Date of Award

Spring 5-10-2025

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Department/Major

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Douglas Peterson

Second Advisor

Dr. Travis Loof

Third Advisor

Dr, Michelle Van Maanen

Keywords

alcohol use disorder, stigma, prejudice, mental health stigma, parasocial contact hypothesis, parasocial relationship

Subject Categories

Communication Technology and New Media | Interpersonal and Small Group Communication | Psychology

Abstract

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by loss of control over alcohol intake, compulsive alcohol use and a negative emotional state when not drinking, which can follow a chronic, relapsing course (Carvalho et al., 2019). AUD ranks among the most prevalent mental disorders globally. According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 28.8 million adults ages 18 and older (11.2% in this age group) had AUD in 2021 (NIH, 2024). My proposal seeks to create a novel approach to addressing stigma through creating the illusion of a relationship between a television viewer and a mediated on-screen persona. This process is called parasocial interaction (PSI; Horton, & Wohl, 1956). This sense of connection by the viewer towards the media performer can be quite strong, leading individuals to feel like they know these media personalities personally, even though there is not an actual interaction. PSI research has become more formalized around the Parasocial Contact Hypothesis. This hypothesis states that under appropriate, mediated, conditions the illusion of interpersonal contact between a television viewer and a mediated out-group member is an effective way to reduce prejudice towards an outgroup. Individuals may develop a PSI with a mediated person who has AUD, and this interaction has the potential to reduce the stigma towards individuals with AUD. In this project, I will extend the previous research on the Parasocial Contact Hypothesis (Schiappa, Gregg, & Hewes, 2005). Individuals of the age of 18 or older will be recruited via email to fill out a survey questionnaire. The data will be examined using MANOVA to determine the impact of parasocial contact on stigma against AUD.

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