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A Harvard psychologist has revealed four key flaws keeping the Roy family in a “vicious cycle” of mistrust following the release of Succession’s final season.
For five years now, viewers have been hooked on the mega-rich but utterly miserable Roy family and their media empire in the hit HBO series.
But amid the bickering and dodging of the truth, an expert claims the Roys could save themselves a lot of heartache if they just followed a few simple rules.
Offering insincere apologies and adopting a fear-based management style were among the top no-nos to avoid, wrote Francesca Gino in the Harvard Business review.
The patriarch of the family, Roy Logan, was singled out as a major culprit after he made false apologies to some of his children.
A Harvard psychologist has revealed four key flaws that keep the Roy family in a ‘vicious cycle of distrust’
A pivotal moment of the season is used to prove this, when Logan seeks the support of Roman, Shiv and Kendall on a new business deal.
To get them on board, he apologizes for the past bad behavior and adds, “Look, I’m not apologizing. But if it means that much to you, sorry.’
Had Logan been more sincere, Mrs. Gino claims that any lingering anger or resentment between family members could have been easily nipped in the bud.
The empathy and forgiveness shown would prevent other problems from festering.
She said, “Despite these benefits, we often avoid making excuses for fear that it will make us look weak or because we don’t think it will do any good. However, a well-executed apology can improve our relationships, leaving us better off than before the mistake was made.”
Ms. Gino expressed many of her concerns after watching this season’s rehearsal episode, claiming that the family just doesn’t know how to have a face-to-face conversation.
Not trusting each other was another fundamental problem, she said, because talking without honesty exacerbates family misunderstandings.
Attention was also drawn to avoiding harsh truths through clever antics, with characters using positive remarks to soften the blow of their true thoughts.
For five years now, viewers have been hooked on the mega-rich but totally miserable home life of the Roys and their media empire in the hit HBO series
Mrs. Gino points to Kerry’s hair-raising audition tape as an example of this as she follows her dreams of becoming a TV presenter.
In the show, Kerry is Logan Roy’s ambitious assistant and supposed romantic partner.
While it’s pretty obvious that the performance was poor, characters sheepishly avoid acknowledging it before one of them finally gets the message across.
Mrs. Gino continued, “It’s a vicious circle that’s hard to get out of. Without trust, people may also be unwilling to take responsibility for their actions, leading to long-lasting conflict and making [resolution] more difficult.’
These thoughts come after MailOnline asked other psychologists to rate the dark personality traits of Logan and his children Shiv, Kendall, Roman and Connor.
The findings suggest that Logan and Kendall are the worst of the bunch, both displaying all three in the form of greed, selfishness and disregard for the feelings of others.
Logan Roy, played by Brian Cox, is the head of both the media conglomerate Waystar Royco and the Roy family.
The tycoon built his empire through ruthless business tactics and continues to inflict them on his four children as they vie for his attention.
Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of psychology at UCL, told MailOnline: ‘He is a master of manipulation, to the point that he can even surprise his viewers with his evil master plans, engaging in sophisticated deception tactics and astute subliminal influence tactics.
“This means that he is highly Machiavellian, constantly scheming and conspiring to gather power and control over everyone, including his own family.”
Ms. Gino also adds that Logan uses fear as a way to motivate people, pointing to a tense scene that takes place in the ATN newsroom during the rehearsal episode.
Before giving a fierce speech, he is seen walking around the room in dark sunglasses as he hovers over an employee typing an email.
The anxiety this communication style evokes can be detrimental to mental health, Ms. Gino claims, with many characters already dealing with personal struggles.
“Fear-based leaders are often controlling and critical, leaving employees with little room to use their own judgment or creativity,” she said.
Dr. Ramani Durvasula, clinical psychologist and professor at California State University, says Logan Roy’s (pictured) upbringing played a role in his behavior
‘This can lead to reduced job satisfaction, increased stress and anxiety, and even psychological problems such as depression and anxiety disorders.’
Ms Gino’s thoughts come at a time when 44 per cent of British adults claim to be ‘at war’ with another family member.
Research also found that more than one in three also said they have not spoken to a relative for over three years due to ongoing conflict.
The survey, commissioned by online casino ICE36, surveyed 2,000 adult Britons about their relationship with their families.
It revealed that, like media mogul Logan Roy’s character, the over-60s are most likely to hold a grudge.
Just over half of those surveyed said they would never make amends with a family member they had a fight with.
Selfishness (28 percent), life choices (26 percent), and relationship problems (21 percent) were the three most common reasons for disputes.