How Parasocial Phenomena Contribute to Sense of Community on Twitch

• Published in: Journal of broadcasting & electronic media Vol. 67; no. 1; pp. 47 - 67
• Main Authors: Sherrick, Brett, Smith, Courteney, Jia, Yihan, Thomas, Ben, Franklin, Samantha B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Routledge 01-01-2023; Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Community; Internet; Social media; Websites
• ISSN: 0883-8151; 1550-6878
• DOI: 10.1080/08838151.2022.2151599

This paper investigates how parasocial phenomena can improve community strength on the livestreaming site Twitch, adding to existing research that has shown viewers who engage in parasocial interactions and/or relationships with Twitch livestreamers experience a variety of positive effects. A survey of Twitch viewers shows that feelings of PSI and PSR are positively associated with a beneficial sense of community. A second, experimental study suggests that livestreamers can engender communal feelings by encouraging parasociality with their audience. These studies suggest that parasocial phenomenon may be key not only to viewer experience but also to the viewer's sense of community.