Researchers affiliated with Sigmund Freud University have explored how social media engagement shapes the brain’s response to familiar names. Their findings reveal that while many people feel a deep, almost personal connection to their idols, the neural activity elicited by celebrities differs noticeably from the activity triggered by loved ones or close friends. The results were published in the journal Brain Sciences, adding a neuroscience-backed perspective to everyday online behavior.
In the study, twenty-eight volunteers with an average age of 22 participated. Each participant compiled lists containing the names of celebrities, friends, relatives, and acquaintances. The researchers presented a random sequence of these names while recording brain activity with electroencephalography (EEG), a noninvasive method that captures electrical signals produced by neural networks in the cortex.
The data showed that naming a loved one often activates neural patterns that resemble those generated when an individual hears or thinks about their own name. This self-referential resonance is well documented in cognitive neuroscience, where self-related processing tends to engage widespread brain networks involved in memory, emotion, and personal relevance. By contrast, the studio-sized, one-sided admiration people often feel for celebrities produced a distinct, more limited set of neural responses. The contrast suggests that the brain processes intimate ties and public figures in separate, specialized ways.
From the perspective of social cognition, the study clarifies how people categorize social relationships in real time. The robust, mutual bond underpinning a close friendship appears to recruit a network that overlaps with self-representation and affective processing. Celebrity admiration, on the other hand, tends to trigger reward and attention circuits without the same depth of personal relevance. Such patterns align with theories about person- versus object-focused processing, where the brain calibrates its responses based on perceived social closeness and reciprocity.
These findings carry implications for how individuals navigate online culture. The researchers note that a large portion of social media users maintain a sincere sense of friendship and trust with public figures they follow, even in the absence of direct reciprocation. The brain’s capacity to distinguish between a celebrity (a largely one-sided social bond) and a real-life confidant (a mutual relationship) appears to persist beyond conscious judgment, shaping how users relate to online identities and media personalities. The study thus contributes to a broader understanding of how digital environments interact with human social wiring. (Source: Brain Sciences, Sigmund Freud University)