Yes, teens seem to be involved with celebrity worship these days. Arriving at a teen party is like arriving at a celeb ‘look alike’ dress up! Is that Paris or Jessica Simpson over there? I’ve seen that shaved head before… on Brad Pitt!

Most parents blame the media for their teen’s obsession with labels and looks! A closer examination reveals that the celeb news sells because it’s serving a purpose. So what is this need amongst teens to hear and see and live ‘star’ lives?

Psychologically speaking it is satisfying natural urges or instincts amongst this age group.

From a developmental point of view, teens are involved in the process of moving from childhood to adulthood. This is an intense, complex time of rapid growth and change. Teens are learning to become independent, mature adults on many levels: emotionally, cognitively, socially and occupationally. It’s a very hard job!

Psychologists say that teens are going through a number of psycho-social tasks in order to achieve this tall order. These tasks are:

Individuation: this means that teens are trying to achieve independence from parents and find their own identity, separate to mum or dad.

Identity formation: they are trying to answer the question ‘who am I?’ They are trying to find themselves. This requires experimentation over a period of time.

Autonomy: They need to discover their own personal power and space. For this they need direction and independence.

Morality: they are involved in discovering their own values and beliefs. What do I believe in?

Intimacy: they need to establish love objects outside of the family. This involves sexual encounter and managing sexual attraction.

Teens want to figure out who they are and what they want to be. In order to do this they need space, their own world and they need their parents to loosen their ties. They want to ‘fit in’ with a peer group so that they can find their own way and their own love. They also need to figure out how they are going to support themselves and make a success.

So then celeb fascination makes some sense if we understand what teens are about and what they are naturally and instinctively up to. Here's why teens love celebs...

Celebrities seem to have it all

They have independence, autonomy, adoration, power and can do what ever they like. Teens want this especially since their lives are almost the opposite. They are dependent, unsure, insecure and often lack direction.

Teens need role models

They learn best by watching others and copying behaviour patterns. They will want to experiment with other people’s behaviour. They learn about themselves and coping skills through copying! Celeb watching is like a manual in: ‘How to be cool; how to succeed; how to get the guy/girl!’ Teens want to do this so will try out what’s presented to them.

Teens need trends that belong to their own age group

They are trying to separate from their parents and stand on their own two feet. Teens do this in groups. They want to identify with their own age group for support and a sense of belonging. Therefore the teen group will always find commonalities.

The ‘in group’ mentality is important. It gives teens an opportunity to discover successful ways of operating in life. They learn safely through and with the group. It’s fun and entertaining too. Celebs appear to be successful: they have money, fabulous clothes, lots of lovers and admirers. So their likes and dislikes are noticed.

What’s important here is that this attachment to the group and peer trend helps them disidentify with the parental group. So the more mum complains about her daughter trying to look like Paris Hilton, the more alluring it becomes.

Teen boys may try emulate sport heroes or icons like Brad Pitt. Often boy’s icons are successful, cool, good looking, masculine but also have a bit of ‘bad boy’. So whether its James Dean, Elvis, Brad, or David Beckam… they have similar attractions to all generations. They score the hot chics! Teen boys want this the most after all.

Both boys and girls want to attract their love objects

They are starting out on the path of intimacy. They want to be sexy and be attractive. If the media are telling them that Paris and Brad are successful… of course they will follow their examples.

Celeb worship offers group cohesion

If the in group are all doing the same thing, then this is safe - it offers rules and behaviour codes. It also gives the group something to talk about, a common language: ”guess what Jessica said/did last night.” AND it’s a teen thing; Not a parent thing. It actually annoys parents. How cool. So a sense of belonging and a sense of fitting in gives teens a feeling of security. They want to be the same. This way they feel safe at a time of enormous change and difference.

Aspirational needs are fulfilled

If she can do that so can I. Celebs often empower a teen to try something new or set new goals.

Entertainment and social needs are fulfilled

Celebs have fun and there’s lots of entertainment. Teens get to watch their lives like a soapy.

Jung says that there is something in man that he yearns for something greater than himself. This is our spiritual yearning. We long for parables, tales, legends that connect us to deeper meanings and themes in life. Something soulful. Celebs often become like demi-gods. They appear to have the answers. So teens may feel like they getting the answers but just scratch the surface and then what?

They offer a diversion from the humdrum.

They are ‘up there’ and we live vicariously thru them. A diversion from the mundane is also in offer. They offer the dream of fun, freedom and power. This allows teens to escape from their feelings of insecurity and powerlessness.

The other bonus is that it’s a one sided relationship. Teens can gossip about celebs. Run them down. Brag about them etc… and they won’t get any of it back. Gossip is an attempt to make ourselves and our lives feel better. So celebs are a great dumping ground for venting our own emotional garbage.

In summary, celebs are trendsetters; they are heroes; they upstage mediocrity; they teach teens to be cool and how to succeed. They seem to have the answer to everything! The have the very things teens yearn for: power, autonomy, sex, clothes, toys and a whole lot of fun!

They help teens answer: who am I?; how do I get to fit in, be liked and make a success? How can I be in control and confident? Celebs are like a ‘how to manual’… which a teen can try out. Life is so changeable, so transient, there are so many options.

Celebs can become a constant. You can almost predict what Paris or Robbie William’s going to do next. This is healthy since it gives guidelines and opens possibilities - as long as its just experimentation and doesn’t take over their whole life!

And the downside?

The downside is the over identification… when teens attach too strongly to an icon. This often happens when a teen is feeling lonely, insecure or inferior. Acting like or trying to emulate a star is an attempt at a quick fix. It’s no longer experimentation. It becomes maladaptive. The teen loses her or his sense of self.

Teens miss out on in depth self-reflection. They also miss out on playing with their own imaginative self. The values of materialism and plastic bodies are exulted. ‘Having more’ is the way to go. Celebs are also often focused on consumerism.

A teen may soon discover that this lacks depth. It can be a huge disappointment. Celebs sell a materialistic consumer lifestyle that is very body and image focused. If a teen tries to copy this, their lives become shallow and offer very little depth.

Some of the Celeb’s lifestyles are also destructive. So just at the time when teens are working out their values and their needs for intimacy, they discover a path that may not help them with the big questions. Such as integrity, deep meaning, humility, hard work, sustainability, and commitment, to name a few.

Celebs may seem to offer a solution for some things but I would recommend that a teen also tries out and discovers her/his own uniqueness.