A parasocial relationship is a one-sided relationship that a media user engages in with a media persona, such as a celebrity or fictional character. It is a psychological relationship experienced by an audience in their mediated encounters with performers in the mass media, particularly on television and online platforms. A parasocial interaction, which is an exposure that garners interest in a persona, becomes a parasocial relationship after repeated exposure to the media persona causes the media user to develop illusions of intimacy, friendship, and identification. Positive information learned about the media persona results in increased attraction, and the relationship progresses. Parasocial relationships are enhanced due to trust and self-disclosure provided by the media persona.

Despite being one-sided, parasocial relationships are similar to traditional social relationships in that they are voluntary, provide companionship, and are influenced by social attraction. They can ease loneliness and serve as a source of connection, comfort, and companionship, especially for those who feel isolated or deal with social anxiety. However, at their worst, parasocial relationships can encourage isolation, create conflict, and exacerbate mental health issues.

Parasocial relationships are not a new phenomenon and existed before mass media, when a person would establish a bond with political figures, gods, or even spirits. The concept of parasocial interaction and detailed examination of the behavioral phenomena that it seeks to explain have considerable potential for developing psychological theory.