University Honors

The present study examined the effect of social media parasocial contact on reducing stigmatization against individuals with mental disorders. 357 college students completed a survey measuring their experience of engaging in parasocial contact on social media and their response to a vignette character with bipolar disorder, including perceived dangerousness, relatability, and social distance. Regression analysis revealed that having more positive parasocial contact experiences decreased perceived dangerousness of the vignette character and increased relatability, decreasing social distance as a result. The finding highlights the effectiveness of parasocial contact in influencing people’s perceptions and suggests further research on psychological relationships social media platforms can create.