Instinct and Intuition

This chapter investigates the function of trust in intuition as a component of the free improvisation process. It draws a clear distinction between instinct and intuition and argues that the former is of little use in free improvisation. It defines intuition as a fundamental aspect of self-confidence and the capacity to make artistic choices and procedural decision-making. To understand the role intuition plays in the act of improvisation, leading improvisers in the field were asked what role they think instinct plays when they are improvising freely. The chapter refers to the extant literature to reconcile their self-assessments with current theoretical frameworks.