Researchers have proposed a new theoretical model to analyze gaslighting, a form of psychological manipulation that involves making a victim question their sense of reality over a period of time. Using the field of social cognition as a starting point, the team from McGill University and the University of Toronto aimed to update the current theoretical knowledge surrounding gaslighting.

In markets where producers drive the creative process, high-status producers can opt for more radical changes for their artists’ image, whereas middle-status producers are likely to shift their artists’ image to follow popular categories. The new research, published in Strategic Management Journal, uses Korean pop music — or K-pop — to demonstrate how the status of entertainment agencies affects how idol groups shift categories, an effect that is also limited by the artists’ gender.

The research — from Heeyon Kim of Cornell University, Yoonjeoung Heo of Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, and Chi-Nien Chung of Hong Kong Polytechnic University — expanded on prior studies that explored the limitations of category shifting for artists. Instead, the team considered how, when social actors shift categories over time, they develop multifaceted identities, which can offer substantial advantages to the artist.