| Parasocial interaction (PSI) has typically been viewed as a process in which audience members feel like they get to know radio or television persona over time. Little research has been conducted on whether or not film audiences engage in parasocial interaction and other types of involvement. This qualitative study was conducted among 56 Nigerians between the ages of 16 and 25 who watched Yellow Card, an entertainment-education film produced in Zimbabwe. Focus groups, one-on-one interviews and questionnaires were used to study how audiences negotiated the film text from their personal, cultural and socioeconomic context and how they engaged with the film's characters. First-time exposure and repeated exposure participants were studied to see how quickly parasocial interaction could develop and if further exposure to a text strengthened PSI. Results showed that audiences were attracted to the characters and perceived the characters to be similar to themselves, even though they were from different cultures. Both attraction and perceived similarity facilitated intense parasocial involvement that led to both a desire to continue the perceived relationships, and high motivation to practice responsible sex, the central educational message of the film. |
