Acting and neuroscience: A systematic review of the relationship between theory and experiment

Yiğit Kocabıyık

doi:10.5281/zenodo.23036029

Acting and neuroscience: A systematic review of the relationship between theory and experiment

Abstract

This study is significant in examining the extent to which theoretical explanations of the cognitive and neuroscientific foundations of acting are connected to empirically measurable evidence. The study aims to systematically examine the relationship between theoretical and empirical works, to identify the points of convergence and divergence between these two orientations, and to reveal how knowledge concerning the neural foundations of acting is produced. A systematic review design was adopted in the study. The body of the review consists of academic publications related to acting, stage performance, character portrayal, and actor training. Academic sources published between 1984 and 2026, identified through searches conducted in the ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases as well as Google Scholar, were taken into consideration. A total of 295 distinct studies were identified, of which 84 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. These academic sources were coded as theoretical/non-empirical and empirical/measurement-based, and were compared in terms of shared concepts, findings, points of divergence, and modes of knowledge production. The findings showed that of the 84 units of analysis included in this review, 58 (69%) consisted of theoretical/non-empirical sources and 26 (31%) consisted of experimental/measurement-based sources; this distribution should be evaluated not as a universal bibliometric ratio for the field, but as the source structure that emerged within the selection and coding criteria of this review. The two research orientations converge particularly on the topics of embodied cognition, improvisation and executive functions, and the bodily production of emotion. However, many historical acting techniques that are frequently addressed at the theoretical level do not have a direct empirical correspondence. The findings indicate that the relationship between theory and experiment remains partial and selective. It is recommended that future research prioritize the empirical testing of acting techniques that are prominent at the theoretical level, increase the number of studies involving professional actors, and strengthen collaboration between actor training institutions and neuroscience laboratories.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This research received no financial support.

Ethical Statement

As this study is based on the systematic compilation of publicly available and published academic sources, it does not require ethics committee approval.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Acting-Stage Direction

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Yiğit Kocabıyık ^*
0000-0001-7390-6370
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

September 28, 2026

Publication Date

September 30, 2026

Submission Date

August 25, 2026

Acceptance Date

September 28, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 7 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23036029

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA26GR72SY

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Kocabıyık, Y. (2026). Acting and neuroscience: A systematic review of the relationship between theory and experiment. Journal for the Interdisciplinary Art and Education, 7(3), 237-257. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23036029

AMA

1.Kocabıyık Y. Acting and neuroscience: A systematic review of the relationship between theory and experiment. JIAE. 2026;7(3):237-257. doi:10.5281/zenodo.23036029

Chicago

Kocabıyık, Yiğit. 2026. “Acting and Neuroscience: A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Theory and Experiment”. Journal for the Interdisciplinary Art and Education 7 (3): 237-57. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23036029.

EndNote

Kocabıyık Y (September 1, 2026) Acting and neuroscience: A systematic review of the relationship between theory and experiment. Journal for the Interdisciplinary Art and Education 7 3 237–257.

IEEE

[1]Y. Kocabıyık, “Acting and neuroscience: A systematic review of the relationship between theory and experiment”, JIAE, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 237–257, Sept. 2026, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.23036029.

ISNAD

Kocabıyık, Yiğit. “Acting and Neuroscience: A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Theory and Experiment”. Journal for the Interdisciplinary Art and Education 7/3 (September 1, 2026): 237-257. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23036029.

JAMA

1.Kocabıyık Y. Acting and neuroscience: A systematic review of the relationship between theory and experiment. JIAE. 2026;7:237–257.

MLA

Kocabıyık, Yiğit. “Acting and Neuroscience: A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Theory and Experiment”. Journal for the Interdisciplinary Art and Education, vol. 7, no. 3, Sept. 2026, pp. 237-5, doi:10.5281/zenodo.23036029.

Vancouver

1.Yiğit Kocabıyık. Acting and neuroscience: A systematic review of the relationship between theory and experiment. JIAE. 2026 Sep. 1;7(3):237-5. doi:10.5281/zenodo.23036029