The Science of Happiness Through Improv
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Over the past year, most people have personally experienced the mentally unhealthy side effects of social isolation. Reports of depression have tripled since the beginning of the pandemic. When the world returns to normal, everyone will need to find ways to give themselves an infusion of happiness. One potential source of positivity is the joy and friendships that can be found in the improv community. Here are three ways that improv can boost your overall level of happy vibes.
Improv Creates Social Interaction - Some are saying that the post-covid reality will be a continuation of working from home and more meetings through the cold connection of Zoom. People are social creatures; they need the social interaction and bonding they find in lively and interactive communities. In short, togetherness makes us happier.
It should come as no surprise that the fun atmosphere of an improv class encourages friendship and bonding. It’s the same feeling of spiritual renewal that you might get from a yoga class, but with even more interaction between fun-loving strangers from a variety of ages and backgrounds. And not only are these students regularly fueling up their empty tanks of social interactions, they’re also learning tips and tricks that will continue to enhance their social lives outside of class.
Research done by positivity psychologists Ed Diener and Marty Seligman discovered that people who describe themselves as extremely happy generally had one thing in common: strong social connections. It seems that being around other people is a necessary condition for very high levels of happiness. In fact, loneliness and isolation can be as unhealthy as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The circumstance of the pandemic has created a worldwide handicap for people achieving their optimal level of happiness. And though many people are doing their best to compensate for their loss of in-person socializing with zoom meetings, the truth is that virtual interactions are an artificial sugar for the true sweetness of socializing in real life.
Improv Helps Us Focus On Others - Before every performance, improvisers will give each other a reassuring tap and say “I got your back”. This simple tradition is significant because each performer is making a promise of mutual support to the other members of their team. One helpful principle of improv is the principle that we should focus less on ourselves and more on our scene partners. Improv is a team sport. Shows are often more successful when everyone appreciates, supports, and wholeheartedly engages with their teammates’ choices.
Research done by Michael Norton and Liz Dunn reveals that a significant source of happiness is derived from altruism and mutual support. It turns out that charity, volunteering, and tithing offer a long-lasting hit of dopamine. It’s not necessarily the giving of money that makes you feel good, it’s the idea of surrendering your ego to help others. Helping others is good, not only for yourself but also for the people in need. Kindness and empathy are encoded in human DNA because helping the tribe has always been a survival mechanism.
Mindfulness One quality of good improv is that the most rewarding scenes are discovered in the moment through active and deep listening. By observing the what, how, and why of their scene partner’s behaviors and words, a curious performer can unlock secrets within the scene that gradually reveal themselves. When improvisers are distracted by anxious thoughts and ruminating on past mistakes, they lose the benefits of being aware and present. Whether you are listening to your scene partner like someone newly in love or like someone who is incredibly paranoid, you’ll find avenues to explore that are enriching and scenically nutritious.
The biggest villain in the war of staying present are the smartphone devices we keep tethered to our souls. You might even be reading this article on your smart phone. These powerful all-knowing multipurpose devices are small enough to fit in our pockets. By all rights, our phones should be making us happier, but the opposite seems to be true. Research shows that enjoyment of face-to-face social interactions can be undermined simply by leaving your cell phone on the table during dinner. Other research shows that just the presence of a smart phone reduces how much we enjoy spending time with our children. If smartphones are the villains, the hero in this story is mindfulness meditation. Among the many benefits of mindfulness meditation, one benefit is that it offers the true gift of making us happier. Ignoring the distraction of smartphones may be easier said than done, but human well-being is optimized when people lean in to the present moment.
Nobody can promise that improv (or anything) can 100% make you happier. The attainment of happiness is complicated simply by the fact that it’s hard to measure and define. However, what we know to be true through scientific studies is that certain things reliably seem to increase happiness: social interaction, prosocial altruism, and eliminating distractions. There are many paths to strengthen these qualities of happier people, but consider improv class as an all-in-one cure to boosting your mood.