Development, Construct Validity, and Measurement Invariance of the Parasocial Relationship With Political Figures (PSR-P) Scale

Abstract

Abstract. Parasocial theory views ordinary people’s emotional bonding with political figures as a form of parasocial relationship (PSR). Despite the insights it offers, existing measures of PSR have been criticized conceptually and psychometrically. We developed a new scale of PSR with political figures (PSR-P) and examined the construct validity, factor replicability, and measurement invariance based on samples from culturally and politically diverse countries (i.e., Indonesia, New Zealand, and the United States). In three studies using a panel of experts ( N = 20; Study 1), a convenience adult sample ( N = 212; Study 2), and representative and cross-cultural samples ( N = 897; Study 3), we found that the four-item PSR-R scale provides satisfying construct validity, as well as a replicable factor structure and scalar invariance across countries. The PSR-P scale can be utilized to advance the measurement and application of parasocial theory in the field of social and political psychology. The policy implications of the findings are also discussed.

Impact and Implications

This study explores the phenomenon of people’s emotional bonding with political figures and proposes a newly developed scale to measure it as a form of parasocial relationships (the PSR-P scale). The brevity and the psychometric properties of PSR-P scale allow researchers and policymakers to assess the extent to which people’s PSRs with political figures impact the quality of democracy across countries with different political cultures. The results of the study suggested that, if not properly mitigated, people’s PSRs political figures may pose a significant risk to our attempt to build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels (Sustainable Development Goal No.16, SDG-16), especially in the context of democracy.