Theatre-Neuroscience: a brief perspective on the use of neuroscientific techniques to measure interpersonal coordination and the sense of self in theatrical contexts

Abstract Cognitive neuroscientists have collaborated with the performing arts industry by bringing multimodal techniques, i.e., physiological, behavioural, and neural measurements, to the investigation of social cognition within these artistic contexts. This brief perspective presents, discusses, and evaluates the emerging field of ‘Theatre-Neuroscience’, which is an example of such collaboration. Here, I discuss the Theatre-Neuroscience research conducted to date, which has predominantly investigated the social-cognitive concepts of actors’ and audiences’ interpersonal coordination during live theatre performances, and actors’ sense of self during performance in both laboratory and live environments. Therefore, this brief perspective aims to present empirical support for the field’s value to cognitive neuroscience and the acting industry, exemplifying why interdisciplinary perspectives and paradigms are becoming increasingly favourable within cognitive neuroscience.