Parasocial Bonds in Influencer Comments: A Qualitative Analysis of Follower Comments on YouTube

Öz

With the expansion of digital media, social media platforms have transformed not only communication technologies but also the relational dynamics between content producers and audiences. Among these platforms, YouTube provides an interaction environment that is both continuous and visible through its video-based narrative structure and comment sections. Drawing on the concepts of parasocial interaction and parasocial identification, this study aims to examine how parasocial relationships are discursively constructed in follower comments on influencer videos. The research adopts a qualitative interpretive content analysis. The dataset consists of approximately 500 publicly available comments posted under 25 videos produced by five Turkish YouTube influencers focusing on personal development, everyday life and subjective experiences. The findings indicate that followers frequently position influencers as emotionally close figures through metaphors of familiarity and family membership, “safe space” narratives and expressions of everyday companionship. In addition, parasocial identification is constructed through role model attribution, perceived similarity and narratives of behavioral change. The results demonstrate that YouTube comment sections function not merely as feedback mechanisms but as multi-layered interaction spaces where emotional attachment, identification, guidance seeking and critical negotiation are simultaneously produced. In this respect, the study contributes to the reconceptualization of parasocial relationships as relational practices that are collectively constructed and made visible within digital discourse, beyond individual-level experiences.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• parasocial interaction
• parasocial relationship
• influencers
• YouTube
• digital culture

Etik Beyan

This study does not require ethics committee approval

Influencer Yorumlarında Parasosyal Bağlar: YouTube'daki Takipçi Yorumlarının Nitel Analizi

Öz

Dijital iletişim teknolojilerinin ve dijital mecraların yaygınlaşmasıyla birlikte sosyal medya platformları yalnızca iletişim teknolojilerini değil, içerik üreticileri ile izleyiciler arasındaki ilişkisel dinamikleri de dönüştürmüştür. Bu platformlar arasında YouTube, video temelli anlatım yapısı ve yorum alanları aracılığıyla içerik üreticileri ile takipçiler arasında süreklilik arz eden ve görünür kılınan bir etkileşim ortamı sunmaktadır. Bu çalışma, parasosyal etkileşim ve parasosyal özdeşleşme kavramlarından hareketle, influencer videolarına yapılan takipçi yorumlarında parasosyal ilişkilerin söylemsel olarak nasıl kurulduğunu incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmada, nitel yorumlayıcı içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılmakta; veri seti, kişisel gelişim, gündelik yaşam ve öznel deneyimlere odaklanan beş Türk YouTube influencer’ının 25 videosu altında yer alan yaklaşık 500 kamuya açık yorumdan oluşmaktadır. Bulgular, takipçilerin influencer’ları sıklıkla tanıdıklık ve aile üyeliği metaforları, “güvenli alan” söylemleri ve gündelik eşlik anlatıları aracılığıyla duygusal olarak yakın figürler şeklinde konumlandırdığını göstermektedir. Bunun yanı sıra, parasosyal özdeşleşmenin rol model atfetme, benzerlik vurgusu ve davranış değişimi anlatıları üzerinden kurulduğu tespit edilmiştir. Çalışmanın sonuçları, YouTube yorum alanlarının yalnızca geri bildirim mekanizmaları değil; duygusal bağ, özdeşleşme, rehberlik arayışı ve eleştirel müzakerenin eş zamanlı olarak üretildiği çok katmanlı etkileşim alanları olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Bu yönüyle çalışma, parasosyal ilişkileri bireysel deneyimlerin ötesinde, dijital söylem içinde kolektif olarak inşa edilen ve görünür kılınan ilişkisel pratikler olarak yeniden kavramsallaştırmaya katkı sunmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• parasosyal etkileşim
• parasosyal ilişki
• influencerlar
• YouTube
• dijital kültür

Etik Beyan

Bu çalışma, etik kurul onayı gerektirmemektedir.

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