Celebrity Worship—Exploring the Psychology of Fame

In a world saturated with social media, red carpets, and glamorous lifestyles, it’s no surprise that celebrities captivate the public’s imagination. However, celebrity worship—an intense admiration or obsession with public figures—has become a global phenomenon that transcends cultures. Whether it’s Hollywood A-listers like Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet, TikTok sensations like Charli D’Amelio, or TV icons like Jeremy Clarkson (see Figure 1), people idolise celebrities for reasons far beyond admiration. But why do we worship celebrities? Let’s explore the psychological, societal, and evolutionary factors behind this behaviour.

What Makes Celebrities So Captivating?

Celebrities appear larger-than-life, embodying qualities many find aspirational. Psychologists identify several factors that drive our fascination with fame:

1. Social Connection and Parasocial Relationships: Humans naturally seek social connections, but celebrities provide a unique twist. Parasocial relationships, first conceptualised by Horton and Wohl (1956), are one-sided emotional bonds people form with public figures, creating the illusion of a connection without real interaction. Think of fans who feel like they “know” Beyoncé or Tom Holland. These relationships can offer emotional comfort and alleviate loneliness, as Cohen (2004) observed, compensating for gaps in real-life relationships.
2. Admiration of Talent and Success: Celebrities often showcase extraordinary skills, whether Taylor Swift’s songwriting genius or Simone Biles’ athletic prowess. According to Weiner’s (1985) Attribution Theory, people admire talent and hard work, associating these traits with success. Additionally, Dyer’s (1986) Star Theory explains how media crafts celebrity personas to reflect societal ideals, elevating their achievements into symbols of public admiration.
3. Escapism and Fantasy: Celebrities represent an escape from the mundane. Whether it’s following the extravagant life of Kim Kardashian or the adventures of Chris Hemsworth, their lives offer a vicarious thrill. Indeed, Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch (1973) applied the Uses and Gratifications Theory to explain why people seek media content to meet specific needs. More recently, Derrick, Gabriel & Tippin (2008) found that engaging with celebrity content can alleviate negative emotions.
4. The Role of Media: Media shapes the public’s fascination with celebrities, amplifying their cultural significance, as McCombs and Shaw’s (1972) Agenda-Setting Theory explains. Additionally, Turner (2004) notes how media narratives humanise celebrities while maintaining their mystique. From Dua Lipa’s TikTok moments to Keanu Reeves’ down-to-earth reputation, this balance keeps us intrigued.

The Psychology of Celebrity Worship

Celebrity admiration isn’t merely about entertainment—it taps into deeper psychological needs:

• Identity and Aspirations: Celebrities often embody traits we admire, acting as benchmarks for self-improvement and identity formation. Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954) explains how individuals assess self-worth by comparing themselves to others. Celebrities play a key role in this process. Research by Gleason, Theran, and Newberg (2017) shows how parasocial relationships with celebrities help young people shape their identities. Adolescents, for example, might idolise Billie Eilish for her authenticity or Lionel Messi for his perseverance, incorporating these traits into their own identity.
• Emotional Fulfillment: For many, celebrities provide comfort and support. For instance, Kim and Kim (2020) found that interacting with stars on platforms like Instagram fulfils unmet emotional needs. Additionally, Lotun and colleagues (2024) demonstrated that parasocial relationships offer fans support during periods of stress or rejection.
• Social Influence and Status: Liking celebrities can boost social bonds. This idea aligns with Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979), which suggests that group memberships help shape one’s sense of identity. So, discussing trending stars like Margot Robbie or Travis Scott with peers can create a sense of community. Additionally, Bourdieu’s (1986) concept of cultural capital highlights how knowledge of popular figures can elevate social standing within groups.

Connecting with Lesser-Known Public Figures

While global icons dominate headlines, many people form equally meaningful connections with lesser-known public figures. Actors like Coronation Street’s Andy Whyment (see Figure 2), F1 driver Bruno Senna (see Figure 3)—nephew of the legendary Ayrton Senna—and TV personalities like The Naked Mechanic host Ant Anstead (see Figure 4) captivate fans through relatability and niche expertise. For example, Ant Anstead’s hands-on approach to restoration or Bruno Senna’s racing legacy resonates deeply with their fans, showing that connection doesn’t require superstardom—it thrives on authenticity and shared passions.

When Does Celebrity Worship Become Unhealthy?

While most people maintain a healthy interest in celebrities, for some, the admiration of public figures can escalate into a harmful obsession. Known as Celebrity Worship Syndrome, this extreme fixation can negatively affect personal relationships, finances, and mental health. In 2002, McCutcheon, Lange, and Houran developed the Celebrity Attitude Scale to measure the intensity of celebrity worship. Later, Maltby and colleagues identified three levels of celebrity worship on a continuum from social to pathological:

1. Entertainment-Social: Casual interest, like discussing Rihanna’s latest music.
2. Intense-Personal: Deep emotional investment, such as feeling personally connected to Harry Styles.
3. Borderline-Pathological: Obsessive behaviours, such as stalking or believing in a personal relationship with the celebrity.

The Absorption-Addiction Model: Explaining Extreme Celebrity Worship

McCutcheon and colleagues proposed this model to explain how celebrity worship becomes problematic. Most fans start with harmless admiration, offering entertainment and social interaction. But for some, it evolves into “absorption,” where fans immerse themselves in the celebrity’s life to fulfil unmet emotional needs like difficulty forming real-world relationships, low self-esteem or loneliness. However, in cases of poor mental health, this can escalate to the “addiction” phase, marked by unhealthy obsession and extreme behaviours to sustain the parasocial connection.

Limitations of the Absorption-Addiction Model

The Absorption-Addiction Model provides valuable insights into the psychology of celebrity worship, yet it has limitations. For example, much of the research linking celebrity worship to mental health is correlational, meaning it identifies associations but cannot establish cause and effect. Furthermore, these correlations are often weak, suggesting that the impact of celebrity worship on mental health is inconsistent and context-dependent.

What the AA Model Can—and Can’t—Explain

While the Absorption-Addiction Model helps us understand why we feel strongly about someone we’ve never met, it does not fully account for what makes some celebrities captivating. Why do millions connect with Taylor Swift’s relatability or Dwayne Johnson’s charisma but not with less interesting figures? This gap points to the role of traits—like humour, confidence, or talent—that can spark parasocial relationships, aligning with the concept of prestige.

The Role of Prestige: Why Celebrities Captivate Us

Anthropologists suggest that celebrity worship is rooted in evolutionary survival strategies. In early human societies, observing and emulating skilled or successful individuals improved the chances of survival. These high-status individuals—whether exceptional hunters, leaders, or storytellers—held “prestige” in their communities. Today, celebrities serve as modern teachers of success, showcasing traits—such as Beyoncé’s discipline or Lionel Messi’s talent—that signal social value.

What Is Prestige?

Prestige refers to the admiration and respect accorded to individuals who excel in valued professions, from acting (see Figure 5) to music (see Figure 6) and sports (see Figure 7). Thus, fans naturally gravitate toward prestigious public figures to:

• Learn and Imitate: Just as ancient societies followed skilled leaders, fans emulate celebrities’ behaviours, from Zendaya’s elegance to Elon Musk’s innovation.
• Signal Social Value: Associating with admired figures, even indirectly, enhances social standing—like bonding with peers over admiration for Greta Gerwig’s creativity or LeBron James’s athleticism.

Interestingly, the word “prestige” originates from the French term meaning; “illusion or conjurer’s trick,” hinting at the deceptive nature of celebrity culture.

Celebrity Worship as an Evolutionary Advantage

Despite its sometimes superficial nature, celebrity worship has evolutionary roots:

1. Learning from the Best: Even if curated, celebrity traits like confidence or creativity inspire fans to adopt behaviours that align with their aspirations.
2. Building Communities: Shared admiration for stars fosters social cohesion, much like collective respect for tribal leaders once did.
3. Status and Mate Selection: Celebrities exhibit traits signalling intelligence or fitness, aligning with evolutionary preferences for successful role models.

Thus, from an evolutionary viewpoint, celebrity worship isn’t unusual—it’s a deeply rooted human behaviour. While celebrities do not teach survival skills, they influence how people dress, think, and behave.

Final Thoughts

Celebrity worship goes beyond simple admiration. While figures like Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and Simone Biles embody hope and achievement, lesser-known public figures also foster meaningful connections, offering a sense of relatability and authenticity. Whether a TV personality, athlete, or actor from a beloved show, these figures can provide similar psychological comfort and inspiration. As with all fandoms, it’s essential to recognise the line between healthy admiration and unhealthy obsession. So, the next time you connect with a public figure—regardless of their fame—ask yourself: What draws you to them, and how does that reflect your aspirations?

Looking to learn more about psychology? Explore my latest blogs for insights into the fascinating workings of the human mind!