David Giles’ article is about parasocial relationships. Our usual response when reading about this sort of behaviour is to assume that this is what other people experience — we are far more rational in our dealings with figures we see every day in the media. One way in which you and your friends can investigate this phenomenon is by keeping a ‘parasocial diary’ relating to your experiences with a media figure of your choice. This can be kept over a defined period — perhaps 24 hours or perhaps longer, for example, 1 week. In this diary you should write down every time you:
(a) encounter that particular media figure, e.g. when watching a television show, reading an item in a magazine or on a website, or even just seeing an advertisement in the street or looking at a picture on a bedroom wall
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