Music performance anxiety and pre-performance emotions in the light of psychology of emotion and emotion regulation

Abstract

The aim of this review article is to show the benefits of broadening the understanding of the mechanism and treatment of music performance anxiety (MPA) using the knowledge of psychology of emotion and emotional regulation. A review of research literature on the emotional state of the musician during public performances and emotion regulation techniques fosters integration of various approaches: clinical psychology, performance psychology, positive psychology, and psychology of emotion and emotional regulation. Different ways of defining the phenomenon (MPA, optimal arousal, positive emotions, and mixed emotions) imply different directions of psychological intervention. The process model of emotion regulation developed by James J. Gross has been chosen because it is a clear-cut theoretical framework, enabling the integration of a number of theories and the development of comprehensive practical interventions. The benefit of the article is presenting the assumptions of the model, as well as knowledge of emotions and emotional regulation, to the context of musician’s psychological training and the performance preparation process.