Surviving Reality TV

Abstract

This thesis examines the behavioral evolution within the reality TV competition Survivor, which, in its forty-seventh season, has been on air since 2000. Focusing on the general attitudes and strategies of players, this research uses surveillance theory and the concept of learned behaviors as a framework for analysis. A Critical Content Analysis of three key seasons—the first, thirty-third, and forty-sixth—highlights shifts in dialogue, camaraderie, individuality, generational work ethic expectations, and the criteria for victory. The findings reveal that while the show has become outwardly emotional and vulnerable compared to its aggressive origins, player strategies have grown increasingly complex and covert. Under the guise of kindness and influenced by heightened surveillance, subliminal betrayals now outmaneuver overt confrontation. These dynamics manipulate audiences to perceive the gameplay as less competitive, when in reality, modern Survivor demands a more critical understanding of layered social strategies and the show's evolving competitive landscape.