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• Parasocial refers to a one-sided emotional connection someone feels towards celebrities, influencers, fictional characters, or even AI chatbots, where the other side does not know them.
• The term originates from research in 1956 by sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, who observed similar bonds viewers formed with television personalities. 
• The term has become mainstream in 2025, reflecting how digital culture has intensified these one-sided relationships through screens and algorithms.
• Parasocial relationships can feel comforting, consistent, and intimate but are entirely one-sided and can sometimes lead to unrealistic expectations or unhealthy attachments.
• The rise of AI chatbots has expanded the concept, as people increasingly form parasocial bonds with AI entities.
• Cambridge Dictionary highlights "parasocial" as capturing the 2025 zeitgeist, showing a significant societal shift in how people connect emotionally in the digital age.
• Interest in parasocial relationships spiked with events like celebrity fandom (e.g., Taylor Swift) and the increasing role of influencers and AI in daily life.

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