Research Article

A Study of the Social Psychology and Spatial Construction of Workplace Observation Reality Shows — Take A Heartwarming Offer as an Example

Xiaowen WangCollege of Culture and Media, Xi'an Eurasia University, Xi'an, China*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

In the current era of involution, the employment situation is complex and severe; the workplace reality shows have a large audience space. In recent years, the emergence of workplace observation reality shows, which address the pain points of young professionals, has stood out against the backdrop of the “pan-reality show” trend. These shows have quickly gained popularity, sparking a boom in the "reality TV + observation" format. This study focuses on The Heartwarming Offer 5 as a core case to conduct a multi-dimensional and in-depth analysis, revealing the internal logic of this kind of programme in achieving cross-circle communication. The study finds that the programme transforms topics such as individual employment anxiety into group issues of group empathy through “social reality”, and then stimulates the audience’s participatory interpretation through the two-layered narrative space of “observation room-internship field”, which eventually creates a cultural breakthrough effect by relying on social media communication.

Keywords: Workplace observation reality show; personal and social relationships; empathy issues; multi-spatial perspectives
Published: May 15, 2025
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.22844
Volume: CHR Vol.57
pp. 175-180
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