Abstract:
In today’s technologically advanced and ubiquitous environment, where we are perpetually connected to news channels, we can interact with political persons through social media while overlooking anchor persons and analysts of electronic media. This phenomenon pronounces the need to look at media effects through the perspective of political leaders. The appeal of political leader during a public address is investigated based on Para-social Interaction Theory. In this study, participants from three age groups were selected to complete the questionnaire survey. This study examined the effects of three dimensions of interpersonal attractions of political leader in terms of parasocial interaction. Multiple Regression analysis indicated that task attraction, physical attraction and social attractions of political leader, as significant predictors of the strength of parasocial interaction with leader. The leader, who was more interpersonally attractive for people, received more PSI. People, who had high parasocial interaction (PSI) with a specific leader, had more chances of having party identification. Amongst 3 forms of interpersonal attraction, physical attraction surfaced to be the best predictor of parasocial interaction with leaders; although social attraction and task attraction were also significant interpreters. Interpretations of the results, effects and suggestions for future research were discussed.
