Sport and dance benefit from performance psychology – why does acting largely ignore it?

When most people think of actors, they imagine the glamour of movies, television and the stage.

Yet few people realise actors are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts than the general population.

Because behind the glitzy facade lie the pressures of performing in the public eye, challenging working conditions and taxing emotional demands.

Why then is performance psychology, used broadly in sport, circus, dance and music, rarely used in the acting world?

Setting the scene

The amphitheatres of ancient Greece are often pointed to as the birthplace of modern theatre, with Thespis becoming the first “thespian” around 535 BC.

However, the broader act of storytelling is considered “as ancient as humankind”.

Acting’s endurance hasn’t meant being an actor has become any easier, though, despite their comprehensive technical training.

The curriculum in most Western drama schools today remains largely faithful to the curriculum developed by Russian actor and director Konstantin Stanislavski in the early 1900s.

This curriculum contains classes such as poetry and singing, dance and stage fighting, accents and animal studies – all of which serve to enrich the three main aspects: acting, voice and movement.

Actors’ psychological training, however, remains noticeably absent, despite having to manage pressure (from time-pressed producers or live audiences, for example) to sustain high levels of performance and wellbeing.

Further, the acting field as a whole still operates without a well-established body of performing arts medicine, such as performance psychology.

Why use performance psychology?

Performance psychology has been defined as:

The study and application of psychological principles of human performance to help people consistently perform in the upper range of their capabilities and more thoroughly enjoy the performance process.

In short, it seeks to apply what we know about the human psyche to enhance performance and wellbeing in performative contexts.

Athletes are the most prominent example of performers who draw on these tools and techniques.

References to optimising athletic performance appear as early as the first Olympics (776 BC).

However, it wasn’t until the late 19th century that the first formal studies were published, and the late 20th century that sport and exercise psychology was solidified as a field.

Despite outward appearances, athletes and actors share several common pressures and demands.

For instance, both perform in the public arena, frequently incurring social critique.

Both careers are highly competitive and require rigorous, ongoing training. And both feature mentor figures (namely, coaches or managers in sport and teachers or directors in acting) who can hold tremendous sway over their mentees.

It’s not just athletes

Like acting, training in circus, dance and music has historically meant a heavy focus on the doing and a light focus on the doer.

But unlike acting, these fields have been turning to sports psychology to model domain-specific performance psychology.

Even the business, law and medical sectors have too.

Why? Because each of these fields has recognised their “performers” could benefit from reaping what performance psychology sows.

Recent meta-analyses suggest psychological skills, such as mindfulness, mental rehearsal, preparatory routines and positive self-talk, can improve focus, emotional regulation and sense of self-efficacy, supporting both performance and the performer.

The acting field appears to have not followed suit despite being in many ways a prime candidate for performance psychology.

For instance, research shows actors are commonly subject to high unemployment rates, sub-minimum wage incomes and a decreased sense of life satisfaction.

Compounding this are the emotional demands unique to their profession.

Playing Medea eight shows a week or Sansa Stark for eight years can take its toll, yet there’s very little in place that acknowledges or alleviates the “post-dramatic stress” or “emotional hangover” such performers may experience.

More opportunities to shine

Acting teachers and directors must recognise not only the talent of the performers they work with but also how they can readily support this talent to thrive.

As sport, circus, dance and music have already discovered, pairing technical training with psychological training can contribute to both performance and performer outcomes.

Indeed, thriving is as much about optimising wellbeing as performance.

It’s time, then, for the acting field to embrace performance psychology as part of actors’ training and preparation.