IT’S the silent star of Love Island that can make or break relationships, cause tears, tantrums and furious feuds.
And make no mistake: while this year’s swanky new villa has been carefully thought-out to look eye-catching and fun, there’s a lot more to the layout than initially meets the eye.
TV psychologist Emma Kenny says: “Love Island may appear all glamour and gloss, but in reality, it has the perfect ingredients required to cook up fierce competition, conflict, and cabin fever all under one roof.
“From the moment that each of the Islanders enter the villa, to the second the victorious couple are crowned, the set is stage managed to provoke as much emotion as possible.
“Even though the villa mates will be blissfully unaware of the psychological tactics being used, every single detail has been purposely thought out with one intention – to ensure that as much dating, dumping and drama is delivered in love island 2022.”
Here, Emma reveals how the villa is designed to ensure maximum impact – and TV gold…
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The sleep situation
Living with a large group of people is bound to feel intense at times, especially in the villa, where everyone shares one bedroom.
Emma says: “Placing all the beds together ensures a lack of privacy, which can easily turn to resentment and conflict.
“However, if the personalities of most of the contestants are agreeable, this type of arrangement could also lead to an intensity where bonding is concerned, meaning that friendships develop quickly.
“Usually intimate relationships grow and play out in private, but by having the sleeping arrangements in view of everyone else, this removes the possibility of this typical element.
“This is an interesting psychological tactic, as it means that it primes the couples to accept that their relationship, warts and all, is on show, and this mirrors the competition itself which is viewed by millions.
“By getting contestants into this mindset, it is more likely they will begin to act more authentically when coupled up.”
A level playing field
As the area where the coupling up happens, the fire pit is one of the key stages in the villa, and there’s a very good reason why it’s circular.
Emma says: “The fire pit and the circular seating around it helps to prevent a social hierarchy.
“There’s no one at the head of the table so to speak, and everyone’s default position is “equally as important”.
“This means that all parties feel on the same level when they share this space.
“This is helpful in preventing those contestants with more dominant personality styles being able to command all the attention.
“Another reason for the round fire pit is to help foster communication, which is of acute importance in any relationship, no matter what stage it is at.
“When the islanders are making difficult decisions, such as betraying a current partner and replacing them with someone new, the round shape creates a more level playing field emotionally.
“It also sends a message to all other contestants that no one should believe that they are safe or feel superior to others in the group.”
A place to ‘peacock’
One way contestants can pass the time is to use the gym area, which is equipped with weights.
Emma says: “The outdoor gym serves more than one purpose, firstly it draws the contestants’ attention towards those who show dedication and commitment to their self-care.
“Seeing a potential mate working out offers the interested party an insight into the kind of individual they are.
“The gym also offers a competitive space where the alphas of the group can essentially peacock, showing their strength, skill and athleticism without overtly challenging other contestants.
“This area offers a perfect viewing platform where contestants can check each other out, and note whose gaze seems to be lingering on their bodies the longest.”
No privacy
Of course the biggest thing that is bound to impact the contestants is the huge numbers of cameras dotted about the villa, designed to capture their every move.
Emma says: “Being filmed 24/7 is initially a stressful experience that will understandably make the Islanders more self-conscious and less authentic than they would be if the cameras weren’t recording their every move. But this tempering of personalities and behaviours will not last.
“Reality TV is titled so because after a relatively short amount of time people in these environments begin to act similarly to how they would in their real lives.
“On one level this can mean that they begin to relax and enjoy the process of being in the villa.
“But on another, should they make a mistake or lose their cool, they are likely to suffer a much higher emotional stress reaction, due to the stark realisation that many millions of people will have witnessed a behaviour that is usually played out in private.
“The Love Island experience is designed to keep the contestants a little on edge. They are never allowed to feel fully safe, always awaiting instructions, or being ready for their potential dumping, or coupling up.
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“Everyone inside the villa will play the possibility of being rejected publicly through their heads and this will provoke a level of anxiety and fear.
“This tactic keeps all the islanders just that little bit vulnerable. Even the design of the villa has been carefully thought out with the aim of fostering new friendships, and inducing immediate intimacy in the islanders.”
