The Actors Sense Of Self And The Experience Of Other Identities Through Theatrical Roles

Download or read book The Actor's Sense of Self and the Experience of Other Identities Through Theatrical Roles written by Amber Crane and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 143 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While the most basic tenets of acting raise pertinent questions regarding the fundamental concerns of ego, self, and identity, there has been little research exploring the relationship between an actor's work of assuming various selves or identities and the actor's experience of his or her own identity or sense of self. The few studies that can be found in the literature addressing identity and the actor rely mainly on quantitative measures to determine whether an actor possesses a healthy identity development. The results of these studies often suggest actors are neurotic by nature and posses a poorly developed identity. However, quantitative research is often ineffective in capturing the pertinent and revealing nuances of lived experience. Utilizing a qualitative multiple case study method, the current research allows the actor to use his or her own words to express the relationship between the individual sense of self and the experience of assuming other "selves." Extensive interviews of 8 diverse participants yielded unique data regarding the actors' historical experiences and the experience of role-playing as a profession. The data were examined and described by emergent themes. The results offer the general public and clinical psychologists an authentic understanding of the psychology of the actor and the psychological demands and rewards of their work. The findings indicate the participants experience identity and sense of self as fluid, dynamic entities that are constantly changing. The majority of participants experience their work as an actor as contributing to an expanded sense of self and personal identity. While actors indeed experience challenges of role-playing, such as being called to explore dark aspects of the psyche and of humanity at large, they do not report a destabilizing of their own identity or sense of self as has been suggested in other research. In contrast, this research concludes that an actor's unique ability to take on other identities does not suggest an unhealthy development of his or her own identity or sense of self but instead offers an opportunity for increased self-knowledge and acceptance, resulting in individual growth in the realms of both personal and social identity.