ISTANBUL, Nov 19 (Bernama-Anadolu) — The Cambridge Dictionary has chosen “parasocial” as its word of the year for 2025, referring to a connection that people feel with someone they do not know, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.
It spotlights the growing interest in one-sided parasocial relationships that people form with celebrities, influencers and AI chatbots.
The term was defined by sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, who observed television viewers engaging in “parasocial” relationships with on-screen personalities that resembled those they formed with family members and friends.
The dictionary used the engagement of famous singer Taylor Swift and American footballer Travis Kelce as an example, saying many fans felt a strong connection with them even though most had never met them.
“The emergence of parasocial relationships with AI bots saw people treat ChatGPT as a confidant, friend or even romantic partner,” the Cambridge Dictionary said in a statement on Tuesday.
It noted that the rise of parasocial relationships has redefined fandom, celebrity and, with AI, how ordinary people interact online.
“Millions of people are engaged in parasocial relationships; many more are simply intrigued by their rise. The data reflect that, with the Cambridge Dictionary website seeing spikes in lookups for ‘parasocial’,” the statement said.
— BERNAMA-ANADOLU