Gayle S. Stever, Ph.D.
Professor
Office address:
Empire State University/SUNY
680 Westfall Rd
Rochester, NY 14620
585-224-3200
gayle.stever@sunyempire.edu
A. General Information
Appointed full time (Empire State University/SUNY) August, 2009
Educational Background:
Ph.D. 1994 Arizona State University Lifespan Development Psychology
M.C. 1990 Arizona State University Counseling Psychology
M.Ed. 1989 Arizona State University Counselor Education
B.M. 1977 Arizona State University Choral/General Music Education
Professional Experience:
2020-present Empire State University/SUNY, Professor
2014-2020 Empire State University/SUNY, Associate Professor
2009-2014 Empire State University/SUNY, Assistant Professor
2006-2009 Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus, Clinical Assistant Professor
2003-2006 Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus, Senior Lecturer
1994-2003 Arizona State University, Faculty Associate
1995-2001 Northern Arizona University Satellite, Instructor
1995-2003 Various Arizona Community Colleges
1988-1994 Arizona State University, Graduate Assistant
1978-1994 Various positions teaching music K-12
Awards:
Susan H. Turben Award for Excellence in Scholarship presented by Empire State University in April, 2017.
World Symposium on Life Long Learning and Sustainable Development, Malta, March 2-5, 2017, Top Three papers with Lorraine Lander.
Eastern Communication Associate, 2016, Top Three Papers panel for Mass Communication at the annual meeting.
Empire State University Scholar across the College for 2014-15
Eastern Communication Association, 2010, Top Three Papers panel for Mass Communication at the annual meeting.
1993-1994 Award for Excellence in Instruction: Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Arizona State University, Division of Psychology in Education, Tempe, AZ.
B. Scholarly Activity:
Books:
Stever, G., Giles, D.C., Cohen, J.D., & Myers, M. E. (2nd edition 2025). Understanding Media Psychology. London: Routledge.
Giles, D.C. & Stever, G. (2024). Parasocial Experiences: Psychological Theory and Application. Oxford University Press.
Stever, G., Giles, D.C., Cohen, J.D., & Myers, M.E. (2022). Understanding Media Psychology. London: Routledge.
Stever, G. (2019). The Psychology of Celebrity. London: Routledge.
Book Chapters (peer reviewed):
Stever, G. (2025). The social psychology of fandom. In D. Giles (ed.) Research Handbook on the Social Psychology of the Media. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Stever, G. & Tukachinsky-Forster, R. (2025). The psychology of fandom. The Handbook of Media Psychology. Oxford University Press.
Shackleford, K., Green, M., Oakley, K., & Stever, G. (2025). Vicarious social connection. In D. Giles (ed.) Research Handbook on the Social Psychology of the Media. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Stever, G. (2024). Celebrity heroism. Encyclopedia of Heroism Studies, Springer.
Stever, G. & Cohen, J.D. (2024). Ways that audience members respond to media: A framework for studying audience effects. Handbook of Media Psychology–The Science and the Practice. Eds. Rich, G., Kumar, K. & Farley, F., Springer Nature, Switzerland AG.
Stever, G. (2023). PSRs in adults and older adults. In R. Tukachinsky Forster (ed). The Handbook of Parasocial Experiences. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197650677.013.9
>Stever, G. (2021). How do parasocial relationships with celebrities contribute to our development across the lifespan? In Shackleford, K. (Ed.), Real Characters: The Psychology of Parasocial Relationships with Media Characters. (pp. 119-144). Fielding Graduate University Press.
Stever, G. S. (2020). Evolutionary psychology and mass media. In T.K. Shackelford (Ed.) The Sage Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology: Applications of Evolutionary Psychology, (pp. 398-416). New York: Sage.
Publications (peer reviewed):
Stever, G., Crompton, S., Austin, H., & Hailemariam, S. (2024). Cameo: Description and theory about a social media service. North American Journal of Psychology. 26(4), 729-746.
Stever, G. (2019). Fan studies in psychology: A road less traveled. Transformative Works and Cultures, 30. doi:10.3983/twc.2019.1641.
Stever, G. (2019). Parasocial theory in communication. In Oxford Bibliographies in Communication. Ed. Patricia Moy. New York: Oxford University Press, revision published November 26, 2019.
Tukachinsky, R & Stever, G. (2019). Theorizing development of parasocial engagement. Communication Theory, 29(3), 209-320. https://doi.org/10.1093/ct/qty032
Stever, G. (2017). Gender and media. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Psychology and Gender. Sage Publications. (Invited–editor reviewed)
Lander, L. & Stever, G. (2017). Social media and lifelong learning for sustainable development, In W. L. Filho, M. Mifsud, & P. Pace (eds.) Handbook of Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development, 143-154. Springer DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-63534-7_10
Stever, G. (2017). Parasocial theory in communication. In Oxford Bibliographies in Communication. Ed. Patricia Moy. New York: Oxford University Press, By invitation DOI: 10.1093/OBO/9780199756841-0181
Stever, G. S. (2017). Evolutionary theory and reactions to mass media: Understanding parasocial attachment. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 6(2), 95-102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000116
Stever, G. (2017). Parasocial theory: Concepts and measures. In P. Rossler (ed.), The international encyclopedia of media effects. Wiley Blackwell. (Invited) doi:10.1002/9781118783764.wbieme0069
Stever, G. (2016). Meeting Josh Groban (again): Fan/Celebrity contact as ordinary behavior. International Association for the Study of Popular Music Journal, 6(1), 104-120.
Stever, G. & Lawson, K. (2013). Twitter as a way for celebrities to communicate with fans: Implications for the study of parasocial interaction. North American Journal of Psychology, 15(2), 597-612.
Stever, G. (2013). Mediated vs. parasocial relationships: An attachment perspective. Journal of Media Psychology, 17(3), 1-31.
Stever, G. (2011). 1989 vs. 2009: A comparative analysis of music superstars Michael Jackson and Josh Groban, and their fans. Journal of Media Psychology, 16 (1).
Stever, G. (2011). Celebrity worship: Critiquing a construct. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 41(6), 1356-1370. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2011.00765.x
Stever, G. (2011). Fan behavior and lifespan development theory: Explaining para-social and social attachment to celebrities. Journal of Adult Development. DOI: 10.1007/s10804-010-9100-0
Stever, G. (2009). Parasocial and social interaction with celebrities: Classification of media fans. Journal of Media Psychology 14(3), 1-39.
Stever. G. (2008). The celebrity appeal questionnaire: Sex, entertainment or leadership. Psychological Reports, 103, 113-120. http://dx.doi.org/10.2466/pr0.103.1.113-120
Stever, G. (1995). Gender by type interaction effects in mass media subcultures. Journal of Psychological Type, 32, 3-12.
Stever, G. (1991). Imaginary social relationships and personality correlates. Journal of Psychological Type, 21, 68-76.
Stever, G. (1991). The celebrity appeal questionnaire. Psychological Reports, 68, 859-866. http://dx.doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1991.68.3.859
Stever, G. (1991). Type and fan subculture: Discovering how personality affects attachments to celebrities. Proceedings for the International Conference or the Association of Psychological Type. July 13, 1991: Richmond, VA.
Publications: (not peer-reviewed) Since 2014
Stever, G. (2024). Research on a new social media service: Understanding Cameo. The Amplifier, Fall-Winter 2024, the publication of APA Division 46.
Stever, G. (2019). Celebrity: A state or a trait? The Amplifier, the publication of APA Division 46 (invited).
Stever, G. (2019). The impact of media: A new model for understanding parasocial experiences. All About Mentoring, 52 (Empire State College/SUNY)
Dissertation and Thesis:
Stever, G. (1994). Parasocial attachments: Motivational antecedents. Doctoral Dissertation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Stever, G. (1990). Interpersonal attraction: Personality types of heroes and their admirers. Master’s Thesis, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Conference Presentations: (peer-reviewed) since 2014
Stever, G., Bond, B. & Shackleford, K, & Tukachinsky Forster, R. (2024). Audience Effects: Conceptual and Operational Definitions in Parasocial and Identification Research. Presented at the American Psychological Association, Seattle, WA, August 8-10, 2024.
Shackleford, K., Oatley, K., Green, M. & Stever, G. (2022). Engagement with fictional characters and media personalities. 72nd Annual ICA Conference, One World, One Network, Paris, 26-30 May 2022.
Stever, G., Shackleford, K., & Ewoldson, D. (2022). Social interaction: Real and imagined. Presented at the American Psychological Association, Minneapolis, MN, August 4-7, 2022. Panel Organizer and Chair.
Tukachinsky R. & Stever, G. (2018). Theorizing development of parasocial experiences. International Communications Association, Prague, Czech Republic, May 25, 2018.
Lander, L. & Stever, G. (2017). Social media and lifelong learning for sustainable development. World Symposium on Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Development, Malta March 2-5, 2017.
Stever, G. (2016). Evolutionary theory and reactions to mass media: Understanding parasocial attachment. Eastern Communication Association, Baltimore, MD, April 1, 2016. “Top Three Papers”
Stever, G. (2016). Fan celebrity social relationships: A 10-year case study of a music fandom. Eastern Communication Association, Baltimore, MD, April 1, 2016
Stever, G. (2015). Social presence and celebrity/fan activism: Experiencing virtual fandom as “real. ” Symposium: Popular Music Fandom and the Public Sphere, April 10, 2015, University of Chester, England.
Stever, G., Hoffner, C., Cohen, E., Tukachinsky, R., & Sangalan, L. (2014). Current advances in parasocial theory: Conceptualization, measurement, antecedents, and consequences of quasi-social interaction in a media environment. Presented at the American Psychological Association, Washington D.C, August 7-10, 2014. Panel Organizer and Chair.
Conference Presentations: (not peer-reviewed) since 2014
Stever, G. (2020). How do parasocial relationships with celebrities contribute to our development across the lifespan? Media Psychology Virtual Symposium sponsored by Fielding Graduate University. July 2020.
Stever, G. (2017). Blue-sky workshop on parasocial theory. International Communication Association, San Diego, CA May 2017.