Dependency on Mobile Phones is Associated With Social Anxiety, Which Raises The Risk of Celebrity Worship

A new study clarifies how many psychological elements interact to shape college students’ idolization of celebrities. The results, which were published in BMC Psychology, show a strong correlation between social anxiety and a rise in celebrity adoration; this association is further complicated by socioeconomic position and mobile phone addiction.

Concerns over the possible psychological effects of parasocial relationships—one-sided emotional links people create with media figures or celebrities—are growing due to the widespread use of social media and the ease with which celebrity information may be accessed. These connections, which give people the impression that they “know” the celebrity directly, frequently result from extended exposure to celebrity content across a variety of media platforms.

This idea is further expanded upon by celebrity worship, which can range from a casual, enthusiastic interest in a celebrity’s life to a deep, compulsive commitment that profoundly affects the person’s everyday functioning and mental health. This range of involvement illustrates how parasocial exchanges are developing into broader, occasionally problematic forms of admiration.

Using an online platform, the researchers gathered 1,147 undergraduate students from Chinese universities, ages 19 to 26, for their study. A series of questionnaires measuring the participants’ socioeconomic situation, dependence on mobile phones, social anxiety, and celebrity worship were answered by the participants. Among the instruments utilized to collect data on these phenomena were the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, the Celebrity Attitude Scale, and the Mobile Phone Addiction Index Scale.

According to the study, pupils who were more socially anxious also had a greater propensity to adore celebrities. This implies that in the absence of in-person social connections, celebrities may provide some young people with an emotional haven or companionship, possibly making up for feelings of social inadequacy or loneliness.

According to the study, pupils who were more socially anxious also had a greater propensity to adore celebrities. This implies that in the absence of in-person social connections, celebrities may provide some young people with an emotional haven or companionship, possibly making up for feelings of social inadequacy or loneliness.

The moderating effect of socioeconomic level (SES) on the association between social anxiety, dependence on cell phones, and celebrity worship is another noteworthy feature of the study’s findings. According to the study, people with better socioeconomic status (SES) are less likely to become addicted to cell phones and, consequently, are less likely to engage in extreme forms of celebrity worship.

The cross-sectional methodology, however, makes it impossible to draw any definite conclusions regarding causality, therefore it remains unclear if celebrity worship causes social anxiety or vice versa. Longitudinal designs could be useful in future study to track the development of celebrity worship over time.

Rong Jia, Qing Yang, Bo Liu, Han Song, and Zhengjun Wang wrote the paper “Social anxiety and celebrity worship: the mediating effects of mobile phone dependence and moderating effects of family socioeconomic status.”