“How come I don’t look like that”: the negative impact of wishful identification with influencers on follower Well-being
Purpose
Building on Social Comparison Theory and Parasocial Relationship Theory, this study is designed to investigate how followers’ wishful identification with YouTube influencers is associated with their psychological well-being and how parasocial relationships with influencers moderate this association.
Design/methodology/approach
Influencer-fan data (N = 504) is collected through a Qualtrics survey in collaboration with a real-life influencer on YouTube. Hayes Process Modeling was used to conduct mediation and moderation analyses.
Findings
Results indicate that enjoyment of influencers’ videos positively leads to followers’ wishful identification, which negatively impacts their well-being. The parasocial relationship with the influencer was found to be a significant moderator on the negative relationship between wishful identification and follower well-being in the models with vlog-oriented videos and skincare videos as independent variables.
Practical implications
This study provides guidance for influencers regarding the behaviors to lower the negative psychological impact of their videos on viewers. While influencer content creation is a thriving business, the association between influencer-following and viewer’ mental health issues should not be overlooked.
Social implications
From the viewers’ perspectives, awareness of social media comparison with influencers and the filtered effects of social media communication are also discussed.
Originality/value
As influencers continue to gain prominence on social media, their influence on followers extends beyond providing information, entertainment, companionship, and product endorsements. This study examines the negative effects of influencer content on viewers’ psychological well-being, particularly through mechanisms of social comparison and parasocial relationships.
