A recent study has revealed that individuals who dance exhibit lower levels of neuroticism compared to those who do not dance. Additionally, dancers tend to be more harmonious, open, and tolerant towards others. The study also noted that the impact of dancing on personality varies across different dance styles.
The findings were published in the journal “Personality and Individual Differences” by researchers from the German Max Planck Institute. The study evaluated data from approximately 5,500 people in Sweden and 574 people in Germany, examining five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) based on a comprehensive questionnaire. The results indicated that both amateur and professional dancers are more agreeable, open, and tolerant towards others.
Similar results have been observed in musicians, with previous studies showing that they are more accepting and open compared to non-musicians. The Max Planck researchers confirmed this principle also applies to dancers in the current study.
Interestingly, the researchers found a notable difference between the two groups: unlike musicians, dancers are not more neurotic but are, in fact, less neurotic than non-dancers. Generally, both dancers and singers exhibited high levels of extraversion in their personalities.
Julia Christensen, the principal author of the study, explained, “This means they are in a more socially exposed position than those who express themselves through a musical instrument, for example.”
The researchers also found initial evidence suggesting potential personality differences among dancers based on different dance styles. For instance, individuals who practice swing dancing appear to be less neurotic than those who engage in Latin or standard ballroom dancing.
According to the researchers, these assumptions need further confirmation with larger datasets. They emphasized the importance of continuing the study to delve deeper into the personalities of dancers, encompassing various cultures and dance styles.