Estudos sobre palhaçaria: estado da arte e histórias de vida

Abstract

Clowning has a long and rich history. However, there is still no widely accepted and exhaustive definition of what clowning is and what a person must do to be considered a clown. Broadly speaking, it can be considered the art of 'playing' with the audience to make them laugh. Therefore, it has at least two essential dimensions: otherness and humorous 'games'. Despite the formalization and professionalization of the field, clowns are expanding their contexts of action beyond circuses and theaters. Health, education, and humanitarian aid contexts are examples of more recent 'circus rings'. Thus, this thesis comprises two studies on the interface between psychology and clowning. In Study 1, a scoping review of articles reporting empirical psychological research with samples of clowns is presented. Among the results, it is noteworthy that the scientific production in this area is quite limited, both quantitatively, with only 23 studies published, and qualitatively, since the investigations are mostly exploratory, qualitative, and have a restricted focus on hospital work and humor. In Study 2, the life history method was used with two elderly female clowns and one elderly male clown. Their narratives were analyzed in consideration of developmental tasks and social learning, specifically modeling. In general, the interviewees seem to have successfully fulfilled their developmental tasks, including occupational ones. The narratives also clearly show the modeling processes for clowning, with this informal social learning beginning in childhood. Furthermore, it was found that the art of clowning provided the interviewees with expanded social ties and promoted well-being and mental health, fundamental developments in old age. Taken together, the two studies signal the need for psychology, as a science and profession, to dedicate more attention to clowning, especially to the training of clowns through formal or, at least, non-formal education, because they will increasingly share professional spaces with psychologists.