Para-social Relationship and Social Media Dependency among Chinese K-pop Fans: Exploring the Mediating and Moderating Mechanisms
| Type | Conference Paper |
|---|---|
| Publish Date | |
| Conference | Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication 107th Annual Conference (AEJMC 2024) |
| Location | Philadelphia, USA |
Research Question
How are parasocial relationships with idols associated with social media dependency among Chinese K-pop fans? The study examines whether fear of missing out (FoMO) mediates this association and whether loneliness or social anxiety moderates it.
Methodology
An online survey collected 590 valid responses through Weibo, Douban, and WeChat fan groups. Multiple regression tested the mediation and moderation mechanisms using a cross-sectional convenience sample.
Key Findings
FoMO fully mediated the association between parasocial relationships and social media dependency in the fitted models. A positive association was significant only among fans with high loneliness; moderation by social anxiety was not significant. The findings highlight idol-related fear of missing out and loneliness as important factors in understanding fans' media dependency.
Full Paper
