Ted Talk
This psychologist warns that our devices don’t just change what we do; they change this about us.
Who is Sherry Turkle?
This 1956 paper introduced the concept of one-sided relationships between audiences and media figures.
What is "Mass Communication and Para-Social Interaction"?
This late 1940s radio show featured a sultry-voiced host who spoke directly to male listeners.
What is Lonesome Gal?
Turkle describes this phenomenon where people are physically together but mentally distracted by their devices.
What is "alone together"?
Horton and Wohl described this as "intimacy at a distance."
What is parasocial interaction?
The host of Lonesome Gal created this illusion by addressing listeners as if they were the only one listening.
What is intimacy or a personal connection?
This term describes the desire to have others at a distance, in amounts we can control.
What is the "Goldilocks effect"?
This modern platform amplifies parasocial relationships by allowing creators to interact directly with their audiences.
What is social media (e.g., YouTube, TikTok, Instagram)?
This actress played the iconic role of the Lonesome Gal.
Who is Jean King?
Turkle argues that this skill, essential for self-reflection, is compromised by constant digital connection.
What is "solitude"?
This psychological mechanism explains why people feel close to media figures they’ve never met.
What is fulfilling social or emotional needs?
The show was groundbreaking for its use of this type of voice in radio, which was rare at the time.
What is a female voice?
According to Turkle, this type of communication lets us edit, delete, and retouch ourselves, sacrificing real conversation.
What is texting, emailing, or posting?
This term describes the blurring of reality when audiences feel they "know" a media figure personally.
What is the illusion of a reciprocal relationship?
Lonesome Gal influenced later media formats by creating this sense of closeness with the audience.
What is parasocial interaction?