Rebecca Manzi A study has shown that those who are more obsessed with celebrities have lower cognitive abilities, showing lower performance in cognitive tests
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More recently, in a study published in the BMC Psychology Journal, Hungarian researchers drew some interesting conclusions about the correlation between celebrity obsession and cognitive skills. Thus, after analyzing the responses from 1,763 adults, this research found a link between celebrity worship and poorer performance on cognitive tests. The results suggest that people overly interested in celebrities might possess lower-than-average intellectual abilities.
Cognitive and celebrity obsession testing
Test subjects underwent various cognitive tests, including a vocabulary test and a number-symbol substitution test. In addition, participants were asked to answer a questionnaire about their obsession with their celebrity idol based on questions like: “If you met your favorite celebrity and they asked you to do something illegal, what would you do?” Their responses indicated that quite a large number of people would commit questionable acts for their idols.
This indicated that the die-hard fans scored lower in cognitive tests. Therefore, one might say that interest in celebrity culture may thus be linked to lack of concentration toward activities that demand even c.
Obsession: cause or effect?
Researchers, however, made it clear that it is still unknown whether it is the cause or the effect of lowered cognitive levels, thus leaving the very relationship between them open. Some experts also noticed that such obsessions may lead to cognitive decline because they take so much from the mind.
This focus on celebrity news and gossip detracts from the pursuit of more intellectually enriching and fulfilling interests. The researchers of the study suggested that additional research would be warranted to better explain the relationship between fixation with celebrity lifestyles and cognitive functioning and for the monitoring of such obsessions.
An expanded perspective on obsessive behaviors
The present research contributes to a broader field of studies concerned with compulsive behaviors and the influence of modern forms of entertainment on cognitive capabilities. In light of an increasingly significant role that celebrity culture plays in everyday life, the study points to a potentially negative impact: people invest time and energy in activities that are not very likely to improve their intellectual capabilities.
Source: BMC Psychology
