Another useful framework to consider when examining the potential relationship between minority stressors and parasocial relationships is the social surrogacy hypothesis (Derrick et al., 2009). This approach posits that parasocial relationships with TV characters may allow viewers to feel a sense of belonging. In a larger study made up of several smaller studies, Derrick et al. (2009) found support for this hypothesis. First, results indicated that viewers tend to view favored TV programs to reduce feelings of loneliness. Second, in an experimental task, the authors explored belongingness and parasocial relationships by asking participants to write two essays. For the first essay, participants were randomly assigned to write about a time in
