Prediction of Celebrity Worship by Investigation of Source Credibility and Parasocial Breakup

Penetration of celebrities' culture and worshipping them is a critical issue that can have many consequences at different levels, in which the credibility of stars and parasocial relationship with them can play a vital role. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the role of source credibility and parasocial breakup in the prediction of celebrity worship. The research design was descriptive and correlational. The statistical population of the study consisted of students of the faculty of literature and humanity sciences of the University of Guilan in 2018. In this study, 240 female and male students (120 female students and 120 male students) selected by convenience sampling method. Celebrity worship attitude scale (McCutcheon et al., 2002), source credibility scale (Ohanian, 1990) and parasocial breakup scale (Cohen, 2003) used for collecting data. Finally, the data analyzed by Pearson correlation and stepwise multiple regressions. The results indicated that the source credibility and parasocial breakup correlated with the different level of celebrity worship and the source credibility and parasocial break-up could predict celebrity worship significantly (p<0.01). The credibility of celebrities and parasocial breakup with them are essential factors in celebrity worship. Therefore, designing and applying interventions to reduce the irrational perceived credibility of celebrities, as well as applying interventions to reduce post-breakup behaviours and emotions after the parasocial breakup, can play an essential role in lowering celebrity worship and consequently reducing its problems.