A Systematic Review of Individual Differences in Perception, Action, and Decision Making: Implications for Dance Education

Abstract

This systematic bibliometric review summarizes recent neurocognitive research highlighting inter-individual differences in perception, action, and decision making that may have implications for dance education. First, the relevance of individual differences in cognitive functioning for dance education is illustrated by describing how a persons preferred reliance on certain perceptual motor, or (meta) cognitive skills may be exploited in dance training. Subsequently, we describe the findings of a literature search conducted to identify cognitive neuroscientific publications between 2010 and 2021 that highlight individual differences in cognitive functions that were also found to be supported by structural or functional-connectivity differences in the central nervous system. To cluster the findings of the literature search, we propose a simplified, six-category information processing model. Finally, for each model category, we summarize recent representative findings on salient individual differences and tentatively formulate testable implications for dance education practice with regard to pedagogical and curricula adaptations. Finally, the review also delineates an agenda for lines of research of which the results hopefully will assist dance instructors in the future.