Flow (psychology) 1

Flow (psychology)

Concentrating upon a task is one aspect of flow.

Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person performing anactivity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, fullinvolvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In essence,flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does.Proposed by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, this positive psychologyconcept has been widely referenced across a variety of fields.[1]

According to Csikszentmihalyi, flow is completely focused motivation.It is a single-minded immersion and represents perhaps the ultimateexperience in harnessing the emotions in the service of performing andlearning. In flow, the emotions are not just contained and channeled,but positive, energized, and aligned with the task at hand. To be caughtin the ennui of depression or the agitation of anxiety is to be barredfrom flow. The hallmark of flow is a feeling of spontaneous joy, evenrapture, while performing a task although flow is also described (below) as a deep focus on nothing but the activity –not even oneself or one's emotions.

Flow has many of the same characteristics as (the positive aspects of) hyperfocus. However, hyperfocus is notalways described in such universally glowing terms. For examples, some cases of spending "too much" time playingvideo games, or of getting side-tracked and pleasurably absorbed by one aspect of an assignment or task to thedetriment of the assignment in general. In some cases, hyperfocus can "grab" a person, perhaps causing him toappear unfocused or to start several projects, but complete few.Colloquial terms for this or similar mental states include: to be in the moment, present, in the zone, on a roll, wiredin, in the groove, on fire, in tune, centered, or singularly focused.

Components of flowNakamura and Csíkszentmihályi identify the following six factors as encompassing an experience of flow. [2]

1. intense and focused concentration on the present moment2.2. merging of action and awareness3. a loss of reflective self-consciousness4. a sense of personal control or agency over the situation or activity5. a distortion of temporal experience, one's subjective experience of time is altered6. experience of the activity as intrinsically rewarding, also referred to as autotelic experience

Those aspects can appear independently of each other, but only in combination do they constitute a so-called flowexperience.

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EtymologyFlow is so named because during Csíkszentmihályi's 1975 interviews several people described their "flow"experiences using the metaphor of a water current carrying them along. The psychological concept of flow asbecoming absorbed in an activity is thus unrelated to the older phrase go with the flow.

History/backgroundMihaly Csikszentmihalyi and his fellow researchers began researching flow after Csikszentmihalyi becamefascinated by artists who would essentially get lost in their work. Artists, especially painters, got so immersed intheir work that they would disregard their need for food, water and even sleep. Thus, the origin of research on thetheory of flow came about when Csikszentmihalyi tried to understand this phenomenon experienced by these artists.Flow research became prevalent in the 1980s and 1990s, with Csikszentmihalyi and his colleagues in Italy still at theforefront. Researchers interested in optimal experiences and emphasizing positive experiences, especially in placessuch as schools and the business world, also began studying the theory of flow at this time. The theory of flow wasgreatly used in the theories of Maslow and Rogers in their development of the humanistic tradition of psychology.Flow has been experienced throughout history and across cultures. The teachings of Buddhism and Taoism speak ofa state of mind known as the "action of inaction" or "doing without doing" that greatly resembles the idea of flow.Also, Hindu texts on Advaita philosophy such as Ashtavakra Gita and the Yoga of Knowledge such asBhagavad-Gita refer to a similar state.Historical sources hint that Michelangelo may have painted the ceiling of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel while in aflow state. It is reported that he painted for days at a time, and he was so absorbed in his work that he did not evenstop for food or sleep until he reached the point of passing out. After this, he would wake up refreshed and, uponstarting to paint again, re-enter a state of complete absorption.Bruce Lee either spoke of a psychological state similar to flow or spoke about the importance of adaptability andshedding preconceptions in his book the Tao of Jeet Kune Do. In his book, he compares the state of flow to waterwhere he so famously says, “Be like water ...Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put waterinto a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, itbecomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend."

Mechanism of flowIn every given moment, there is a great deal of information made available to each individual. Psychologists havefound that one's mind can attend to only a certain amount of information at a time. According to Mihaly's 1956study, that number is about 126 bits of information per second. That may seem like a large number (and a lot ofinformation), but simple daily tasks take quite a lot of information. Just having a conversation takes about 40 bits ofinformation per second; that's 1/3 of one's capacity. That is why when having a conversation one cannot focus asmuch attention on other things.For the most part (except for basic bodily feelings like hunger and pain, which are innate), people are able to decidewhat they want to focus their attention on. However, when one is in the flow state, he or she is completely engrossedwith the one task at hand and, without making the conscious decision to do so, loses awareness of all other things:time, people, distractions, and even basic bodily needs. This occurs because all of the attention of the person in theflow state is on the task at hand; there is no more attention to be allocated.

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Conditions for flow

Mental state in terms of challenge level and skill level, according toCsikszentmihalyi's flow model.<ref name="Finding Flow">Csikszentmihalyi, M.,

Finding Flow, 1997.</ref> (Click on a fragment of the image to go to theappropriate article)

A flow state can be entered whileperforming any activity, although it is mostlikely to occur when one is wholeheartedlyperforming a task or activity for intrinsicpurposes. Passive activities like taking abath or even watching TV usually don’telicit flow experiences as individuals haveto actively do something to enter a flowstate.[3][4]

Flow theory postulates three conditions thathave to be met to achieve a flow state:1.1. One must be involved in an activity with

a clear set of goals and progress. Thisadds direction and structure to the task.

2.2. The task at hand must have clear andimmediate feedback. This helps theperson negotiate any changing demandsand allows him or her to adjust his or herperformance to maintain the flow state.

3. One must have a good balance betweenthe perceived challenges of the task athand and his or her own perceived skills.One must have confidence that he or she is capable to do the task at hand.

However, it was argued that the antecedent factors of flow are interrelated, as a perceived balance betweenchallenges and skills requires that one knows what he or she has to do (clear goals) and how successful he or she isin doing it (immediate feedback). Thus, a perceived fit of skills and task demands can be identified as the centralprecondition of flow experiences.[5]

In 1997, Csíkszentmihályi published the graph to the right. This graph depicts the relationship between the perceivedchallenges of a task and one's perceived skills. This graph illustrates one further aspect of flow: it is more likely tooccur when the activity at hand is a higher-than-average challenge (above the center point) and the individual hasabove-average skills (to the right of the center point). The center of this graph (where the sectors meet) representsone's average levels of challenge and skill across all activities an individual performs during his or her daily life. Thefurther from the center an experience is, the greater the intensity of that state of being (whether it is flow or anxietyor boredom or relaxation).Several problems of this model have been discussed in literature.[6] One is, that it does not ensure a perceivedbalance between challenges and skills which is supposed to be the central precondition of flow experiences.Individuals with a low average level of skills and a high average level of challenges (or the other way round) do notnecessarily experience a fit between skills and challenges when both are above his or her individual average.[7] Inaddition, one study found that low challenge situations which were surpassed by skill were associated withenjoyment, relaxation, and happiness, which, they claim, is contrary to flow theory.Schaffer (2013) proposed 7 flow conditions:1.1. Knowing what to do2.2. Knowing how to do it3.3. Knowing how well you are doing

Flow (psychology) 4

4.4. Knowing where to go (if navigation is involved)5.5. High perceived challenges6.6. High perceived skills7. Freedom from distractions[8]

Schaffer also published a measure, the Flow Condition Questionnaire (FCQ), to measure each of these 7 flowconditions for any given task or activity.[9]

Challenges to staying in flowSome of the challenges to staying in flow include states of apathy, boredom, and anxiety. Being in a state of apathyis characterized when challenges are low and one’s skill level is low producing a general lack of interest in the task athand. Boredom is a slightly different state in that it occurs when challenges are low, but one’s skill level exceedsthose challenges causing one to seek higher challenges. Lastly, a state of anxiety occurs when challenges are so highthat they exceed one’s perceived skill level causing one great distress and uneasiness. These states in general differfrom being in a state of flow, in that flow occurs when challenges match one’s skill level.

The autotelic personalityCsíkszentmihályi hypothesized that people with several very specific personality traits may be better able to achieveflow more often than the average person. These personality traits include curiosity, persistence, lowself-centeredness, and a high rate of performing activities for intrinsic reasons only. People with most of thesepersonality traits are said to have an autotelic personality.Up to now, there is not much research on the autotelic personality, but results of the few studies that have beenconducted suggest that indeed some people are more prone to experience flow than others. One researcher(Abuhamdeh, 2000) found that people with an autotelic personality have a greater preference for"high-action-opportunity, high-skills situations that stimulate them and encourage growth" compared to thosewithout an autotelic personality. It is in such high-challenge, high-skills situations that people are most likely to enterthe flow state.Experimental evidence shows that a balance between skills of the individual and demands of the task (compared toboredom and overload) only elicits flow experiences in individuals characterized by an internal locus of control[10]

or a habitual action orientation.[11] Several correlational studies found need for achievement to be a personalcharacteristic that fosters flow experiences.[12][13][14]

Group flowCsíkszentmihályi suggests several ways a group can work together so that each individual member achieves flow.The characteristics of such a group include:•• Creative spatial arrangements: Chairs, pin walls, charts, but no tables; thus work primarily standing and moving•• Playground design: Charts for information inputs, flow graphs, project summary, craziness (here also craziness

has a place), safe place (here all may say what is otherwise only thought), result wall, open topics•• Parallel, organized working•• Target group focus•• Advancement of existing one (prototyping)•• Increase in efficiency through visualization•• Using differences among participants as an opportunity, rather than an obstacle

Flow (psychology) 5

Applications

Applications suggested by Csíkszentmihályi versus other practitionersOnly Csíkszentmihályi seems to have published suggestions for extrinsic applications of the flow concept, such asdesign methods for playgrounds to elicit the flow experience. Other practitioners of Csíkszentmihályi's flow conceptfocus on intrinsic applications, such as spirituality, performance improvement, or self-help. Reinterpretations ofCsíkszentmihályi's flow process exist to improve performance in areas as diverse as business, piano improvisation,sport psychology, computer programming, and standup comedy.[citation needed] His work has also informed themeasurement of donor momentum by The New Science of Philanthropy

Education

Young boy, painting a model

In education, there is the concept of overlearning,which seems to be an important factor in this technique,in that Csíkszentmihályi states that overlearningenables the mind to concentrate on visualizing thedesired performance as a singular, integrated actioninstead of a set of actions. Challenging assignmentsthat (slightly) stretch one's skills lead to flow.

Around 2000, it came to the attention ofCsíkszentmihályi that the principles and practices ofthe Montessori Method of education seemed topurposefully set up continuous flow opportunities andexperiences for students. Csíkszentmihályi andpsychologist Kevin Rathunde embarked on a multi-year study of student experiences in Montessori settings andtraditional educational settings. The research supported observations that students achieved flow experiences morefrequently in Montessori settings.

MusicMusicians, especially improvisational soloists may experience a similar state of mind while playing their instrument.Research has shown that performers in a flow state have a heightened quality of performance as opposed to whenthey are not in a flow state. In a study performed with professional classical pianists who played piano pieces severaltimes to induce a flow state, a significant relationship was found between the flow state of the pianist and thepianist’s heart rate, blood pressure, and major facial muscles. As the pianist entered the flow state, heart rate andblood pressure decreased and the major facial muscles relaxed. This study further emphasized that flow is a state ofeffortless attention. In spite of the effortless attention and overall relaxation of the body, the performance of thepianist during the flow state improved.Groups of drummers experience a state of flow when they sense a collective energy that drives the beat, somethingthey refer to as getting into the groove.[citation needed] Bass guitarists often describe a state of flow when properlyplaying between the percussion and melody as being in the pocket.[citation needed]

Flow (psychology) 6

Sports

Flow may occur in challenging sports such asEventing.

The concept of being in the zone during an athletic performance fitswithin Csíkszentmihályi's description of the flow experience, andtheories and applications of being in the zone and its relationship withathletic competitive advantage are topics studied in the field of sportpsychology.

Timothy Gallwey's influential works on the "inner game" of sportssuch as golf and tennis described the mental coaching and attitudesrequired to "get in the zone" and fully internalize mastery of the sport.

Roy Palmer suggests that "being in the zone" may also influencemovement patterns as better integration of the conscious and

subconscious reflex functions improves coordination. Many athletes describe the effortless nature of theirperformance while achieving personal bests – see references.

MMA champion and Karate master Lyoto Machida uses meditation techniques before fights to attain mushin, aconcept that, by his description, is in all respects equal to flow.The Formula One driver Ayrton Senna, who during qualifying for the 1988 Monaco Grand Prix explained: "I wasalready on pole, [...] and I just kept going. Suddenly I was nearly two seconds faster than anybody else, including myteam mate with the same car. And suddenly I realised that I was no longer driving the car consciously. I was drivingit by a kind of instinct, only I was in a different dimension. It was like I was in a tunnel."

Religion and spiritualityCsíkszentmihályi may have been the first to describe this concept in Western psychology, but as he himself readilyacknowledges[citation needed] he was most certainly not the first to quantify the concept of flow or developapplications based on the concept.For millennia, practitioners of Eastern religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism have honed the disciplineof overcoming the duality of self and object as a central feature of spiritual development. Eastern spiritualpractitioners have developed a very thorough and holistic set of theories around overcoming duality of self andobject, tested and refined through spiritual practice instead of the systematic rigor and controls of modern science.Chabad-Hasidic Jewish philosophy also encourages that "the action is the main thing" and that a person must have astrong sense of Divine mission to elevate the world that transcends all other needs, and that a sense of self detractsfrom a sense of the Divine. It emphasizes the tension between the Divine soul and the animal soul in accomplishingthis flow.The phrase being at one with things is a metaphor of Csíkszentmihályi's flow concept.[citation needed] Practitioners ofthe varied schools of Zen Buddhism apply concepts similar to flow to aid their mastery of art forms, including, in thecase of Japanese Zen Buddhism, Aikido, Cheng Hsin, Judo, Honkyoku, Kendo and Ikebana. In yogic traditions suchas Raja Yoga reference is made to a state of flow in the practice of Samyama, a psychological absorption in theobject of meditation. Theravada Buddhism refers to "access concentration," which is a state of flow achieved throughmeditation and used to further strengthen concentration into jhana, and/or to develop insight.In Islam the first mental state that precedes human action is known as al-khatir. In this state an image or thought isborn in the mind. When in this mental state and contemplating upon an ayat or an imprint of God, one mayexperience a profound state of Oneness or flow whereby the phenomena of nature, the macrocosmic world and thesouls of people are understood as a sign of God. Also, the teaching in the Qu'ran of different nations of peopleexisting so that they may come to know each other is an example of Oneness. All members of society and the worldare considered to be in flow of Oneness, one family, one body.[citation needed]

Flow (psychology) 7

GamingFlow is one of the main reasons that people play video games. This is especially true since the primary goal of gamesis to create entertainment through intrinsic motivation, which is related to flow. Through the balance of skill andchallenge the player’s brain is aroused, with attention engaged and motivation high. Thus, the use of flow in gameshelps foster an enjoyable experience which in turn increases motivation and draws players to continue playing. Inaddition, game designers, in particular, benefit from the integration of flow principles into their game designs.Overall, the experience of play is fluid and is intrinsically psychologically rewarding independent of scores orin-game successes in the flow state.Flow in games has been linked to the Laws of Learning as part of the explanation for why learning games (the use ofgames to introduce material, improve understanding, or increase retention) have the potential to be effective. Inparticular, flow is intrinsically motivating, which is part of the Law of Readiness. The condition of feedback,required for flow, is associated with the feedback aspects of the Law of Exercise. This is exhibited in well designedgames, in particular, where players perform at the edge of their competency as they are guided by clear goals andfeedback. The positive emotions associated with flow are associated with the Law of Effect. The intense experiencesof being in a state of flow are directly associated with the Law of Intensity. Thus, the experience of gaming can be soengaging and motivating as it meets many of the Laws of Learning, which are inextricably connected to creatingflow.

Professions and workDevelopers of computer software reference getting into a flow state as "wired in", or sometimes as The Zone, hackmode, or operating on software time when developing in an undistracted state. Stock market operators often use theterm "in the pipe" to describe the psychological state of flow when trading during high volume days and marketcorrections. Professional poker players use the term "playing the A-game" when referring to the state of highestconcentration and strategical awareness, while pool players often call the state being in "dead stroke."

Flow in the workplaceConditions of flow, defined as a state in which challenges and skills are equally matched, play an extremelyimportant role in the workplace. Because flow is associated with achievement, its development could have concreteimplications in increasing workplace satisfaction and accomplishment. Flow researchers, such as Csikszentmihalyi,believe that certain interventions may be performed to enhance and increase flow in the workplace, through whichpeople would gain ‘intrinsic rewards that encourage persistence” and provide benefits. In his consultation work,Csikszentmihalyi emphasizes finding activities and environments that are conducive to flow, and then identifyingand developing personal characteristics to increase experiences of flow. Applying these methods in the workplace,such as Csikszentmihalyi did with Swedish police officers, can improve morale by fostering a sense of greaterhappiness and accomplishment, and in correlated to increased performance. In his review of MihalyCsikszentmihalyi’s book “Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the Making of Meaning,” Coert Vissar introducesthe ideas presented by Csikszentmihalyi, including “good work” in which one “enjoys doing your best while at thesame time contributing to something beyond yourself.” He then provides tools by which managers and employeescan create an atmosphere that encourages good work. First, Csikszentmihalyi explains that experiencing flow, inwhich a task requires full involvement, and the challenge of a task matches one’s ability.In order to achieve flow, Csikszentmihalyi lays out the following three conditions:1.1. Goals are clear2.2. Feedback is immediate3.3. A balance between opportunity and capacity

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Csikszentmihalyi argues that with increased experiences of flow, people experience “growth towards complexity,” inwhich people flourish as their achievements grow and with that comes development of increasing “emotional,cognitive, and social complexity” (Vissar). Creating a workplace atmosphere that allows for flow and growth,Csikszentmihalyi argues, can increase the happiness and achievement of employees. There are, however, barriers toachieving flow in the workplace. In his chapter “Why Flow Doesn’t Happen on the Job,” Csikszentmihalyi argues thefirst reason that flow does not occur is that the goals of one’s job are not clear. He explains that while some tasks atwork may fit into a larger, organization plan, the individual worker may not see where their individual task fits it.Second, limited feedback about one’s work can reduce motivation and leaves the employee unaware of whether ornot they did a good job. When there is little communication of feedback, an employee may not be assigned tasks thatchallenge them or seem important, which could potentially prevent an opportunity for flow. In the study “Predictingflow at work: Investigating the activities and job characteristics that predict flow states at work” Karina Nielsen andBryan Cleal (2010) used a 9- item flow scale to examine predictors of flow at two levels: activity level (such asbrainstorming, problem solving, and evaluation) and at a more stable level (such as role clarity, influence, andcognitive demands). They found that activities such as planning, problem solving, and evaluation predicted transientflow states, but that more stable job characteristics were not found to predict flow at work. This study can help usidentify which task at work can be cultivated and emphasized in order to help employees experience flow on the job.In her article in Positive Psychology News Daily, Kathryn Britton examines the importance of experiencing flow inthe workplace beyond the individual benefits it creates. She writes, “Flow isn’t just valuable to individuals; it alsocontributes to organizational goals. For example, frequent experiences of flow at work lead to higher productivity,innovation, and employee development (Csikszentmihalyi, 1991, 2004). So finding ways to increase the frequencyof flow experiences can be one way for people to work together to increase the effectiveness of their workplaces.”

Consequences of flow

Positive consequences of flow experiencesInternational bestsellers by Csikszentmihalyi suggest that enhancing the time spent in flow makes our lives morehappy and successful. Flow experiences are predicated to lead to positive affect as well as to better performance.[15]

However, further empirical evidence is required to substantiate these preliminary indications, as flow researcherscontinue to explore the problem of how to directly investigate causal consequences of flow experiences usingmodern scientific instrumentation to observe the neuro-physiological correlates of the flow state.[16]

Positive effect and life satisfaction

Flow is an innately positive experience; it is known to "produce intense feelings of enjoyment". An experience that isso enjoyable should lead to positive affect and happiness in the long run. Also, Csikszentmihalyi stated thathappiness is derived from personal development and growth – and flow situations permit the experience of personaldevelopment.Several studies found that flow experiences and positive affect go hand in hand,[17] and that challenges and skillsabove the individual’s average foster positive affect.[18][19][20] However, the causal processes underlying thoserelationships remains unclear at present.

Flow (psychology) 9

Performance

Flow experiences imply a growth principle. When one is in a flow state, he or she is working to master the activity athand. To maintain that flow state, one must seek increasingly greater challenges. Attempting these new, difficultchallenges stretches one's skills. One emerges from such a flow experience with a bit of personal growth and great"feelings of competence and efficacy".Flow has a documented correlation with high performance in the fields of artistic and scientific creativity (Perry,1999; Sawyer, 1992), teaching (Csíkszentmihályi, 1996), learning (Csíkszentmihályi et al., 1993), and sports(Jackson, Thomas, Marsh, & Smethurst, 2002; Stein, Kimiecik, Daniels, & Jackson, 1995).However, evidence regarding better performance in flow situations is mixed. For sure, the association between bothis a reciprocal one. That is, flow experiences may foster better performance but, on the other hand, good performancemakes flow experiences more likely. Results of a longitudinal study in the academic context indicate that the causaleffect of flow on performance is only of small magnitude and the strong relationship between both is driven by aneffect of performance on flow. In the long run, flow experiences in a specific activity may lead to higherperformance in that activity as flow is positively correlated with a higher subsequent motivation to perform and toperform well.

Tools to Measure FlowList of tools to measure flow states similar to Csikszentmihalyi's experiments:• Happiness At Work [21] - tool to measure happiness at work based on Csikszentmihalyi's research

References

Footnotes[1] Citations of Csíkszentmihályi's 1990 book (http:/ / scholar. google. com/ scholar?hl=en& lr=& cites=12334528761431366038) about flow on

Google Scholar.[2] Nakamura, J., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2009). Flow theory and research. In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive

psychology (pp. 195-206). Oxford: Oxford University Press.[3] Csikszentmihalyi, M., Larson, R., & Prescott, S. (1977). The ecology of adolescent activity and experience. Journal of Youth and

Adolescence, 6, 281-294.[4] Delle Fave, A., & Bassi, M. (2000). The quality of experience in adolescents’ daily lives: Developmental perspectives. Genetic, Social, and

General Psychology Monographs, 126, 347-367.[5] Keller, J., & Landhäußer, A. (2012). The flow model revisited. In S. Engeser (Ed.), Advances in flow research (pp. 51-64). New York:

Springer.[6] Moneta, G. B. (2012). On the measurement and conceptualization of flow. In S. Engeser (Ed.), Advances in flow research (pp. 23-50). New

York: Springer.[7] Ellis, G. D., Voelkl, J. E., & Morris, C. (1994). Measurement and analysis issues with explanation of variance in daily experience using the

flow model. Journal of Leisure Research, 26, 337.[8] http:/ / humanfactors. com/ funexperiences. asp[9] http:/ / humanfactors. com/ funexperiences. asp[10] Keller, J., & Blomann, F. (2008). Locus of control and the flow experience. An experimental analysis. European Journal of Personality, 22,

589-607.[11] Keller, J., & Bless, H. (2008). Flow and regulatory compatibility: An experimental approach to flow model of intrinsic motivation.

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34, 196-209.[12] Engeser, S., & Rheinberg, F. (2008). Flow, performance and moderators of challenge-skill balance. Motivation and Emotion, 32, 158-172.[13] Schüler, J. (2007). Arousal of flow experience in a learning setting and its effects on exam performance and affect. Zeitschrift für

Pädagogische Psychologie, 21, 217-227.[14] Eisenberger, R., Jones, J. R., Stinglhamber, F., Shanock, L., & Randall, A. T. (2005). Flow experiences at work: for high need achievers

alone? Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26, 755-775.[15] Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Finding flow. The psychology of engagement with everyday life. New York: Basic Books.[16] Landhäußer, A., & Keller, J. (2012). Flow and its affective, cognitive, and performance-related consequences. In S. Engeser (Ed.), Advances

in flow research (pp.65-86). New York: Springer.

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[17] Rheinberg, F., Manig, Y., Kliegl, R., Engeser, S., & Vollmeyer, R. (2007). Flow bei der Arbeit, doch Glück in der Freizeit. Zielausrichtung,Flow und Glücksgefühle [Flow during work but happiness during leisure time: goals, flow-experience, and happiness]. Zeitschrift für Arbeits-und Organisationspsychologie, 51, 105-115.

[18] Clarke, S. G., & Haworth, J. T. (1994). “Flow” experience in the daily lives of sixth-form college students. British Journal of Psychology,85, 511-523.

[19] Massimini, F., & Carli, M. (1988). The systematic assessment of flow in daily experience. In M. Csikszentmihalyi & I. S. Csikszentmihalyi(Eds.), Optimal experience: Psychological studies of flow in consciousness (pp. 288-306). New York: Cambridge University Press.

[20] Shernoff, D. J., Csikszentmihalyi, M., Schneider, B., & Shernoff, E. S. (2003). Student engagement in High School classrooms from theperspective of flow theory. School Psychology Quarterly, 18, 158-176.

[21] http:/ / www. happinessatworksurvey. com

Notations• Csíkszentmihályi, Mihály (1996), Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention, New York:

Harper Perennial, ISBN 0-06-092820-4• Csíkszentmihályi, Mihály (1996), Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement With Everyday Life, Basic

Books, ISBN 0-465-02411-4 (a popular exposition emphasizing technique)• Csíkszentmihályi, Mihály (2003), Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the Making of Meaning, New York:

Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-200409-X• Egbert, Joy (2003), "A Study of Flow Theory in the Foreign Language Classroom", The Modern Language

Journal 87 (4): 499–518, doi: 10.1111/1540-4781.00204 (http:/ / dx. doi. org/ 10. 1111/ 1540-4781. 00204)• Jackson, Susan A. & Csíkszentmihályi, Mihály (1999), Flow in Sports: The Keys to Optimal Experiences and

Performances, Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics Publishers, ISBN 0-88011-876-8 Unknown parameter|unused_data= ignored (help)

• Mainemelis, Charalampos (2001), "When the Muse Takes It All: A Model for the Experience of Timelessness inOrganizations", The Academy of Management Review (The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 26, No. 4) 26(4): 548–565, doi: 10.2307/3560241 (http:/ / dx. doi. org/ 10. 2307/ 3560241), JSTOR  3560241 (http:/ / www.jstor. org/ stable/ 3560241)

• Shainberg, Lawrence (1989-04-09), "FINDING 'THE ZONE'" (http:/ / query. nytimes. com/ gst/ fullpage.html?res=950DE0DD1E3FF93AA35757C0A96F948260& scp=1& sq=pele+ "felt+ a+ strange+ calmness"&st=nyt), New York Times Magazine Wikipedia:Link rot

External links• Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Creativity, fulfillment and flow (https:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v=fXIeFJCqsPs)

on YouTube; presentation at the February, 2004 TED conference• Finding Flow in Educational Leadership (https:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v=S7HVfxq4l-8)• "In the zone": enjoyment, creativity, and the nine elements of "flow" (http:/ / www. meaningandhappiness. com/

zone-enjoyment-creativity-elements-flow/ 26/ )• Finding Flow in Writing (http:/ / www. abdsurvivalguide. com/ News/ 030404. htm) by Tracy Steen, Ph.D.• Archetype Writing (http:/ / www. archetypewriting. com/ articles/ articles_ck/ muse_block_ckFlowArticle. htm)

The Right-Brain/Left-Brain Myth and Flow looks at the neurology behind flow• Flow (http:/ / www. butler-bowdon. com/ flow. html) – A commentary on Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's classic work

by Tom Butler-Bowdon• The Principle of Relevance (http:/ / www. stefanialucchetti. com/ ), Stefania Lucchetti, RT Publishing, Hong

Kong 2010, which discusses the concept of "Flow" and the importance of attention in the context of digitalinformation overload

• "Flow" (http:/ / vimeo. com/ 17465894) (2010) – A short film made by Halcyon Nights in which flow theory isexplored through a new exhilarating activity that takes place on the streets of London

Flow (psychology) 11

• Management Metrics (http:/ / www. forbes. com/ sites/ bruceupbin/ 2011/ 12/ 13/five-new-management-metrics-you-need-to-know) - An article about Flow concept application

Article Sources and Contributors 12

Article Sources and ContributorsFlow (psychology)  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=576800708  Contributors: 2005-01-31T01:24Z, 2005-02-26T18:45Z, Aaron Kauppi, Aaron north, Access Denied,Aerojmac, Aeternus, Alexdesimone, Altspace, Alvis, Andreas Carter, Andycjp, Annouk, Arpose, Atpal, B9 hummingbird hovering, Bangabandhu, Barbara Shack, Betacommand, Blainster,Blissvoidaxis, Boonukem, BrotherGeorge, Bumm13, CALR, Cacycle, Can't sleep, clown will eat me, Cassionw, ChemNerd, Chenspec, Cheoppy, Chicopac, Colonel Warden,ContinueWithCaution, Corwin8, Cs-wolves, DCDuring, Dan56, Danceron, DanielCD, David2346, Deltabeignet, Demonkoryu, DeutscherStahl, Disco.ludus, DoctorW, Donner60, Dougofborg,Dougweller, Dr. Lucifer, Dr.enh, Drbreznjev, Dreadstar, Dream of Nyx, Dreslough, Drux, Dvyjns, ERcheck, EditorInTheRye, Eequor, ElKevbo, Elyseo, Enjoyseemsss, Ffxi frohike, Fombom,Forerunner411, Frap, Fredrik, Fuzzy Logic, Fæ, Gary Cziko, Gary King, Gbsrd, Geoffreybernardo, Gigiwoo, GoldenGoose100, Gondwanabanana, Graham87, Grailsearcher, Greasebag, GregorB,Groupsixtysixty, HJ Mitchell, Haoie, Haus, Hoo man, Husond, Hw123, Hyperkobling, Illia Connell, IronGargoyle, J. Spencer, J.R. Kimber, Jacoplane, Janarius, Jarry1250, Jaygoulart, Jeff3000,Jel, Joel amos, Johnsolo, Jonkerz, Jpgordon, Jrdioko, Karl-Henner, Katsesama, Kered77, Kevingc, Khazar2, Kku, Kuru, L00ptid, LadybugInvasion, Leandrod, Liza Freeman, Lonet, Lova Falk,MER-C, Majorclanger, Mankar Camoran, Marc Kupper, Marnanel, Mathmo, Matt Deres, Mattisse, Maximus Rex, Mgiganteus1, Michael Hardy, Mirjam Amalthea, Mitsube, Mm40, Mogism,Montereyham, Mousewings, MrOllie, Muendelezaji, Naiduhemant, Natebailey, Nazar, Nesbit, Nickptar, Nippashish, Ohnoitsjamie, OisinisiO, Osaya, Peter S., Phantomsnake, Phoenixthebird,Phresnel, Physicistjedi, Piano non troppo, Pine, Plpkingsofflow, Poipriestess, Positivepsy, Ppe42, Pratyya Ghosh, Pro crast in a tor, Project2501a, Quiddity, RCraig09, Rbpolsen, RedAlgorithm,ReverendSam, Reynaldo en, RichardF, Riucia, Rjwilmsi, Rock4arolla, Roymstat, SPKirsch, Sadi Carnot, Sasata, SchreiberBike, SeanGustafson, Seb35, Seifried, Shlomke, Skoosh, Smcg8374,Solace098, Soler97, Someguy1221, Sonjaaa, Spalding, Special-T, Spider-spax, Sriks7, Stallion19, Star767, Steveprutz, Susko, Switchercat, Tbackstr, Teardrop onthefire, Teratornis, Tesseract2,Thedr.spo, ThomasPusch, Tinton5, ToasterCoster, Tompollak, Travis.m.granvold, Trivialist, Vandy10, Vegaa02, Waldir, Webclient101, WikiReviewer.de, Wikievil666, Wikiloop, WinstonTrechane, Winter Breeze, Wjejskenewr, Yaamboo, 386 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Scout Girl in Concentration.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Scout_Girl_in_Concentration.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0  Contributors: RandyFile:Challenge_vs_skill.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Challenge_vs_skill.svg  License: Public domain  Contributors: Beao, Doodle77, Jtneill, ThomasPusch, 2anonymous editsFile:South-Goodwin.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:South-Goodwin.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported  Contributors: Charles JSharpFile:Concentration.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Concentration.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0  Contributors: David Friel

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