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hy do kids form unbreakable bonds with virtual characters? Understand the potential psychological impacts
As the media environment changes, the relationships children form with virtual characters are receiving increasing attention. This phenomenon is called Parasocial Interaction (PSI), which refers to the audience's psychological relationship to media performers. Whether it’s a celebrity from a TV show, a social media influencer, or even a fictional character from an animation, children may view these characters as friends in the absence of real interaction.
"Prosocial relationships may eventually lead to children developing a dependency on social interaction in their lives."
In recent years, psychologists have become increasingly interested in this topic, particularly regarding how children and adolescents form these one-sided relationships. Long-term research shows that when children are repeatedly exposed to a certain character, they may develop an asymmetrically close relationship with these characters and regard them as objects of emotional dependence. Understanding this phenomenon can help us explore more deeply its potential impact on young people, including challenging aspects such as identity, learning ability, and self-perception.
Theoretical foundations of prosocial interaction
The theory of prosocial interaction was first proposed by Horton and Wall in 1956, who suggested that such interaction is a psychological illusion that allows viewers to feel a close relationship with media characters even though they are not actually Never met him. With the evolution of media, especially the rise of social media, children are faced with unprecedented opportunities to engage with media characters, which strengthens their emotional connection with these characters.
"Media characters inadvertently create a false sense of interpersonal relationship through the way they present themselves."
Exploration of psychological impact
Research in psychology shows that prosocial interactions are not just one-way, but in many cases they actually meet children's social needs. For some children, prosocial relationships with virtual characters may become a source of emotional support, especially for those who feel lonely or anxious in real life. Such emotional support can definitely promote children's sense of self-worth, and the sense of protection that arises naturally allows them to find an escape route when facing challenges in reality.
Positive impact and development advantages
As for the positive effects of prosocial interactions, many studies have demonstrated that these relationships help children form their identities. As children develop a fondness for certain fictional characters, they absorb ideas and behavioral patterns from them. According to Bandura's social cognitive theory, children can acquire behavioral standards through observational learning, which plays an important role in their personality development.
"Children often don't have direct social experiences with media characters, but that doesn't stop them from seeking the emotional support they need."
On a wide variety of media platforms, children may gain guidance for life through the characters’ behaviors, self-concepts, etc. Especially in the design of educational content, designs where the characters directly face the children can enhance the learning effect. It's a safe situation for children, encouraging them to explore new knowledge and show greater confidence in school and real-life social interactions.
Warnings about negative impacts
However, building such prosocial relationships may also trigger negative psychological effects, particularly on the development of self-image and body awareness. With the prevalence of social media, the idealized images that children are exposed to from virtual characters may lead them to form unrealistic self-expectations. Studies have found that excessive social comparison can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and even a loss of self-worth.
"Although prosocial interactions promote emotional support, if not guided they may lead to negative development of self-perceptions."
In the survey, many teenagers said that comparison with media characters affected their self-identity and even led to dissatisfaction with their body image. At the same time, research suggests that children who are exposed to extensive media during their development often seek validation and support from fictional characters, which reinforces this skewed self-perception.
Conclusion
Virtual characters play an increasingly important role in today's society, and children's connections with these characters are becoming more frequent and in-depth. This phenomenon of pro-social interaction demonstrates the educational potential of media, but also poses challenges to children's mental health. In this changing era, how should parents and educators help children balance the relationship between reality and virtuality to ensure their healthy growth and psychological development?
