Article: Imaginary Social Relationships and Personality Correlates: The Case of Michael Jackson and His Fans

by Gayle S. Stever, January 1991

This paper details the analysis of participant personalities correlated with the perceived personality of the chosen superstar using the MBTI. Significant deviations from a normative sample were found for a sample of 98 Michael Jackson fans. Jackson was seen as an INFJ by fans who filled out the MBTI as they imagined he would. Compared to Myers’ high school samples, male Michael Jackson fans showed a heavy overrepresentation of INFP and ENFP, and an underrepresentation of ESTJ; these results were discussed in terms of gender stereotypes. Female fans showed heavy overrepresentation of INFJ, INFP, and ENFP, and under-representations of ESFJ and ESTJ. Interview data support the notion that perceived personality similarities between fans and the superstar contribute to the desire of participant fans to involve themselves in an imaginary social relationship with the superstar.