Many people experience intense sadness when a well-known person dies. Research suggests this 'parasocial grief' is similar to grieving personal relationships and can be equally impactful. Dr. Wendy Lichtenthal, a bereavement science expert, explains why we may grieve the loss of someone we haven't met personally.
University of Miami Miller School of MedicineJan 2 2025 Many people are surprised by the intensity of their response when a well-known person dies, and their feelings of sadness may last longer than they expect. In fact, that sadness and grief can be intense, and preliminary research suggests that grief after the death of a public figure looks very similar to grief over our personal relationships and can have comparable levels of intensity.
Here, she provides an overview of why we may grieve the loss of someone who has been in the news but not in our personal lives. A parasocial relationship does not represent the same kind of attachment that exists with a person we live with day to day, but it is a relationship. We grieve the loss of whatever was received "through" that relationship. Research suggests that public figures can embody our hopes for the future, act as reminders of the past, or symbolize important aspects of our worldview.
PARASOCIAL GRIEF BEREAVEMENT CELEBRITY DEATH MENTAL HEALTH RELATIONSHIPS
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