What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 6pm Tuesday 8am - 6pm Wednesday 8am - 6pm Thursday 8am - 6pm Friday 8am - 6pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm

UP Psychedelics, Alfredo Lagmay Hall, Roxas Avenue, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City (2026)

Q: What is the address?

Alfredo Lagmay Hall, Roxas Avenue, University Of The Philippines Diliman

30/05/2026

[ ICYMI | MIDYEAR 2026 PRE-ENLISTMENT ] 📆

🚨 ATTENTION TO ALL UP STUDENTS 🚨

The pre-enlistment for MIDYEAR TERM 2026 will open on MONDAY, JUNE 1 until SUNDAY, JUNE 7 (11:59 PM). Batch run results will be available the following MONDAY, JUNE 8.

Before pre-enlisting, please make sure to fill out your student profile.

✍️ Information from CRS

21/05/2026

🗳️ PULSO 2026: PAHABOL NG PSYCH 📹

Kulang-kulang limang oras nalang bago opisyal na magtapos ang election season sa UP Diliman. 😨 Gayunpaman, ano-ano kaya ang mga nais na makita ng mga Sikolohista ng Bayan sa susunod na akademikong taon? 🤔

Samahan sina Yisha at Hiro sa special elections coverage ng PULSO 2026! 💜

Patuloy lamang tayong bumoto, mga Iskolar ng Bayan! Bukas pa rin ang botohan hanggang 7 PM ngayong araw.
🔗: halalan.upd.edu.ph

20/05/2026

𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗦𝗔𝗬𝗞 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺𝘀

First, what is a fandom? A fandom is defined as a community of enthusiasts, fans or followers who share a common interest in a person, theme, genre, or piece of media. I’m sure everyone is part of some sort of fandom, whether it be as niche as possible, to the most widespread communities you can think of, everyone is or has been a part of one, probably multiple fandoms. Why, though? Why do we feel the need to belong in a fandom? Well, there are many theories as to why.

𝘏𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴
As Abraham Maslow posited, a leading theory as to why we crave this connection is due to the hierarchy of needs. His theory states that there are certain things everyone needs, and one such level is love and belonging. Besides intimacy and family, a key part of this level is finding a sense of connection and friendship, which fandoms provide and satisfy. Fandoms can even fulfill the stage of esteem, where one can flourish within the fandom to gain respect, status, and recognition from others within the group.

𝘚𝘋𝘛 (𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘋𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺)
Another explanation comes from Edward Deci and RIchard Ryan, using their self-determination theory. The theory states that humans have three basic psychological needs: Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness. Fandoms fulfill at least one, but depending on the person, can fulfill the others as well. It of course fulfills relatedness, which asks for a sense of belonging and attachment to other people, but it can also spark competence, when it comes to creating content for the fandom. From artworks, to fanfics to parodies, these can all stimulate and fulfill that need of competence.

𝘖𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺
Another theory that we can use to understand why we feel the need to be a part of a fandom is the Optimal Distinctiveness Theory by Marilynn Brewer. This theory posits that people seek to balance two opposite goals: the need for inclusion and the need for differentiation. Essentially, it says that we strive to both belong and be unique amongst others. Fandoms can fulfill both of these, as not only does belonging to a faction find you being part of a community, but the nicheness of the fandom you are a part of can fulfill that desire to feel unique against others as well.

𝗙𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆

Fandoms offer people a space where they can feel included in a community. Within the community are people who share the same interests as you, so you often can find yourself within a group of people you connect with. In this sense, fandom caters to the human’s need to belong, and also shapes our identity and the way we view ourselves.

Inherently, humans have that inner desire to belong into a group where they feel welcomed and seen. Fandoms offer that kind of environment to people who are looking, connecting people with similar interests, ideas and even possibly personalities together. Especially now due to the growing accessibility of technology, people can now discuss shared interests and likes through the use of social media. That sense of belongingness can now be found through non-physical means. Through these connections, communities can work together and achieve greater things. Some examples would be raising funds for charity in the name of a band’s concert like Live Aid, or connect fans from all around the world under the desire for world peace.

Fandom can also be used as a way to shape a person’s identity. A person can very easily incorporate fandoms into their self-concept, with sayings like “I am an ARMY” or “I am a Swifty”. These sayings are imbued within the person’s idea of oneself, getting feelings of pride from their association with the fandom. The closer one feels toward the fandom, the more they are likely to associate their lives with it.

𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗗𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀

Within these fandoms, they can grow and start to develop their own roles, hierarchies, behaviors, lingos, even localized politics. Outside of them, these groups, depending on the niche and category they belong in, can even start fights against other groups. Thus, what emerges is a complex environment, one that can be analyzed by a variety of theories.

𝘋𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
In group settings, even more so in online communities, people tend to start to lose self-awareness and a sense of self. This can lead to people acting in a way that they usually wouldn’t do, if they believe it aligns with the groups’ goals or behavior. This can cause toxic behavior amongst and between fandoms.

𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
Group Polarization happens when a discussion within the group reinforces the initial opinions and beliefs of its members, leading to more and more risky or extreme views that develop. This typically happens when the group chooses not to include opposing viewpoints from other users or fandoms. This explains the sometimes intense views and conflicts of fandoms online

𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺

Fandom is definitely not without its flaws within communities. These loud minorities are often called a fandom’s “toxic side” and are found in controversy a lot due to a lot of awful etiquette such as bullying, doxing, harassment or other acts. Oftentimes this can be derived from a feeling of protectiveness by seeing perceived threats to idols, or even by carrying any sort of “us versus them” mindset.

This toxic part of fandom comes out mostly through disagreements, when one identifies so closely with a certain aspect of fandom, but then comes across people who don’t feel the same way. They may feel the urge to get defensive about it, and in severe cases, resort to violence. Some examples of this are idols receiving death threats because of certain actions that they make.

It’s important that fandom be used as a space to connect, but it should also encourage behaviors of maturity when dealing with any disagreements. Oftentimes we need to remember that the people we communicate with, whether they’re the fandom’s idols or just another person online, are just people. Everyone has different opinions, and at the end of the day it is best to agree to disagree.

If someone in the toxic side of a fandom is getting on your nerves, take a deep breath and just leave them be. You’ll find their words to be just that, words.

19/05/2026

[ ICYMI | EXTENSION OF SET ANSWERING ] 👨‍🏫

🚨ATTENTION TO ALL UP STUDENTS🚨

As of 5 PM today, the deadline for the Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) answering has been extended to MAY 22, 2026 (Friday).

Please make sure to answer the SET to avoid being tagged as LOW PRIORITY.

✍️ Information from CRS

19/05/2026

𝙀𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙢 𝙥𝙡𝙯𝙯🙏🙏🙏
Wala ka bang bluebook 📔 at ballpen 🖊️para sa finals mo? No worries!

On 𝗢𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬 - 𝟮𝟮 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟴 𝗔𝗠 𝘁𝗼 𝟯 𝗣𝗠, get coffee / non-coffee alternatives ☕, restock on school supplies 🖊 or stick your feelings 🥲 at 𝗟𝗮𝗴𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝗯𝗯𝘆 👋

Ｋｉｔａｋｉｔｓ!! 🫣👀

17/05/2026

[𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗜𝗚𝗗𝗜𝗚𝗔𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗪 𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗡 𝗦𝗔 𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗢𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗕𝗜𝗔, 𝗕𝗜𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗕𝗜𝗔, 𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗕𝗜𝗔: 𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐘𝐀𝐋 𝐍𝐀 𝐏𝐀𝐇𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐆 𝐍𝐆 𝐔𝐏 𝐏𝐒𝐘𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐏]

Nakikiisa ang UP Psychedelics sa pandaigdigang panawagan laban sa homophobia, biphobia, at transphobia. Ang araw na ito ay nagsisilbing paalala ng patuloy at lantarang diskriminasyon, karahasan, at pang-aapi na nararanasan ng mga miyembro ng LGBTQIA+ community sa pang-araw-araw. Sa kabila ng ilang pag-usad tungo sa pagkakapantay-pantay, gaya ng pagtanggal ng homosexuality sa International Classification of Diseases, 𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮 𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗵𝘂𝗵𝘂𝘀𝗴𝗮 𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗴-𝗮𝗮𝗽𝗶, na nagkakait sa marami ng dignidad, kalayaan, at karapatang mamuhay nang ligtas at malaya.

Sa pagdaan ng mga taon, hindi pa rin mabilang ang dami ng mga kaso ng harassment, hate crimes, diskriminasyon, at iba’t ibang anyo ng karahasang nakatuon laban sa LGBTQIA+ community. Ayon sa pagsusuri ng Williams Institute, limang beses na mas mataas ang posibilidad na makaranas ng karahasan at diskriminasyon ang mga miyembro ng LGBTQIA+ community kumpara sa mga hindi kabilang dito, isang ebidensya sa malawakang diskriminasyon sa mga miyembro ng komunidad. Sa Pilipinas, nananatiling usad-pagong ang pagpasa ng mga batas at polisiyang naglalayong protektahan ang mga miyembro ng komunidad. Hanggang ngayon, 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘆 𝗻𝗮 𝗻𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶 𝗻𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗢𝗚𝗜𝗘 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 dahil sa makaluma at konserbatibong pananaw na umiiral sa ating lipunan.

Ang ganitong usapin ay nagbubukas nang mga diyalogo di lamang sa usapi ng karapatang pantao, kundi pati na rin sa usapang Sikolohikal. Dahil sa ganitong sistema ng diskriminasyon, marami sa kanila ang nakararanas ng 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗸𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗴𝗺𝗼𝗸, 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮, 𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻. Marami rin ang napipilitang ikubli ang kanilang identidad dahil sa takot na mawalan ng tahanan, oportunidad, at pagtanggap mula sa lipunan.

Kung kaya, bilang mga tagapagtaguyod ng Sikolohiyang mapagpalaya at mapagkalinga, kinikilala natin na hindi maisasakatuparan ang tunay na kalusugang pangkaisipan sa isang lipunang pinaghaharian ng diskriminasyon at takot. Bilang ating kapwa, karapatan din nilang tratuhin nang may dignidad, respeto, at pagkilala bilang tao. Dahil dito, 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘀𝗮 𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗢𝗚𝗜𝗘 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 at iba pang mga polisiyang inklusibo at makatao. Higit pa rito, patuloy nating 𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝘂𝘆𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗵𝗮 𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗴𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝘁𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗮 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘆𝗼, 𝗯𝘂𝗸𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗼, 𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗸𝗮𝘀𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗸 𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗹 𝘀𝗮 𝗸𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗱, 𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗼. Sapagkat ang laban kontra homophobia, biphobia, at transphobia ay hindi lamang laban ng iilan; bagkus ito ay laban para sa dignidad, kalusugang pangkaisipan, at karapatang pantao ng lahat.

Sa harap ng patuloy na pang-aapi, nang pambubully at ng diskriminasyon, hindi tayo mananahimik. 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮-𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗸𝗶𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝘀𝗮 𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗸𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗸𝗮 𝘀𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗼 𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗸𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗻𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗻, kung saan ang bawat indibidwal ay malaya at walang takot. Sapagkat walang indibidwal ang dapat ikahiya ang kanilang sariling identidad, at at walang tao ang dapat pinagkakaitan ng respeto at pagkilala dahil lamang sa kung sino sila

15/05/2026

𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗸𝗮 𝗻𝗮 𝗯𝗮, 𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘆? 🤭👀
Hindi ka pa tapos maghabol ng concepts? 🤓Wag ka nang mag-alala dahil mamaya na ang SayKaramay!

Ngayon, di ka na mag-aaral nang mag-isa dahil handa na kaming samahan at tulungan kayo this LE season 🥳📚

Join UP Psychedelics’ SayKaramay Peer-to-Peer Tutorial Session TODAY and refresh difficult Chem 16 and Bio 11 topics kasama ang fellow students 💡‼️
Tara na, karamay! Ano pang hinihintay mo? Humabol ka na sa online registration below 👇
https://forms.gle/1L1uFcyWbF5pGL5s6

PS: We also accept walk-ins 😉

Note: The Bio 11 session would be moved online. The link will be provided in the comment section of this post.

14/05/2026

𝗜𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘄 𝗻𝗮 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴, 𝗦𝗮𝘆𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗮! 🫂📚

Samahan mo kami bukas sa Lagmay Hall upang muling matuto, makapagtanong, at maalala ang mga konseptong minsan nang nakalimutan 🤓✨

At para mas makatulong sa inyong pagrereview, heto ang ilang worksheets para sa Chem 16 na maaari ninyong gamitin upang mas lalo pang mapalalim at mapayabong ang inyong review ✍️📖
🔗 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Dlc-070ugGAJ4JzqZWfUwhmjSKFELYwO

Karamay, wag kang mag-alala ngayong LE season sapagkat andito kami upang dumamay at sumuporta sa’yo 🫂

Kaya kung hindi ka pa registered, ano pang hinihintay mo? Mag-register ka na! 👇
🔗 Sign up link: https://forms.gle/GVLtdcZh2rxV5hPW9

14/05/2026

𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗦𝗔𝗬𝗞 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀

“𝘈𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘨-𝘢𝘴𝘢 𝘬𝘰𝘰𝘰, 𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵𝘰!” ay isa sa mga sikat na linya mula sa kantang Love Team ng Itchyworms. At sino ba namang hindi nakakaalam kung anu-ano ang mga love teams?

𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 refer to onscreen romantic pairings of Filipino actors in showbusiness, typically beginning in teleseryes and films (Sebastiampillai, 2022). And depending on the level of success, these can quickly expand to other media ventures as well, such as brand endorsements, song collaborations, among others.

The actors in a love team are often repeatedly casted with one another in order to uphold the image of an exclusive romantic pairing, which is why some love teams have very extensive filmographies (and discographies!).

The evolution of such an iconic and controversial marketing strategy in FIlipino showbiz dates back to the 70’s and persists until now. But in today’s day and age, discourse has arisen regarding the reality and societal implications of love teams, and has raised questions on the precarious boundaries between fans and artists alike.

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀

With the way that loveteams are presented and marketed, they are bound to attract thousands, sometimes even millions of fans, to support them in their joint endeavors. However, this support towards these loveteams is not a one-way transactional relationship, fans expect something in return from them, which can slowly evolve into a parasocial relationship. These fans develop intense, one-sided intimate bonds with these pairings even though they do not know them personally, manifested through their projecting ideals of love and imagined romance through the pair, effectively blurring the boundary between fiction and reality. If these demands are not satisfied, overly parasocial fans often turn against the pair for failing to meet their expectations of an ideal relationship. This projection of one’s fantasies and desires onto real people, as much as they can be entertaining, can result in material, harmful consequences.

Fandom, as a participatory culture, becomes a source of belongingness and community for many people, (Jenkins, 2012). As such, for many loveteam fans, anything that threatens to distort the illusion of romance, such as friendly interactions or new media projects with other celebrities, can also threaten the very fabric of their community as well. Which is why many fans react negatively, and in some cases, aggressively to these developments.

There have been many cases where hostile reactions have harmed the wellbeing of the loveteam duo themself. Thereby transforming the loveteam into a “cage” that can hinder artists from seeking out ventures outside of the spectacle of their pairing (Barrientos & Mabulay, 2023).

Which is why some artists that have spoken up about the harm that loveteam culture perpetuates receive backlash from fans with sentiments centering on “utang na loob”. The Filipino value of utang na loob, albeit positive in its conceptualization as debt of gratitude, has over the years been popularized into a concept of weaponized moral obligation. In the context of Filipino loveteams, many fans view these artists’ criticisms of loveteam culture as a being ungrateful or pagka-walang utang na loob, in that these sharing of experiences of being “chained” solely to a pairing has become tantamount to disrespecting the love and loyalty that fans have showered them through the years. We see this especially in the case of Liza Soberano, who has opened up about her experiences as she parted ways from the stronghold of Filipino loveteams, and the vitriol she had received from fans thereafter.

While not every loveteam fandom ecosystem is built the same, it is important to acknowledge the effects of such a strong, enduring culture and why it remains cemented in the Filipino pop culture zeitgeist. And while there is nothing inherently wrong with indulging in the kilig moments of a loveteam, staying critical of how the long-lasting effects of loveteam culture can translate into real life harm is every fan’s moral responsibility.

11/05/2026

𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗦𝗔𝗬𝗞 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺

Parasocial relationships get a reputation for being “toxic”, but the truth is that the term is neutral. Parasocial relationships is the term used to describe a one-sided relationship where one person feels a connection, or a strong sense of intimacy with another person they’ve never met before. More often than not, the targets of this relationship are celebrities, online personalities, and fictional characters.

It is important to remember that generally developing parasocial relationships is not a bad thing; it is a natural occurrence that happens when humans feel or empathize well with a personality they see.

There are 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗯-𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀:

𝙀𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩-𝙎𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡
The most common type of parasocial relationships, fans favor certain celebrities because they’re entertaining and make for ideal conversations in social settings. Enjoying your favorite actor’s way of portraying characters and discussing this with friends or other fans, or even indulging in gossip, is an example of this.

𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚-𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡
Still common, but not as much as entertainment-social, these kinds of parasocial relationships occur when a person takes time out of their daily life to know everything about their person of interest. There is a certain level of obsession there that enables thinking of the celebrity as their soulmate, or as the “most perfect human being in history.” Possible examples of this are obsessions with fictional characters, especially in quotes that entail the character as a soulmate or a partner.

𝘽𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡
This is where the line of parasocial relationships can become dangerous, oftentimes leading to actions such as stalking or violence. People who are in this state of parasocial relationships believe that if they walked into their person of interest’s house, the celebrity would welcome them with open arms. This is usually the kind of parasocial relationship people label as toxic or unhealthy.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀

These kinds of relationships can tend to develop for a variety of reasons. In the modern day, it's a deep interaction between human psychology and the way media is accessible and designed to create that connection. For this post, we’ll focus more on the psychological reasons as to why many develop parasocial relationships.

𝘼𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙮
This theory, developed by John Bowlby, explains how emotional bonds and relationships form between people. It typically explains this process for children and infants, but some key aspects can be applied to adults and adolescents, specifically, the four attachment styles. These styles include Secure, Anxious, Avoidant, and Disorganized, but these are not isolated, as they can be combined, such as Anxious-Avoidant. Studies have shown that certain attachment styles are more likely to develop parasocial relationships as compared to other attachment styles. In the study by Cole and Leets (1999), they found that among the styles, those with an anxious-ambivalent attachment were most likely to develop a parasocial relationship, while those with an avoidant attachment style were least likely.

𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙀𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩
The exposure effect posits that repeated exposure to a person or stimulus increases familiarity with it and liking for it. In the case of parasocial relationships, repeated exposure to the same actor, artist, or content creator can lead to liking the person and building a sense of perceived closeness and friendship.

𝙇𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨
Humans are social creatures, but not everyone is a social butterfly. Loneliness is a major factor in developing parasocial relationships. In the study by P***e and Rubin (1990), they found that chronically lonely people spend much less time with friends and family and spend more time watching media such as TV and movies, as well as treating media as more “real” or meaningful. This can be interpreted as lonely individuals turning to these media forms to replace social interaction and finding them meaningful, which can serve as precursors to parasocial relationships.

𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽

A prime case of parasocial relationships is stan culture, which is typically seen around K-Pop groups. While many fans participate in healthy participation within that fandom, or only reach entertainment social levels of a parasocial relationship, there are a few cases of fans going past that. Some reports of fans describe a certain group to be their main source of not only entertainment, but comfort, and that they turn to the group in times of stress or loneliness in place of real people. At certain points, boundaries begin to blur, with some extreme fans being extremely affected when reacting to certain rumors about idols, such as dating or personal life choices the idol makes. This “toxic” side of stan fandoms negatively affects not only the rest of the fanbase but also the idols themselves. Idols feel the need to have increased security, have their private lives constantly leaked by overzealous fans, and it may take a toll on their mental health. This toxic side also contributes to negative public perception of the fanbase, and potentially even the group.

Even the word Stan came from a place of parasocialism. It’s widely believed that it is a combination of the two words “stalker” and “fan”, though in modern day, it more describes an avid supporter of a certain person or media. The slang word “stan”’s first use in popular media came from the song of the same name by rapper Eminem. In the song, it follows the narrative of 3 letters written by a fan of the rapper, depicting a rapid obsession with the rapper, starting with attending concerts, to saying he loves the rapper, to even worse actions by the third letter. This is a fictional extreme case of a borderline pathological parasocial relationship, though borderline pathological cases have happened in real life.

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀

Parasocial relationships are not inherently bad or good; it’s a neutral occurrence that happens. However, it can also be used as a lens to view one’s own mental health or mental state. Should your situation with parasocial relationships be positive, then you’re likely in a good spot mentally and socially. But if your situation with parasocial relationships feels overwhelming or draining, there may be some underlying mental health-related challenges that need to be cared for.

We generally need to be aware of our words and how we treat celebrities, after all, they are still people with their own personal lives. Awareness starts with acknowledgment, and of course, treating people the same way you want to be treated.

UP Psychedelics

30/05/2026

21/05/2026

20/05/2026

19/05/2026

19/05/2026

17/05/2026

15/05/2026

14/05/2026

14/05/2026

11/05/2026

Address

Opening Hours

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Organization

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request

Monday	8am - 6pm
Tuesday	8am - 6pm
Wednesday	8am - 6pm
Thursday	8am - 6pm
Friday	8am - 6pm
Saturday	12pm - 5pm