Analyzing Trends and Technological Developments in Parasocial Interaction: A Bibliometric Perspective on Communication Systems

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to systematically review Parasocial Interaction theory (PSI), understanding its developments and changes from its beginnings to the present. The study identifies the major authors, countries, organizations, publications, and research trends in PSI, offering a comprehensive overview of theory evolution and application.

Methodology: This study adopts a bibliometric analysis of 606 articles selected from Scopus database. VOSviewer and CiteSpace are adopted to conduct data visualization and analysis. The methodology includes bibliographic coupling and keyword burst analysis, which help to illustrate the PSI research focus and the developments of research trends over time.

Findings: The analysis reveals four distinct clusters in PSI research: 1) Traditional Media and Psychological Analysis, focusing on television and radio; 2) Digital Interaction and Technological Influence, reflecting shifts towards digital media; 3) Consumer Behavior and Social Media Marketing, exploring PSI's impact on consumer engagement and marketing strategies; and 4) Emerging Trends and Applications, highlighting PSI applications in new media contexts like social media.

Originality: This study contributes to the literature by offering the first comprehensive bibliometric review of PSI. The paper emphasizes its theoretical transformation from traditional to digital media and underscores its application and challenges in the digital media context. The outlined keyword clusters and identified gaps suggest new insights for future academic research in PSI.

Practical implications: The findings can provide marketers with insights into the consumer-media relationships in the digital age. The growing importance of parasocial interaction in social media marketing and digital consumer engagement strategies has been highlighted.

Research limitations: While the study provides a detailed description of PSI's development and current research state, this paper only use the Scopus database articles in English language. Future research could expand the bibliometric analysis to include more diverse databases and multilingual publications.