The Psychology of Fan Engagement: A Quantitative Investigation of Fanship and Escapism among South Indian Fans

Background: Background: In today’s world, fan psychology can be considered an important phenomenon, where the individuals identify emotionally with celebrities and their storylines. Although being a fan usually results in positive effects such as identity formation and integration into a community, sometimes it can also work as a defense mechanism for dealing with daily problems through escape. However, there have not been enough empirical studies regarding fanship and escapism together from the perspective of self-expansion and self-suppression among South Indian fans. Aim: This study sought to explore the link between fanship and escapism in South Indian fans and determine how the variable of fanship predicts self-expansion and self-suppression. Methodology: The present research followed a quantitative correlational approach using a purposeful sample of 113 respondents aged between 18 and 45 years living in Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Kerala. Online and offline surveys, administered via the Fanship Scale (Reysen & Branscombe, 2010) and the Escapism Scale (Stenseng et al., 2012), were used. Results: Significant correlations were found between fandom and self-suppression (r = .242, p < .01) as well as between fandom and self-expansion (r = .207, p < .05). According to regression analysis, the former was significantly positively predicted by fandom (β = .242, p =.010, R² = .059), while the latter was significantly positively predicted by fandom (β = .207, p= .028, R² = .043). Conclusion: The research results show that fanship can be related to escapist behavior both in terms of growth and in terms of avoidance. Nonetheless, its low prediction power shows that some other psychological determinants of escapist behavior should also be considered.