© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WECS · WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM · WVOF
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The psychology of fandom: Why we care so much about fictional characters

Illustration of a woman on a laptop computer wearing headphones with a microphone. Graphic images of different characters are displayed behind her.
kbeis
/
Getty Images

This hour is about the psychology of fandom. We look at how the mind of a fan operates. We talk with experts about the mental attachments and connections fans have with their favorite shows and fictional characters.

Plus, there are many reasons why one becomes a fan. We’ll talk about that, and how fandoms have evolved over time. Finally, a look at the types of emotions fans feel and how they express them in fanfiction and other forms of transformative fandom.

GUESTS: 

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsAmazon MusicTuneInListen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. 

Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.

Melody Rivera, Colin McEnroe, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on April 3, 2023.

Stay Connected
Lily is the senior producer for The Colin McEnroe Show. She first worked at Connecticut Public as an intern in 2014. She has previously worked for WBUR, KUNC and as a producer for the New England News Collaborative's weekly show Next. Lily can be reached at ltyson@ctpublic.org.