Dr. Bond takes a social psychological approach to investigating the development, maintenance, and dissolution of audiences perceived parasocial relationships with fictional characters and celebrities. Dr. Bond's present research employs content analysis, survey, experimental, or physiological methods to better understand how marginalized populations are depicted in the media, and how individuals learn about themselves and others from those depictions. He utilizes the same social psychological methods to study how audiences develop parasocial relationships with fictional characters and how the strength of those relationships with fictional characters and how the strength of those relationships may influence learning from fictional characters and celebrities. 

Dr. Bond’s work on media effects has received top paper awards from the National Communication Association and the International Communication Association. His research has appeared in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes including the Journal of Communication, Communication Research, International Journal of Communication, Media Psychology, Mass Communication & Society, Journal of Children & Media, and Cyberpsychology, Behavior, & Social Networking, to name a few. Dr. Bond’s research has also garnered popular press attention, being covered in media outlets such TIME magazine, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Daily Mail, NPR, and the CBC.

Dr. Bond currently serves as the review and commentary editor of the Journal of Children & Media, and on the editorial boards of Media Psychology and Psychology of Popular Media.

Mass Media, Social Sciences, Psychology, Sex Roles, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), Communication