performand

Performand is a neologism used in some circles of performance studies and human-centered design to denote the subject of a performance or the person whose behavior is the focus of observation and evaluation within a performative context. The term is not widely standardized and appears mainly in limited theoretical discussions or exploratory method sections.

Etymology and concept

The word combines the verb perform with an agentive-sounding suffix, yielding a noun that emphasizes the person who is subject to action, observation, or evaluation rather than the actor who enacts the performance itself. In this sense, performand is sometimes positioned as a contrast to performer, with the former highlighting the experiential or evaluative stance of the subject within a performance.

Usage and contexts

In theatre and performance art, performands may be discussed as participants whose responses, vulnerability, or compliance with a scenario are integral to the work's meaning. In user research, human-computer interaction, and experimental design, the term can refer to participants whose behaviors are analyzed as influenced by a system, environment, or imposed protocols, rather than to the actions of a system or facilitator alone.

Criticism and status

Because the term is not widely adopted, its usage can be ambiguous and overlapping with established terms such as subject, participant, or actor. Proponents argue that it foregrounds agency and the intersubjective dynamics of evaluation, while critics caution that it risks terminological confusion if not clearly defined within a discipline.

See also

Performer, Performative, Subject, Participant, Agency, Evaluation, Spectatorship.