Scaling the Web: A Parasocial Interaction Scale for World Wide Web Sites

This study examined the feasibility of parasocial interaction between visitors to commercially sponsored sites on the World Wide Web and the hosts or personalities of those sites. Although most studies have focused on parasocial interactions between television personalities and viewers using the Parasocial Interaction (PSI) scale developed by Rubin, Perse, and Powell (1985), a variation of the PSI scale was employed in this study to examine parasocial interaction with web site personae. Research participants examined four web sites using the PSI-Web scale. They determined the parasocial signals generated by the personae were well-received, and there were strong correlations between the parasocial indicants and the value of the web site visit, as well as the intention to visit the site again-information useful to commercial web site developers.