Personal growth by putting on other people's shoes

Abstract

Persons engaging in performance arts are trained to enact and thus be different persons with different characteristics within their own bodies. Consequently actors learn to live in the shoes of others all the time, but still carrying some elements from their real persona. The following qualitative study explores how this process of role taking impacts personal growth in adults taking part in the performing arts. This was investigated through focus groups and semi-structured interviews, so that an in-depth analysis could be undertaken. The data collected was analysed by utilising the Interpretative Phenomenological Approach where four main themes emerged. This study suggests that the process of role-taking impacts personal growth in a positive manner. Such a positive influence seems to be conditioned by the degree of preparations of the persons involved in drama alongside the external structure as well as internal psychological structure that allows roling and de-roling.