Upcoming and Recent Research on Improv

By Kat Koppett

We all know the challenges of measuring the impact of various learning and development interventions. (For insight and help with this, check out our LDA colleague, Will Thalheimer’s work). Assessing the impact of applied improvisation can be especially difficult because there is such a wide range of skills and approaches involved. 

That said, more and more researchers are entering the fray, trying their best to deconstruct and test the various aspects of the field. Here are just a few of the recent journal articles chronicling the attempts to measure our impact. 

Mahony, Sarah, (2020) No Joke, The Serious Role of Improv in Medicine

Gao, L, (2019) The Role of “Improv” in Health Professional Learning: A Scoping Review

Tint, Barbara S; McWaters, Viv; Driel, Raymond van, (2015)
Applied Improvisation Training For Disaster Readiness And Response

Berk, Ronald A.; Trieber, Rosalind H. (2009) Whose Classroom Is It, Anyway? Improvisation As A Teaching Tool

Recently, Peter Felsman at Northern Michigan University ,has published some exciting work on the use of improvisational theatre techniques to reduce anxiety and increase confidence. Listen to him discussing his work here.