TY - JOUR
T1 - "You're the kind of guy that we all want for a drinking buddy"
T2 - Expressions of parasocial interaction on Floydlandis.com
AU - Kassing, Jeffrey
AU - Sanderson, Jimmy
PY - 2009/4
Y1 - 2009/4
N2 - This study traced fan reactions to and support of Floyd Landis over the final and dramatic stages of the 2006 Tour de France through the lens of parasocial interaction. A thematic analysis using constant comparative methodology of 1,086 fan postings on cyclist Floyd Landis's Web site (floydlandis.com) was conducted. Results indicated that fans' interaction with Landis reflected: (a) traditional dimensions of parasocial interaction, (b) relationally appropriate behaviors, and (c) active social interaction behaviors. Overall, the findings demonstrate that Internet communication technologies have shifted the nature of parasocial interaction from one-sided and passive to an approximation of actual social interaction and confirm that fans readily interact (para)socially with athletes.
AB - This study traced fan reactions to and support of Floyd Landis over the final and dramatic stages of the 2006 Tour de France through the lens of parasocial interaction. A thematic analysis using constant comparative methodology of 1,086 fan postings on cyclist Floyd Landis's Web site (floydlandis.com) was conducted. Results indicated that fans' interaction with Landis reflected: (a) traditional dimensions of parasocial interaction, (b) relationally appropriate behaviors, and (c) active social interaction behaviors. Overall, the findings demonstrate that Internet communication technologies have shifted the nature of parasocial interaction from one-sided and passive to an approximation of actual social interaction and confirm that fans readily interact (para)socially with athletes.
KW - Cycling
KW - Floyd Landis
KW - Media effects
KW - Parasocial interaction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70449556395&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=70449556395&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10570310902856063
DO - 10.1080/10570310902856063
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:70449556395
SN - 1057-0314
VL - 73
SP - 182
EP - 203
JO - Western Journal of Communication
JF - Western Journal of Communication
IS - 2
ER -