Maybe there’s finally a cure for all that screaming?

A clinical psychologist and research scientist at Emory is looking at the rise of pop star Justin Bieber and his effects on the adolescents who idolize him.

In the recent video, “The Reality of Bieber Fever,” Jared DeFife discussed whether “Bieber Fever,” a term coined for Bieber’s avid fan base, is normal and healthy behavior.

“The Reality of Bieber Fever” is part of a larger Emory University video series that features different faculty members. In each video of the series, these faculty members analyze certain aspects of pop culture through a perspective that pertains to their particular area of knowledge.

This latest addition to the Emory feature series uses DeFife’s perspective as a psychologist to teach the Emory community about the normalcy of Bieber Fever. However, in the video, DeFife also discusses what he feels to be the disastrous lengths that this psychological phenomenon can evolve into among adolescents in particular.

Bieber, who is a Canadian singer and songwriter, has received numerous awards and in 2012 was named by Forbes Magazine as the third most powerful celebrity in the world.

Bieber’s popularity spurred the prevalence of the “Bieber Fever” phenomenon, which manifests itself in obsessive infatuation among fans of Bieber and his music, according to DeFife.

The process that results in Bieber Fever, DeFife explained, can be studied as it occurs during distinct stages in adolescents, especially amongst young girls, which is Bieber’s primary fan group.

Differences in the way that boys and girls express and handle emotions can explain how Bieber Fever has become so prevalent among young girls in particular.

“We look at it sort of through a developmental lens of adolescents as they’re starting to try on new identities,” DeFife said in an interview with the Wheel. “They’re trying to take on value systems outside of their parents and outside of the home … and they often do that through pop culture; that’s the way adolescents connect with each other.”

DeFife explained that celebrity worship and engagement is largely healthy developmental behavior for young teens.

It is normal for adolescents to be socially engaged and extroverted; as a result, a fascination with pop culture can serve as not only a source of entertainment but also of social engagement, he said.

On the other hand, this so-called “Bieber Fever” can also result in the more obsessive fans who are often portrayed negatively in the media, according to DeFife.

This type of fan is often seen chasing after Bieber in the streets and even making declarations of his or her love for Bieber on various Internet forums.

These actions can signal a turn to the more maladaptive range of fan behavior which can sometimes be unhealthy.

In this range “people become overly focused to the point where they use it to experience and express negative emotions and negative connections,” according to DeFife.

“They become very isolated, and there’s the question of what effect it has on their materialism and body image,” DeFife said.

The extent to which this type of fan behavior occurs is more rare, but “Bieber Fever” has certainly given rise to such fans, DeFife explained.

DeFife stressed that above all, one must understand that the different range of behaviors among fans is the result of pop culture images and messages marketed at adolescents.

The intent aims to make fans more engaged with celebrities like Bieber.

DeFife said that his research at Emory has given him an insight into the psychological aspect of adolescent development.

In order to form the basis for his academic research, DeFife focuses mainly on personality and personality disorders by studying individuals who are already engaged in psychotherapy.

Through observation, DeFife said he is better able to study factors that contribute and emerge from a specific personality.

DeFife’s understanding of “Bieber Fever” stems from his knowledge of various personality types, he noted.

DeFife has examined the psychological aspects of celebrities regarding popular figures such as Batman, the eponymous main character in the TV show “Dexter” and the main character in Steven Spielberg’s most recent movie “Lincoln.”

 – By Rachel Duboff 

+ posts

The Emory Wheel was founded in 1919 and is currently the only independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University. The Wheel publishes weekly on Wednesdays during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions.

The Wheel is financially and editorially independent from the University. All of its content is generated by the Wheel’s more than 100 student staff members and contributing writers, and its printing costs are covered by profits from self-generated advertising sales.