Parasocial Interactions, Intolerance of Uncertainty and Loneliness

Abstract

Given the rise of media and internet culture, parasocial interactions and the subsequent relationships they might lead to have drastically increased. This accruement in the framework of the pandemic demands a deeper exploration of the other factors that may have an impact on the nature and number of these interactions. This research study aims to understand the influence parasocial interactions, intolerance of uncertainty and loneliness have on each other in young adults who live in Mumbai and Bangalore, with the objective of addressing the research gap in the age group and the Indian context. This study uses a quantitative approach and the data sample includes 257 participants. The Celebrity-Persona Parasocial Interaction Scale, Intolerance of Uncertainty short scale (IUS-12) and UCLA Loneliness Scale are used to assess the variables, which were then analysed using Statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS). The findings indicated that Parasocial Interactions have a significant relationship with Intolerance of Uncertainty, but not Loneliness.