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Abstract

This study utilizes a dynamic social impact theory (DSIT) framework to analyze human influence on the popular Netflix television series Squid Game: The Challenge. A British reality competition, Squid Game: The Challenge is comprised of ten-episodes and features 456 contestants vying for $4.56 million. As contestants self-organize into social alliances, their shared attitudes, beliefs, and values transform the physical space into a dynamic social space. The creation of clusters through these alliances, the correlation between contestant attitudes and behaviors, and the consolidation of contestant attitudes and behaviors reflective of alliance needs is reinforced by the physical proximity of contestants, the number of contestants participating in the competition, and the characteristic strengths of the individuals participating in the competition. As a cultural case study, Squid Game: The Challenge illustrates DSIT dynamics in a mediated social space by exposing the conditions under which social clustering, cluster consolidation, and cluster dispersal may occur.

Journal Title

Iowa Journal of Communication

Volume

58

Issue

1

First Page

286

Last Page

308

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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