CHILDRENS WISHFUL IDENTIFICATION AND PARASOCIAL INTERACTION WITH FAVORITE TELEVISION CHARACTERS

Children aged 7 to 12 were interviewed about their favorite TV charact er. Nearly all boys and about half of the girls selected same-sex favo rites. Regression analyses used perceived character traits (attractive ness, strength, humor, intelligence, social behavior) to predict wishf ul identification and parasocial interaction with characters. For male characters, wishful identification was predicted by intelligence and (for girls only) humor; parasocial interaction was predicted by intell igence, attractiveness, and (for boys only) strength. In marked contra st, for female characters (chosen only by girls), attractiveness was t he only significant predictor. Although girls rated female characters as more intelligent than male characters, this trait apparently was no t an important determinant of attraction. interpretations of the findi ngs and implications for socialization effects are discussed.