Celebrity Hate: Credibility and Belief in a Just World in Prediction of Celebrity Hate

Though many studies have addressed interest in celebrities, the extant literature has not directly addressed celebrity hate. The current study sought to investigate the triangular theory of hate as it applies to celebrities, while examining source credibility and belief in a just world as predictors of celebrity hate. College students completed the Celebrity-Adapted Triangular Hate Scale, Source Credibility Scale, Belief in a Just World Scale, and Celebrity Attitude Scale. Factor analysis confirmed a three-factor model of celebrity hate. The scale showed good reliability and validity. Source credibility and belief in a just world were negatively associated with celebrity hate. Results indicate that the Celebrity-Adapted Triangular Hate Scale is a promising measure with the potential to be used in media psychology and communication sciences. In addition, our results suggest that low source credibility and belief in a just world may predispose audiences to hate celebrities. Public Policy Relevance Statement Celebrity bashing, scandal-driven criticisms, and denigration of celebrities indicate that hatred toward celebrities is common. This study introduces a valid and reliable scale to capture hatred toward celebrities. The scale may be used to investigate determinants and consequences of celebrity hate that can aid in understanding the nature of celebrity-audience relationships.