WHEN DOES PARASOCIAL INTERACTION MAKE INFLUENCERS MORE INFLUENTIAL?

Consumers who experience higher parasocial interaction (PSI) with influencers are more likely to try an option that the influencer recommends. Are consumers with high PSI also more likely to follow an influencer’s recommendation not to try an option? We predicted that PSI would matter more when the influencer encourages consumers to try an option than when she discourages them from trying it. Inconsistent with our prediction, consumers were more likely to follow the influencer’s recommendation when the influencer encouraged them and when the influencer attempted to create high PSI with consumers, but these effects were independent.