Communication
Introduction
Communication facilitates the transfer of messages from one party to another through a defined medium. Nonetheless, communication can take different forms; thus, different concepts/ models have been developed through proposed theories to aid in effective communication among individuals or groups. Thus, the paper aims to examine the communication principle, idea, concept, or theory discussed in this semester in Introduction to Communication. A film will facilitate the analysis dubbed Squid game. The film has been selected become of the numerous communication techniques and devices employed throughout the film.
Discussion of the film
Squid game is a Korean television drama series based on children’s games, where the characters are required to participate in five rounds of children’s play upon where a price of thirty-eight million is offered. The players have been specifically selected to participate in the game from varying age groups and strata of Korean society. The key selection criteria are based on the fact that all of the participants are in enormous personal or business debt, which they cannot pay. The players are rounded together on an undisclosed island (Cho, 2021). Initially, the players are unaware that failing to complete the game result in death. However, after participation in the first game, more than half of the participants are brutally executed for failing to complete the game. Essentially, characters who are unable to complete each game successfully are executed brutally as a form of elimination.
Nevertheless, upon realization of the game’s brutality, the players are allowed to choose to continue or exit the game democratically. The majority vote to quit the game and return to the harsh realities of their lives characterized by constant family struggles associated with debt and lack of finances. However, the players return willingly to the game when offered a second chance to compete for the grand prize (Cho, 2021). The subsequent episode depicts how individuals from different backgrounds form relationships out of necessity to survive and compete in each game stage. It is evident that the players who are able to effectively form a relationship and communicate effectively had a higher probability of completing each game successfully.
Moreover, there are illustrations in the film of how communication functions in the film. First, communication has been used as a tool to outline specific instructions. The players were issued with specific instructions on how each game should be plaid successfully. Additionally, the antagonists communicated the rules of the games clearly and straightforwardly; this enabled the players to focus on the game’s objective without focusing on their emotions, doubt, or fear. Furthermore, the antagonists issued the instructions regarding the prize to the players to inform and motivate them to participate in the game. The absence of such communication could have prompted most of the players to withdraw from the game.
Explanation of communication concept
There are various communication concepts, which have been adopted in the film Squid Game. In the film, communication plays an essential role in the successful completion of each game. Furthermore, the group dynamic illustrated in the film is proximately dependent on the various communication concepts. One of the critical concepts adopted in the film relates to interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication is an exchange of information between two or more people. It is also an area of research that seeks to understand how humans use verbal and nonverbal cues to accomplish several personal and relational goals.
Nonverbal communication, which may co-occur with verbal communication and independently, involves the exchange of nonverbal codes between people to make meaning (Valitova & Besson, 2021). In the film “Squid Game,” nonverbal codes have been illustrated in various scenes, such as kinesics and haptic. Kang Sae’s character uses sad facial expressions (kinesics) in episode two to covey sadness and regret when she remembers her younger brother, who is in a foster home. The use of kinesics is critical in enabling the characters to express their emotions and feelings, which increases the quality of interaction with the audience.
In the fourth episode, the players must group themselves into groups of ten to participate in a “tag of war” game. The main characters find themselves with members deemed inferior in weak “based Koran” culture. Ideally, individuals participating in a tug of war game are judged based on physical looks. Thus, in the film, group four is perceived as the inferior group because of women and an elderly player, while group five is composed of physically built men. Gainforth et al. (2014) posit that interpersonal communication is a systemic series or process that can lead to a specific outcome consisting of message production, interpretation, and coordination. The “weak” team adopts the concept of interpersonal communication as a process to win over the “strong team.” The first step involved message production, which is the performed action when a message is sent. This required the members to “hold the line” for ten seconds in order to send a message of “strength” to the opposing team, who viewed them as weak. The second step was message interpretation, which examined the audience’s actions based on the sender’s intentions. Thus, the opposing team reacted to the cue of the message by showing signs of subservience, which motivated the “weak” team to place more pressure to win the “tag.”
Furthermore, the transfer of communication among the “weak” team members was successful because of the personal and preferred listening styles adopted. Essentially, the message was “people-centered,” meaning it was concerned with the feelings and emotions of the listeners as a means to encourage group members to overcome their fears and doubt. The group members were required to listen to the instruction carefully to ensure minimal errors that could result in death. This is consistent with the Relational Dialectics Theory (RDT), which postulate that the relationship among individuals can change when there is proper and clear communication to maintain a productive and positive interpersonal relationship in tension situations (Baxter & Braithwaite, 2015)
Moreover, the film is based on the ability of individuals or groups to solve specific puzzles or problems in the form of games. More so, the successful completion of each stage in the game has been designed where groups or individuals’ communication is vital. Essentially, the players can use verbal or nonverbal cues such as observing behaviors, body movement, and sounds to complete certain games. Therefore, the audience needs to have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the various communication concepts to understand or relate to the film.
Analysis and evaluation
The use of interpersonal communication as a concept of communication, especially where group dynamics and relationships are critical. Towards enhancing the productivity of a group while increasing health relationships among group members. In addition, interpersonal communication enabled players to share ideas that enabled others to benefit and succeed in finishing the games. The communication in this film reflects what we’ve talked about in class regarding how individuals can connect through interpersonal communication. Players as individuals or groups were able to make decisions, manage conflict, and build the rapport necessary to keep the group going in difficult circumstances throughout the film.
However, there are ways in which the communication in the film does differ from the class discussions. In the film, communication is the view from the negative paradigm; specifically, individual result to communicate as means to overcome various obstacles present in the games. In contrast, class discussion portrayed communication in a “positive” perspective, such as in work, home, or family environment, where people have control over “what they can say or how to say it.”
Overall, it is essential for individuals to have proper undertaking on the nature of communication and corresponding forms and concepts. This will enable an individual to communicate or interpret the message being communicated in any situation or circumstance.
Conclusion
As portrayed in the Squid Game film, interpersonal communication is a critical concept in communication. It enables individuals to share emotions and ideas nonverbally and verbally with other people. Regardless of the situation or environment, interpersonal communication stimulate interaction and understanding among colleagues, workmates, friends, or family members. Therefore, it is vital for people to grasp and comprehend the different concepts of communication to be effective communicators either within or outside formal settings. Furthermore, having knowledge of communication concepts and theory enables people to examine or analyse relationships.
Reference
Baxter, L. A., & Braithwaite, D. O. (2015). Relational dialectics theory. na.
Cho, J. (2021). Squid Game and the ‘untranslatable’: the debate around subtitles explained.
Gainforth, H. L., Latimer-Cheung, A. E., Athanasopoulos, P., Moore, S., & Ginis, K. A. M. (2014). The role of interpersonal communication in the process of knowledge mobilization within a community-based organization: a network analysis. Implementation Science, 9(1), 1-8.
Valitova, A., & Besson, D. (2021). Interpersonal communications at core of conflicts’ escalation in organization. The interplay of interpersonal communication escalation, people’s habitus and psycho-sociological processes are more important than contextual factors. Journal of Organizational Change Management.
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