Although romantic parasocial phenomena with media characters can have a significant impact on individuals’ lives, little is known about the personal predictors that facilitate their development. One of these predictors is an individual's level of fantasy. To investigate the role of fantasy in the development of romantic parasocial phenomena, we conducted two studies: a survey (Study I, N = 80) and a laboratory experiment with a 1 × 2 between-subjects design combined with a follow-up survey (Study II, N = 66). Both studies provide evidence that fantasy enhances the intensity of romantic parasocial relationships. Moreover, Study I suggests that this relationship is mediated by more intense retrospective imaginative involvement. Study II extends this finding by providing evidence that fantasy is also linked to more involvement during the reception in the form of romantic parasocial interactions. In turn, this increases the intensity of retrospective imaginative involvement and romantic parasocial relationships.

尽管带有媒体角色的浪漫的超社会现象可能对个人的生活产生重大影响，但对于促进他们发展的个人预测因素知之甚少。这些预测因素之一是个人的幻想水平。为了研究幻想在浪漫的超社会现象发展中的作用，我们进行了两项研究：一项调查（研究I，N  = 80）和一项采用1×2对象间设计并结合后续调查的实验室实验（研究II，N = 66）。两项研究均提供了证据，表明幻想增强了浪漫的超社会关系的强度。此外，研究一表明，这种关系是由更强烈的回顾性想象力参与所介导的。研究二通过提供证据证明幻想也以浪漫的超社会互动的形式与接待期间更多的参与有关而扩展了这一发现。反过来，这增加了回顾性想象力参与和浪漫的超社会关系的强度。