"Yes And": Exploring and Heightening the Positive Psychology in Improvisation

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dc.contributor.authorElam, Bridget Erica
dc.date2023-05-17T23:51:16.000
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-22T23:37:53Z
dc.date.available2023-05-22T23:37:53Z
dc.date.issued2020-08-15
dc.date.submitted2020-08-16T20:07:55-07:00
dc.description.abstractThis capstone contains a brief introduction to positive psychology and the art of improvisation, including a review of the literature that supports improvisation’s potential well-being effects. Also included in this capstone is a description of an exploratory study on improvisation and well-being. In this study, positive and negative affect, resilience, loneliness, and perceived life satisfaction was measured among a group of actors and improvisers from all over the United States. The study also features qualitative data, collected from the same participants, coded for positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishment (PERMA) in order to consider whether working without a script offered flourishing outcomes distinct from general participation in theatre. Quantitative analysis revealed that life satisfaction scores among actors was significantly higher than those of improvisers, however the elements of PERMA showed up more frequently in the qualitative data collected from improvisers, with positive relationships mentioned significantly more often. Findings suggest that while improvisers may have a lower sense of life satisfaction, they experience more positive emotion, engagement, sense of accomplishment than actors and the study of improvisation has considerable positive effects on their relationships onstage and off. Implications for the creation of a new branch of the Positive Humanities, “Positive Improvisation,” are discussed, as well as suggestions for how to make traditional improvisation more intentionally positive.
dc.formatEmpirical Study, Literature Review, Capstone
dc.identifier.urihttps://repository.upenn.edu/handle/20.500.14332/38830
dc.legacy.articleid1195
dc.legacy.fulltexturlhttps://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1195&context=mapp_capstone&unstamped=1
dc.source.issue188
dc.source.journalMaster of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Capstone Projects
dc.source.statuspublished
dc.subject.otherpositive improvisation
dc.subject.otherimprovisation
dc.subject.otherimprovisational training
dc.subject.otherimprov
dc.subject.otherpositive psychology
dc.subject.otherPERMA
dc.subject.otherwell-being
dc.subject.other“yes and
dc.subject.other” resilience
dc.subject.otherPANAS
dc.subject.otherpositive humanities
dc.subject.otherActing
dc.subject.otherArt Education
dc.subject.otherArts and Humanities
dc.subject.otherInterpersonal and Small Group Communication
dc.subject.otherOther Arts and Humanities
dc.subject.otherOther Psychology
dc.subject.otherOther Theatre and Performance Studies
dc.subject.otherPerformance Studies
dc.subject.otherPsychology
dc.subject.otherSocial Psychology
dc.subject.otherTheatre and Performance Studies
dc.subject.otherTheatre History
dc.title"Yes And": Exploring and Heightening the Positive Psychology in Improvisation
dc.topicWell-Being/Flourishing, Improvisation, Education, Relationships, Health/Wellness, Positive Emotions, Achievement, Engagement, Humanities
dc.typeWorking Paper
digcom.identifiermapp_capstone/188
digcom.identifier.contextkey18954541
digcom.identifier.submissionpathmapp_capstone/188
digcom.typeworkingpaper
dspace.entity.typePublication
relation.isAuthorOfPublication346cc222-7f77-426c-9101-eec75cc41327
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery346cc222-7f77-426c-9101-eec75cc41327
upenn.schoolDepartmentCenterMaster of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Capstones
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