Are you someone who likes to follow celebrity developments? Are you always updated with the latest news about your idol? Are you willing to spend time and money to support their career? If your answer is yes, maybe you need to evaluate yourself. A recent study showed that people who are obsessed with celebrities tend to have low intelligence.
The journal BMC Psychology revealed a correlation between people who are crazy about celebrities and poor results on thinking ability tests. This study involved 1,763 adults in Hungary who were asked to take vocabulary and digit symbol replacement tests, then fill out a questionnaire on a celebrity attitude scale to assess how interested they were in artists.
Reasons why someone is obsessed with celebrities
Factors that can explain the phenomenon of celebrity obsession are a combination of psychological, social and cultural factors. :
Psychological Factors
Some people may feel dissatisfied with themselves or their lives, so they look for celebrities who are thought to have everything they want. They then try to imitate the celebrity’s lifestyle, appearance or behavior, even to the point of sacrificing other important things.
Social Factors
The mass media often displays various information about celebrities, both positive and negative, which creates curiosity and interest in the public. Mass media also creates standards of beauty, success, and happiness based on celebrity images. The surrounding environment, such as family, friends, or community, can also influence a person’s obsession with celebrities. For example, if someone has friends who also idolize a certain celebrity, then they will feel the need to follow this trend so as not to feel isolated.
Cultural Factors
Some cultures may value achievement, popularity, or wealth more than other things. This can make someone feel that being like a celebrity is a way to gain recognition and respect from others. Apart from that, some cultures also have a tradition of admiring or worshiping certain figures, such as heroes, leaders or saints. This can make someone feel that idolizing celebrities is normal and meaningful.
Then, what is the cause? According to researchers, there are several factors that can explain this phenomenon. First, less intelligent people tend to look for entertainment that is easy and does not challenge their brains. They would rather follow other people’s lives than develop themselves. Second, people who are obsessed with celebrities usually have low self-esteem and lack self-confidence. They feel dissatisfied with their lives and seek solace from their idols. Third, people who are obsessed with celebrities often lack social and communication skills. They have difficulty establishing relationships with other people and are more comfortable interacting with social media or their fanbase.
Level of Someone’s Obsession with Celebrities
John Maltby, a psychologist from the University of Leicester, England, developed the Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS), a measuring tool to determine a person’s level of obsession with celebrities. CAS consists of three levels, namely entertainment-social, intense-personal, and borderline-pathological.
First Level
Is the lightest and most normal, namely when someone considers celebrities as a source of entertainment and a topic of conversation.
Second Level
when someone starts to feel an emotional attachment to a celebrity and considers them a friend or role model.
Third Level
The most dangerous and unhealthy is when someone becomes obsessed with celebrities and it interferes with their personal life. People at this level often do extreme things, such as stalking, sending threatening letters, or even trying to kill celebrities they admire.
Positive and Negative Impacts for Individuals and Society
This phenomenon has positive and negative impacts on individuals and society. On the positive side, celebrity obsession can provide motivation, inspiration, entertainment, and fun for fans. Fans can learn from the success stories, lifestyles, or values espoused by celebrities they admire. Fans can also feel happiness and satisfaction when watching or supporting their favorite celebrities. On the negative side, celebrity obsession can create psychological, social, or even legal problems for fans. Overly obsessed fans may experience identity disorders, depression, addiction, or stress if they are unable to imitate or gain attention from the celebrities they like. Fans may also neglect their obligations, relationships, or health by focusing too much on the celebrity. Extreme fans may even commit criminal acts such as stalking, threatening, or harming celebrities or other people associated with them.
Of course, not everyone who likes celebrities has low intelligence. There are also people who simply admire their work or achievements without getting too emotionally involved. However, if you feel that your obsession is interfering with important aspects of your life, such as work, education, health or relationships, then you need to be alert. Celebrity obsession could be a sign that you have psychological problems that need to be addressed.
Therefore, try to reduce your exposure to information about celebrities. Don’t open social media or gossip sites too often. Don’t spend too much time and money to get items or tickets related to your idol. Instead of idolizing celebrities, try to develop your own interests and talents. Look for hobbies or activities that can increase your intelligence and creativity. Establish healthy and positive relationships with the people around you. That way, you can become smarter and happier.
