The Psychology of Celebrity

Why are we fascinated by celebrities we’ve never met? What is the difference between fame and celebrity? How has social media enabled a new wave of celebrities?

The Psychology of Celebrity explores the origins of celebrity culture, the relationships celebrities have with their fans, how fame can affect celebrities, and what shapes our thinking about celebrities we admire. The book also addresses the way in which the media has been and continues to be an outlet for celebrities, culminating in the role of social media, reality television, and technology in our modern society.

Drawing on research featuring real life celebrities from the Kardashians to Michael Jackson, The Psychology of Celebrity shows us that celebrity influence can have both positive and negative outcomes and the impact these can have on our lives.

Gayle Stever is an associate professor for SUNY/Empire State College, an institution that is focused on goals of lifelong learning, adult education, and access to higher education for all. She earned her Ph.D. in developmental psychology with an emphasis in the psychology of media from Arizona State University in 1994. She has spent the last 30 years studying fan/celebrity relationships from a participant observer perspective and to that end, has networked extensively into a number of fan groups of both pop stars like Michael Jackson, Madonna, or Josh Groban and also television stars like William Shatner, Rene Auberjonois or Alexander Siddig.