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How is improvisation beneficial in personal growth?

In this world, the more dynamic, adaptable and confident we are, the better society will respond to us, and the more likely we are to have success in our endeavors. These are the character traits that allow us to function most productively within a society and as individuals.

Communication, confidence, social awareness and adaptability are the ingredients required to thrive within any community.

Life is but One Grand Performance.

As Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;”

No matter what we do in this life, one thing remains true – we never stop performing.

We put on a character for our friends, our family, our jobs, for anything we do. We take on the role that is required of us in the situation at hand.

We play numerous roles throughout our lives. How many jobs have you worked in your life? I know i’ve played the role of dishwasher, paper boy, server, personal trainer, entrepreneur, actor, educator, brother, son, friend and so many more.

Role Play in Life

We adapt to fill the roles required of us given the situation.

The Bystander effect shows that in an emergency where someone needs help immediately, if only one other person is in the room they look for solutions, knowing they’re the only option to help, filling the role of hero demanded by the situation.

When you apply for a new job, or join a new community adaptability, and confidence make it easy for you to fit into the norms of this unknown culture you’ve entered.

Its your ability to role play that sets the stage for what roles you will play.

The more adaptable, the more confident, the more socially aware and the more practiced you are, the easier it becomes to connect, and the better quality of life and health you will enjoy.

A Lesson from my Life

One of the lessons I learned in my time as a trainer is that humans “adapt according to the pressures placed upon us“. So for example, if somehow you grew up on mars, you’d likely be a lot taller and have less dense muscle mass because you would have grown up with so much less gravity pressing down on your body.

So our bodies are ever adapting to the different pressures placed upon us. This is how we grow, by resistance to pressure. Lifting heavy weights places additional pressure on the body creating the conditions for growth.

Today, our modern culture has well adapted the importance of this resistance to pressure, in the form of regular exercise and its benefits on the bodies long term health.

In the same way, we should think of strengthening our social muscles and sharpening the mind through a regular practice of improvisation.

The Research

Its not for a lack of data either.

Numerous studies have shown the profound impact of social connection on our mental and physical well-being. For instance, a study published in PLOS Medicine in 2010 conducted by Holt-Lunstad, Smith, and Layton analyzed data from 148 studies involving over 308,000 participants. They found that strong social relationships improve the likelihood of survival by 50%, a finding comparable to quitting smoking or reducing obesity. This underscores how deeply intertwined our social bonds are with our overall health. Lets look at some more studies.

Improvisation and Anxiety Reduction:

• Study: “Thera-prov: a pilot study of improv used to treat anxiety and depression”
  Kristin R. Krueger, Jonathan W. Murphy, and Andrea B. Bink
  Journal of Mental Health, 2019
  This pilot study explored the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a therapeutic improvisation (thera-prov) intervention for individuals with anxiety and depression. Participants engaged in a four-week program combining improvisational theater exercises with group therapy sessions. Results indicated significant reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as improvements in self-esteem.
  Thera-prov: a pilot study of improv used to treat anxiety and depression

Improv Training in Adolescents:

• Study: “The use of improvisational theatre training to reduce social anxiety in adolescents”
  Peter Felsman, Colleen M. Seifert, and Joseph A. Himle
  The Arts in Psychotherapy, 2019
  This study examined the impact of a 10-week improvisational theatre program on social anxiety symptoms among adolescents. Nearly 270 middle and high school students participated, with findings indicating significant reductions in social anxiety symptoms post-intervention. The study suggests that school-based improv theater may serve as an effective, low-stigma intervention for social phobias and anxiety disorders.
  Improvisational Theater for Psychological Health

Improv Training and Uncertainty Tolerance:

• Study: “Improv experience promotes divergent thinking, uncertainty tolerance, and affective well-being”
  Peter Felsman, Sanuri Gunawardena, and Colleen M. Seifert
  Thinking Skills and Creativity, 2020
  This research provides evidence that improvisational theatre experience enhances divergent thinking, tolerance for uncertainty, and affective well-being. Participants who underwent improv training demonstrated significant improvements in these areas compared to control groups, suggesting that improv can be a valuable tool for psychological health and social skill development.
  Improv experience promotes divergent thinking, uncertainty tolerance, and affective well-being

The Harvard Study of Adult Development

Study: “The Harvard Study of Adult Development”
George E. Vaillant, Robert J. Waldinger, et al.
Harvard Medical School
1938–present

This longitudinal study began in 1938, tracking the lives of 268 Harvard sophomores to identify factors contributing to healthy and happy lives. Over the decades, it has expanded to include their spouses and descendants, totalling over 1,300 participants. The research has consistently demonstrated that the quality of relationships is a key determinant of health and longevity, surpassing factors like wealth or fame. Strong social connections have been linked to improved mental and physical well-being, while loneliness correlates with declining health.

The Harvard Study of Adult Development – Lifespan Research Foundation

“The surprising finding is that our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health,” said Robert Waldinger, director of the study. “Taking care of your body is important, but tending to your relationships is a form of self-care too. That, I think, is the revelation.” – The Harvard Gazette

To me this is one of the most important parts about performance education. We’re training our ability to connect, to be vulnerable, to overcome fear and to adapt to the people and situations around us with ease.

As a result, socialization becomes easier, confidence soars, and we live a healthier life as a byproduct of making space for a little play to our lives. The upward spiral of a regular practice of performing is phenomenal.

Conclusion

Improv sits atop my list of best performing arts for personal growth, as its the form that most accurately mimics the pressures of life. We don’t have a script in life, we make it up.

Words are said to us and we’re expected to have an answer with other made up words…

In improvisation we constantly step past our own fear and judgement, get up on stage to try, just as we should in life. Training our subconscious that it’s on the other side of our fear’s where revelations and exciting experiences await.

We take on characters and roles improving our flexibility, we experiment with our voices, we learn about status dynamics, hierarchy, relationships and so much more. All things that directly correlate to living a fulfilled, quality life.

I hope this perspective can help you see the value of a practice of performing arts, and improvisation as a tool to on the path to living your best, most fulfilled, healthiest life!