Celebrity crushes: Study reveals what happens to fangirls when celebs date

Did you ever fangirl to the point of daydreaming a whole relationship with a celebrity? This is known as a parasocial relationship, a one-sided bond where fans often experience strong emotional connections with celebrities. Even the feelings appear real, despite the celebrities being completely unaware of their existence.

This type of relationship may be imaginary, but it can mimic the jealousy seen in traditional ones.

A study published in Psychology of Popular Media found that fans can feel jealous when celebrities start dating someone, especially if the partner is different from them.

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Why does jealousy happen?

Fans feel jealous and threatened when their celebrity crush dates someone in real life, especially if the partner is different, whether in looks or personality. This makes fans feel that they are not their celebrity crush's type, putting their imaginary bond at stake. With this, their very attachment is threatened, triggering the discomfort. At the end of the day, it's not about competition or wanting to be the celebrity's partner (even fans know the truth, despite the delusions); instead, it's about the threat to the emotional connection they’ve built in their minds.

Similarity is what makes it comforting

However, on the other hand, similarity is all the deal. If the celebrity crush's date is similar to the fans, they feel better. When the celebrity's partner is seen as similar, they find it reassuring, finding comfort in being ‘the type.' In a way, they can imagine themselves as they share almost similar qualities, behaviours with the partner.

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Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.