Celebrity Politics: Construction and Validation of a Scale to Measure the Political Influence of Celebrities

Azmat Rasul and Donghee Shin

SAGE Open, 2025, vol. 15, issue 3, 21582440251375395

Abstract: This study develops and validates the Political Influence of Celebrities Scale (PICS), designed to assess how entertainment celebrities influence young adults’ political attitudes and behaviors. Drawing on survey data collected from 498 university students in the United States, we applied exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to test the scale’s structure and psychometric validity. The results support a three-factor model consisting of general attitudes toward celebrities, enjoyment of celebrity-centered political content, and behavioral outcomes such as political discussion and participation. Each subscale demonstrated strong internal reliability (Cronbach’s α ≥ .79). The PICS provides a theoretically grounded and empirically supported measure to better understand celebrity-driven political engagement. This study contributes to the literature by offering a valid tool for future research, cross-cultural adaptation, and applied political communication strategies.

Keywords: endorsement; celebrity culture; enjoyment; political attitudes; factor analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:sagope:v:15:y:2025:i:3:p:21582440251375395

DOI: 10.1177/21582440251375395

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