The term Parasocial Interaction, or PSI, refers to the psychological relationship experienced by an audience through a mediated encounter with a performer.

PSI was first introduced by Donald Horton and Richard Wohl in 1956 to explain the illusory psychological experience through which viewers believe they are engaged in a reciprocal relationship with talk show host, hostess, or performer.

Back in 1956, PSI it had to do with media personalities who appeared on television. But the media landscape has grown up and grown wider since television was invented. We now have access to celebrities, and other influencers through our choice of social media around the clock.
When you watch Matt Damon being interviewed by Ellen DeGeneres in the studio, you are naturally distanced from both because of the stage, the make-up, the live audience, and the scripted dialogue. Each of these elements remind you that you are a distant observer.

Podcasts are different. When you take away the bright lights, the make-up, and the applause on cue, all the artifice is stripped away. Now it’s only about Ellen and Matt; two friends whispering in your ear as they would at your neighborhood bar during happy hour.

The intimacy of the conversations created in podcasts transfers to the listener. This act of eavesdropping is so personal that when you listen to episode after episode, week after week, you begin to develop a connection with people you will never meet.

In the age where video is king, why are podcasts trending?

Call it PSI. Call it the intimacy transfer.

Have you ever had a song stuck in your mind and you simply couldn’t shake it?

Sometimes called a brainworm, sticky music, stuck song syndrome, or Involuntary Musical Imagery, all these terms refer to a catchy piece of music that continually repeats through a person’s mind, long after the song stopped playing.

Whatever you call it, like love, this reaction is both intimate and involuntary. You’re stuck on someone voice, but you don’t know why.

As BurstMarketing’s Chief Content Manager, Marisol guides the content strategy for your podcasts and develops engaging narratives that lead to audience growth. With more than twelve years of experience as a writer and producer, Marisol has created award-winning content for e-zines, magazines, videos and podcasts. As a former news reporter, she’s skilled in using storytelling to engage audiences.