A Stranger Friend: A Netnographic Look at Parasocial Interaction and Listener Gratifications in Mental Health Podcasts

Öz

This study examines gratifications and parasocial interaction among mental health podcast listeners in Türkiye. Using a netnographic approach, 454 of 803 comments on the top 15 such podcasts on Apple Podcasts were analysed through thematic content analysis. Drawing on four classical gratification categories, social integrative gratification was widened into a parasocial and social category. Parasocial and social gratification accounts for 45.2%, and friendship alone for 28.0%. Cognitive (21.8%), emotional (17.6%), and escape and comfort (10.4%) follow. Therapeutic substitution, identified inductively, accounts for 5.1%, positioning the podcast as a substitute for therapy, a compensation for access barriers, or a solitary practice. The pattern needs support from broader studies. Listeners form a strong parasocial bond with hosts, expressed through elements of closeness such as conversational register, shared laughter, voice, and terms of address.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• podcast
• mental health
• parasocial interaction
• uses and gratifications
• netnography

Yabancı Bir Arkadaş: Ruh Sağlığı Podcastlerinde Parasosyal Etkileşim ve Dinleyici Doyumları Üzerine Netnografik Bir Bakış

Öz

Bu çalışma, Türkiye’deki ruh sağlığı podcast dinleyicilerinin doyumlarını ve parasosyal etkileşimini incelemektedir. Netnografik bir yaklaşımla Apple Podcasts’teki en popüler 15 podcast’e ait 803 yorumdan 454’ü tematik içerik analiziyle incelenmiştir. Dört klasik doyum kategorisinden yararlanılarak sosyal bütünleştirici doyum, parasosyal ve sosyal doyum kategorisine genişletilmiştir. Parasosyal ve sosyal doyum çerçevenin %45,2’sini, dostluk ise tek başına %28,0’ını oluşturmaktadır. Bunu bilişsel (%21,8), duygusal (%17,6) ve kaçış ve rahatlık (%10,4) izlemektedir. Tümevarımsal olarak belirlenen terapötik ikame yorumların %5,1’ini oluşturmakta, podcast’i terapinin yerine, erişim engelinin telafisi ya da bireysel bir iyileşme pratiği olarak konumlandırmaktadır. Bu örüntü daha geniş çalışmalarla desteklenmelidir. Dinleyiciler sunucularla güçlü bir parasosyal ilişki kurmakta, bunu sohbet kipi, birlikte gülme, ses ve tanıdık hitabı gibi yakınlık unsurlarıyla dile getirmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• podcast
• ruh sağlığı
• parasosyal etkileşim
• kullanım ve doyumlar
• netnografi

Kaynakça

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