Modern psychology has much to offer performers in understanding themselves and optimizing their art.
It examines the two-way relationship between performer and audience, including social processes such as identification, charisma, idolization and group facilitation. It describes how emotions are communicated to an audience by non-verbal processes such as posture, gesture, facial expression and the use of space. It tests theories about the nature of humor and the power of music to affect our emotions. It tells us what kind of people are attracted to performing and why, what special talents they require, the particular stresses to which they are vulnerable and how these may be managed so as to achieve the best possible performance. At the same time, the study of theater is valuable because it is a vital part of life.