alpha level, desired power, and number of predictors.

Pre-Specified Decision Rules

Predetermined criteria established prior to data analysis to systematically identify and exclude incomplete, careless, or duplicate survey responses.

Common Method Bias

Spurious variance or artificial inflation of correlations resulting from measuring predictor and outcome variables using the exact same survey instrument from the same participant at one time point.

Statistical Conclusion Validity

The degree to which conclusions about mathematical relationships in data are reliable and mathematically appropriate, threatened by low power, assumption violations, and multiple testing.

Internal Validity

The degree to which a study design supports causal claims that an independent variable directly produced changes in a dependent variable.

Construct Validity

The extent to which operationalized survey instruments accurately measure the specific theoretical concepts they claim to measure.

External Validity

The degree to which study findings can be generalized across different populations, settings, and contexts.

Media Exposure

The frequency with which an individual encounters or sees a public figure's content across media platforms.

Media Engagement

Active behavioral participation with media content, such as liking, commenting, sharing, or watching a post in its entirety.