Brief Dance Research Reports
Dance Confidence, Age and Gender.
Peter J. Lovatt, Ph.D.
School of Psychology, University of
Hertfordshire, UK.
Dance Confidence is a measure of
domain-specific self-esteem as applied to how a person feels about their social
and recreational dance ability, as compared with other people of their own age
and gender. This study is
concerned with how dance confidence varies as a function of gender and age
group. 13,715 people watched a video and then completed an on-line survey. The results show that dance
confidence varies as a function of gender and age group, such that, in general,
females have higher levels of dance confidence than males, and dance confidence
changes at significant points in the developmental cycle. For females dance confidence levels
start high in early adolescence, they drop significantly post 16 and then rise
steadily through late-teens and early twenties before leveling off during
mid-life. There is a significant drop in dance confidence for women when they
reach their mid-late fifties. For men, dance confidence levels start low and
then rise steadily during late teens and early twenties, before leveling off
during mid-thirties. There is a significant increase in dance confidence for
men when they reach their mid-sixties. The results, and the link between social
dance and self-esteem, are discussed within the context of two theoretical
models of self-esteem, the “Reflected Appraisal Model” and the “Competencies
Model”.
State and Trait Self-esteem in Ballet
Dancers, Non-Ballet Dancers and Non-Dancers.
Peter J. Lovatt, Ph.D. and Sophie Horncastle, B.Sc.
School of Psychology, University of
Hertfordshire, UK.
Introduction
Previous research into the personality of
dancers has shown that dancers have lower self-esteem and are more anxious than
the normal population (e.g. Bakker, 1988). This finding is explained either in
terms of the dance training regime, concerns over body image or self-selection
prior to training. However all the empirical evidence to date is based on
samples of ballet dancers and it is not clear to what extent this finding is
generalizable to other dancing groups.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the
state and trait self-esteem of ballet dancers, non-ballet dancers (e.g. belly,
jazz, salsa) and non-dancers. We hypothesize that the self esteem scores of
non-dancers will be different to ballet dancers because of differences in
training regimes, attitudes towards body image and general attitudes towards
each specific discipline.
Methods
114 participants (16 ballet dancers, 62
non-ballet dancers, 36 non-dancers) completed two self-esteem questionnaires.
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) examined trait self-esteem.
Heatherton & Polivy’s (1991) State Self-Esteem Scale examined state
self-esteem. Participants provided
information on their height, weight, age and gender and they completed a
detailed dance participation questionnaire.
Results
Self-esteem scores varied as a function of
dance participation and gender. For female dancers, non-ballet dancers have
higher levels of state self-esteem than ballet dancers (t[76] = 3.24, p <
.01) and non-dancers (t[96] = 2.18, p < .05) and non-ballet dancers have
higher levels of trait self-esteem than non-dancers (t[96] = 2.25, p <
.05). No differences in
self-esteem were observed for male dancers.
Conclusions
Non-ballet dancers have higher levels of
state self esteem than ballet and non-dancers. We suggests that in women
participation in dance forms other than ballet promotes personal benefits in
psychological well-being, especially as it relates to elements of immediate
self-concept. There were no
differences in self esteem scores between ballet and non-dancers. One of the
limitations of the present study was the relatively small sample of ballet
dancers, which may have resulted in a type II error. However, the sample size
was consistent with previous published research in this area. Future research will examine self
esteem in an even broader range of dancer disciplines, including Indian
Classical and African dance, where attitudes to body image and dance training
regimes may be different to those in the West.
References
Bakker, F. C. (1988). Personality differences
between young dancers and non-dancers. Personality
and Individual Differences, 9, 1, 121-131
Heatherton, T.F.,
& Polivy, J. (1991). Development and validation of a scale for measuring
state self-esteem. Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology, 60, 895–910.
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the Adolescent Self-Image.
Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Dance Improvisation and Self Focused AttentionThis report is based on a sub-sample of participants and is written by Ling Ling Tai
Project supervised by Dr Peter Lovatt
Dancers are trained to be exceptionally aware of the position, balance, pressure, force and movement of different body parts simultaneously. A trained dancer is somehow able to replicate complex choreography of positions and movements as well as using it in response to the external environment.
However in dance improvisation, a dancer moves spontaneously, without explicit use of choreographed movements. Dance improvisation is a combination of spontaneous reaction and conscious choice. The conscious choice of dance improvisation allows the dancer to choose among millions of movement possibilities at the moment. Nonetheless, its the spontaneity which baffle psychologists. How does a dance improviser shape their movements? Is it in response to the environment? Or is it an expression of thoughts, emotions and bodily sensation? Does the dancer focus their attention on how they appear to others or do they focus on their emotions?
To answer these questions, a study is currently conducted to measure an individual’s awareness before and after a dance improvisation session. The measuring instrument is a questionnaire that is based on Miller et al. (1981) and Fenigstein et al. (1975) ‘Self-Focused Attention Scale’ (SFAS). SFAS contain statements relating to body and self consciousness and it requires participants to rate each statement on a 5-point agreement scale.
There are 2 types of SFAS, public and private. Public SFA is an individual's behaviour that is influenced by ‘the needs, desires, or reactions of others, desire for social consensus or the impact of one's action upon the impression of others’ (Carver & Scheier, 1987). Whereas, private SFA indicates an individual's tendency to focus on ‘inner thoughts and feelings and does not require consideration of other’s reactions to one’s behaviour’ (Smith & Greenberg, 1981).
This study hypothesised that non-dancers would have a higher Public SFA compared to dancers and that dancers would have a higher Private SFA compared to non-dancers. Also, it is hypothesised that a shift of SFA would occur after a dance improvisation session for non-dancers but not as much for dancers.
Last week, dance and science professionals and enthusiasts gathered in a little studio to participate in a 10 minute dance improvisation workshop at the end of the ‘Move Me On’ talk. at the Dana Centre, which is part of the Science Museum in London. Graph 1 illustrates the participant’s average SFA scores between dancers and non-dancers and for before and after the dance improvisation session.
Graph 1: Average scores of ‘Move Me On’ participants
As shown in the graph, non-dancers have a higher level of ‘Public SFA’ or a greater desire for social consensus compared to dancers before the improvisation session. Also prior to the workshop, both dancers and non-dancers are equally concerned of one’s inner thoughts and emotions. After improvisation, there is a general decrease of both ‘Public SFA’ and ‘Private SFA’. Non-dancers showed a greater decrease in both Public and Private SFA compared to dancers.
Despite one’s dance experience or skill, the act of dance improvisation reduces the individual’s focus and awareness from the ‘self’, be it through the eyes of other’s or of one’s own, and of their own body. Therefore, the choice of movements in dance improvisation does not seem to come from the expression of feelings, thought or bodily sensations nor from the desire to impress others in the social situation. It seems the more we investigate into this paradox, the more questions arise. This study is far from conclusive and there is more research to be done. Nevertheless, this study aspires to eventually shed insight into the psychological mechanisms of dance improvisation.
References
1. Miller, L. C., Murphy, R., & Buss, A. H. (1981). Consciousness of body: Private and public. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, 397-406.
2. Fenigstein, A., Scheier, M. F., & Buss A. (1975). Public and private self-consciousness: Assessment and theory. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 43, 522-527.
3. Carver, C. S. & Scheier, M. F. (1987). The blind men and the elephant: Selective examination of the public-private literature gives rise to faulty perception. Journal of Personality, 55, 525-541.
4. Smith, T. W. & Greenberg, J. (1981). Depression and self-focused attention. Motivation and Emotions, 5, 323-331.