The Interpersonal Beginnings of Fandom: The Relation Between Attachment Style, Trust, and the Admiration of Celebrities

Authors

  • Brian Collisson
    Department of Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
  • Blaine L. Browne
    Department of Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA, USA
  • Lynn E. McCutcheon
    North American Journal of Psychology, Winter Garden, FL, USA
  • Rebecca Britt
    Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA
  • Amy M. Browne
    Behavioral Sciences, Georgia Military College, Valdosta, GA, USA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between people’s attraction to celebrities and their interpersonal trust and attachment style. Previous research suggests that individuals with different attachment styles are differentially attracted to celebrities. We predicted that securely attached participants who mistrust, rather than trust, others tend to have higher levels of benign celebrity attraction. We found only partial support for our hypothesis. Surprisingly, there were no significant differences between different attachment styles on either of the two measures of celebrity admiration. These findings contribute to the literature on trust and celebrity worship by providing new information about how different attachment styles may (or may not) affect the relationships that people have with their favorite celebrity.