Psychobiological Analysis of Social Surrogacy, Minority Stress and Parasocial Relationships: A Narrative Review
Main Article Content
Abstract
Human sociality is a fundamental homeostatic requirement rooted in evolutionary fitness. For marginalized populations, institutionalized exclusion and systemic discrimination trigger "minority stress," a distinct and chronic allostatic load that drives a biological burden known as "weathering". This sustained physiological strain penetrates the architecture of cellular life, manifesting through neuroendocrine dysregulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis, elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines like Interleukin-6, and accelerated biological aging marked by Leukocyte Telomere Length attrition. This narrative review proposes an integrative synthesis across social psychology, evolutionary biology, and molecular endocrinology to evaluate the Social Surrogacy Hypothesis as a temporary mechanism to mitigate these weathering effects. The methodological framework synthesizes three core pillars (psychological shielding, concept inhibition, and biological markers of aging) while maintaining a strict taxonomy between episodic Parasocial Interactions and enduring Parasocial Relationships. The synthesis demonstrates that, engagement with favored media, where long-term relationships are established, may act as a psychological placeholder or "social snack". Recalling a favored surrogate can induce concept inhibition, quieting the internal "exclusion alarm". This cognitive shielding triggers a theoretical downregulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis, reducing the circulation of neurotoxic glucocorticoids and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Consequently, parasocial relationships offer a temporary biological reprieve that may preserve somatic cell integrity and mitigate premature cellular senescence. However, social surrogacy remains a temporary placeholder rather than a structural solution to discrimination, and direct empirical investigation is required to fully validate this proposed psychobiological pathway.
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