dram fz

Feeling (in theatre)

The combination of physical (bodily) and mental (emotional) responses to a performance; experienced through our senses and body.

Embodied experience

The idea that we experience theatre through our physical bodies and senses, not just thoughts.

Stimuli

Anything in the environment that our senses detect and respond to.

Affect

Automatic, physical body responses to stimuli (e.g., heart rate, sweating, goosebumps); happens before conscious thought.

Physiological response

Bodily reactions (like adrenaline, muscle tension, increased heart rate) triggered by stimuli.

Arousal

The body’s state of physical activation in response to stimuli.

Emotion

The brain’s interpretation of bodily (affective) responses; how we make sense of what our body is feeling.

William James theory of emotion

The idea that emotions are the mind’s interpretation of physical bodily changes.

Mood

A general background atmosphere or feeling that influences how we perceive and respond to stimuli

Atmosphere

The overall feeling or tone of a space that shapes perception (similar to mood).

Affect vs Emotion

ffect is the body’s physical reaction; emotion is the mind’s interpretation of that reaction.

Imagine you are watching a frightening theatre production about ghosts and suddenly a ghost appears onstage. You are startled and you react by jumping a little in your seat. Which of the following terms best describes the nature of this reaction?

It is affectivecheck