Peter Gregg headshot.

In the News: Peter Gregg on Parasocial Relationships

New York Times

Emerging media professor Peter Gregg commented for The New York Times on parasocial relationships that are emerging between fans and their favorite fictional characters via social media accounts.

From the article: Peter B. Gregg, an associate professor of emerging media at the University of St. Thomas, echoed that point. "Our minds don't treat parasocial contact as that different from interpersonal contact," Dr. Gregg said. As these shows give us "a special window into their world," he said, viewers come to feel like they know the characters.

"Getting people to form parasocial relationships with characters is a good way to get them to return to the content," Dr. Gregg said. Ahead of Season 2, the "Gossip Girl" team plans to reveal a few more tricks. But, Mr. Begbie said, referring to one of the show's heartthrobs, "I don't think we'll see Max on Scruff anytime soon."