Foreign Property News | Posted by Aye Myat Thu
Lynn E McCutcheon 1, Ágnes Zsila 2, Zsolt Demetrovics 3 2Institute of Psychology, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Mikszáth Kálmán tér 1., Budapest, 1088, Hungary PMID: 34749830
A 2021 Hungarian study in BMC Psychology found a small but consistent link between intense celebrity worship and lower scores on cognitive tests measuring vocabulary and mental speed among over 1,700 adults.
Researchers noted that while enjoying celebrity culture is not problematic, excessive obsession with celebrities may divert the brain from developing deeper thinking skills or hinder overall cognitive performance.
Study Details Researchers: Lynn E. McCutcheon, Ágnes Zsila, and Zsolt Demetrovics.
Participants: More than 1,700 adults in Hungary.
Methodology: Participants completed cognitive ability tests.
Findings: Higher levels of celebrity worship were linked to lower scores on vocabulary and mental speed tests.
Key Insights- Correlation, Not Causation: The study identifies a link but does not definitively prove that celebrity obsession causes lower cognitive ability; it could also be that individuals with lower cognitive ability are more drawn to celebrity worship.
Degree of Obsession Matters: The connection to reduced cognitive performance was stronger with more intense forms of celebrity worship, particularly in the "intense-personal" and "borderline-pathological" categories.
Potential Impact: Researchers suggest that constant focus on celebrity drama and lives may divert the brain's attention and resources, potentially impeding the development of critical thinking and other cognitive skills.
What This Means- This research highlights that while having a favorite celebrity is a normal part of society, an excessive focus on them can be a sign of problematic attachment and may come at the cost of developing one's own cognitive abilities.
Ref: Celebrity worship and cognitive skills revisited: applying Cattell's two-factor theory of intelligence in a cross-sectional study
