心流体验

… experience, models of human behavior will remain one-sided and incomplete. The studies of the flow experience … The major psychological trends of this century - including drive theories…

… A large body of Western psychological theories, including flow theory, state that optimal environments provide the individual with meaningful and flexible goals, optimal challenges, as …

The “flow” experience (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975) has been the focus of a large body of empirical work spanning more than four decades. Nevertheless, advancement in understanding – beyond what Csikszentmihalyi uncovered during his initial breakthrough in 1975 – has been modest. In this conceptual analysis, it is argued that progress within the field has been impeded by a lack of consistency in how flow is operationalized, and that this inconsistency in part reflects an underlying confusion regarding what flow is. Flow operationalizations from papers published within the past 5 years are reviewed. Across the 42 reviewed studies, flow was operationalized in 24 distinct ways. Three specific points of inconsistency are then highlighted: (1) inconsistences in operationalizing flow as a continuous versus discrete construct, (2) inconsistencies in operationalizing flow as inherently enjoyable (i.e., “autotelic”) or not, and (3) inconsistencies in operationalizing flow as dependent on versus distinct from the task characteristics proposed to elicit it (i.e., the conditions/antecedents). After tracing the origins of these discrepancies, the author argues that, in the interest of conceptual intelligibility, flow should be conceptualized and operationalized exclusively as a discrete, highly enjoyable, “optimal” state of consciousness, and that this state should be clearly distinguished from the conditions proposed to elicit it. He suggests that more mundane instances of goal-directed engagement are better conceived and operationalized as variations in task involvement rather than variations in flow. Additional ways to achieve greater conceptual and operational consistency within the field are suggested.

Previous research has highlighted the role of internal states in the experience of flow in the sports performance context. This systematic review investigates the relationship between psychological correlates, personality dispositions, traits and internal states (motivation, goals, focus, and arousal) with the experience and occurrence of flow in professional athletes. There have been identified 17 studies published between 2012 and 2017 updating and extending Swann, Keegan, Piggott and Crust’s (2012) systematic review. The results indicate that specific psychological correlates, personality traits and dispositions, and internal states are strongly correlated with the appearance of flow. The present study adds to the current research on the sports’ flow experience highlighting the importance of constructs, such as confidence, anxiety, commitment, motives, goals, attention, optimal focus and arousal, and the “letting it go” state.

… go to great lengths to experience it again. This we eventually called the “flow experience,” because in … Flow is a subjective state that people report when they are completely involved in …

… Because the self grows through flow experiences, we also might expect time spent in flow to predict self-esteem. Correlational studies with ESM data support this expectation (Adlai-Gail …

… experience. The following analysis was carried out in order to determine whether flow experience is associated with psychological … who were in channel 2 (flow) at least twice during the …

Research on psychological flow is well established, although criticisms remain regarding conceptual and measurement issues associated with the construct. This scoping review maps flow-related research across scientific disciplines, examining the conceptualization, measurement instruments, and outcomes of flow between 2012 and 2019. Across 236 sources that met the review criteria, 108 different flow-related constructs were measured by 141 instruments, and 84 possible antecedents were identified. Despite the varied approaches, a common set of overarching antecedent constructs included "optimal challenge" and "high motivation," and recurring characteristics of the flow experience itself included "absorption," "effort-less control," and "intrinsic reward." Applied studies-albeit inconsistent in approach and largely correlational in nature-predominantly linked flow to "positive development" (i.e., well-being and health), "high functioning," and "further engagement." We contextualize the findings of the review relative to important work on flow that has recently emerged (following the review period)-in doing so, we hope this review offers a contemporary framework that can be used for the study of flow across scientific disciplines. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

… This study examines the relationships between flow at work, need fulfillment, and declarative … basic psychological needs associated with flow at work that explains why and how flow and …

… This fits with what we know about the flow experience: when playing a close tournament, chess players can go for hours without noticing hunger or headache; athletes in a competition …

The purpose of this study was to examine possible psychological correlates of flow in a sample of older athletes. Both state and trait, or dispositional flow states, were examined. Masters athletes completed questionnaire assessments on two occasions while competing at an international masters sport competition. The participants (398) completed a questionnaire assessing intrinsic/extrinsic motivation, goal orientation, trait anxiety, perceived ability, and typical flow experiences (trait) when participating in sport. Of these participants, 213 completed a questionnaire after and in relation to one event they competed in at the Games. This second questionnaire assessed state flow, as well as perceptions of success, skills, and challenges in a selected sport event. Correlational and multivariate analyses were conducted to examine psychological correlates of state and trait flow. Patterns of relationships were found between flow and perceived ability, anxiety, and an intrinsic motivation variable. Understanding flow and its relationship with other psychological variables are discussed.

… flow, these dimensions are provided by the structure of the activities and are perhaps masked. In contrast to the others, flow experiences … , allow or facilitate flow, involve practiced actions…

… Chapter Three specifies the eight major components of enjoyment, an elaboration of the six qualities of the flow experience presented in Beyond Boredom and Anxiety. First, flow …

In this study, we investigate the relationship between stress and flow-experience with the help of psychophysiological arousal indicators. Whereas recent studies suggest a positive …

… Consistent with our view of flow as a critical psychological state, we, … flow may be a critical psychological state that is associated with positive mood, a core component of psychological …

… Criterion for selection is the quality of subjective experience. Flow or optimal experience was … This chapter will focus on the psychological features of optimal experience, on its role in …

… the perspective of Deci and Ryans’ self-determination theory. Individual and cultural features facilitating the retrieval of optimal experience in daily life will also be explored. They include …

Abstract This paper reports on Web users' optimal flow experiences ( Csikszentmihalyi, 1975b ) in the Web environment. The concept of flow was employed to see if there were some positive aspects of Web experiences that could be linked to theory applied to other media and then incorporated into Web design to enhance its utility to users. The notions of the Web as a ‘multi-activity medium’ and a view of the Web as a ‘situated experience’ are proposed and verified in this study in order to demonstrate evidence of flow phenomena in the Web environment. Further, in order to overcome methodological hurdles inherent in previous studies, this study employed content analytic procedures to analyze open-ended questionnaires to directly elicit 304 Web users' perceived flow experiences on the Web. Results of this study provide baseline data on the existence of the flow phenomenon in the Web environment, such as factors and conditions associated with the flow experience, causes of Web users' perceived challenges and controls, and Web users' flow feelings and enjoyments. This study also establishes the groundwork for building a situational measuring instrument which may be used to identify Web users' flow experience for further exploration. We conclude that the concept of flow is a fruitful area for research that aims at improving Web design practice. The data suggest that additional research under more rigorous methodological conditions can further specify the factors and conditions associated with flow experiences on the Web.

… work as an opportunity for flow or optimal experience, but not as desirable and pleasant. … from the perspective of self-determination theory, investigating work-related intrinsic and …

… The first, based on flow theory, predicts that experience will be most positive when a person perceives that the environment contains high enough opportunities for action (or challenges)…

… for several years about flow and optimal experience in the domain of psychology. Since the 1970s, with the work of Csikszentmihalyi, flow theory has been a main conceptual framework …

Eudaimonistic identity theory posits a link between activity and identity, where a self-defining activity promotes the strength of a person’s identity. An activity engaged in with high enjoyment, full involvement, and high concentration can facilitate the subjective experience of flow. In the present paper, we hypothesized in accordance with the theory of psychological selection that beyond the promotion of individual development and complexity at the personal level, the relationship between flow and identity at the social level is also positive through participation in self-defining activities. Three different samples (i.e., American, Chinese, and Spanish) filled in measures for flow and social identity, with reference to four previously self-reported activities, characterized by four different combinations of skills (low vs. high) and challenges (low vs. high). Findings indicated that flow was positively associated with social identity across each of the above samples, regardless of participants’ gender and age. The results have implications for increasing social identity via participation in self-defining group activities that could facilitate flow.

… theory in any of his work to date. Since Rea wrote his book chapter on optimal experience from a reversal theory … theory. Apter, however, has continued to occasionally refer to flow …

… Given Deci and Ryan’s (2000) claim of the importance of taking into account autonomy and self-determination in flow theory, and the dearth of empirical findings on this issue, the …

… From the perspective of living systems theories, optimal experience can be considered the complexity pole of consciousness. It is characterized by ease of concentration, smooth flow of …

… Then we will show how flow theory can serve as theoretical cornerstone to understand social engagement, outlining group settings able to involve new citizens and sustain their …

This study examined the relationship between flow experience and place identity, based on eudaimonistic identity theory (EIT) which prioritizes self-defining activities as important for an individual’s identification of his/her goals, values, beliefs, and interests corresponding to one’s own identity development or enhancement. This study focuses on place identity, the identity’s features relating to a person’s relation with her/his place. The study is also based on flow theory, according to which some salient features of an activity experience are important for happiness and well-being. Questionnaire surveys on Italian and Greek residents focused on their perceived flow and place identity in relation to their own specific local place experiences. The overall findings revealed that flow experience occurring in one’s own preferred place is widely reported as resulting from a range of self-defining activities, irrespective of gender or age, and it is positively and significantly associated with one’s own place identity. Such findings provide the first quantitative evidence about the link between flow experienced during meaningfully located self-defining activities and identity experienced at the place level, similarly to the corresponding personal and social levels that had been previously already empirically tested. Results are also discussed in terms of their implications for EIT’s understanding and enrichment, especially by its generalization from the traditional, personal identity level up to that of place identity. More generally, this study has implications for maintaining or enhancing one’s own place identity, and therefore people–place relations, by means of facilitating a person’s flow experience within psychologically meaningful places.

… are equally well-known, although their existence is usually not related to a theory of experience… Thus optimal experience could be defined in formal terms, rather than in terms of content. …

PurposeOmnichannel consumers are more proactive, engage in longer shopping journeys and share their experiences. However, their postpurchase behavioral responses remain understudied. This paper aims to examine how a seamless omnichannel environment can contribute to a more optimal shopping experience (flow state) and the subsequent impact on the likelihood of generating mixed (positive and negative) word of mouth (WOM).Design/methodology/approachA controlled experiment was conducted with 220 participants to test the proposed model based on the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) model and flow theory. The authors conducted an analysis of variance, two regression analyses and two mediation analyses to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results confirm a positive direct effect of a seamless environment on consumers' flow state and a positive (negative) direct impact of flow on the likelihood of generating positive (negative) WOM. Additionally, the results suggest that flow mediates the effect of a seamless environment on WOM.Originality/valueThis study contributes to omnichannel and WOM literature by exploring the critical role of seamlessness in consumers' subjective experience (flow state) and postpurchase behaviors (mixed WOM). In conjunction with the relevant theoretical contributions, these findings also offer guidelines for practitioners to manage the seamless environment and mixed WOM in the omnichannel context.

… defining flow in terms of challenge and skill. With this measure, we tested the assumption that experience of flow substantially depends on the balance of challenge and skill. This …

… of consciousness characterized by simultaneous perception of high challenge and skill. The position that challenge–skill balance is the primary antecedent for achieving a flow state is …

… relationship between challenge/skill balance and flow in a sample of participants performing tasks requiring distinct and personally relevant skills. Specifically, we studied flow among …

… is a primary cause of flow experiences. Thus, the second hypothesis of the present article suggests that the challenge-skill balance is not a proper operationalization of flow experiences…

Previous studies measured flow states using students’ self-reported experiences, resulting in issues regarding nonobjective and nonreal-time data. Thus, this study used an electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure the EEG-detected real-time flow states (EEG-Fs) of 30 students from the 4th and 5th grades. Their EEG measurements, self-reported reflective flow experiences (SR-Fs), grade levels (GLs), balance of challenge and skill (BCS), and sense of control, represented by their overall test performance (OA-tp) and momentary test performance (MOM-tp), were analyzed to establish their EEG-F’s construct. Based on the results of a chi-square test, the EEG-F correlates significantly with SR-F, BCS, OA-tp, and MOM-tp. A J48 decision tree analysis and logistic regression further revealed that in-flow experiences (in-EEG-F) were detected when students had high SR-Fs, where the BCS contributed to flow states. In particular, students with a low-challenge/high-skill BCS demonstrated an in-EEG-F state upon having a high OA-tp. For high-challenge/high-skill, the in-EEG-F state was determined through their MOM-tp. Through the EEG and flow state construct, this study revealed a whole-part association between students’ momentary and overall reflective flow experiences and identified viable paths for inducing students’ EEG-Fs, which can contribute to future e-learning development when integrated with a brain-computer interface for e-learning or e-evaluation systems.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Interest surrounding the relationship between flow and problematic gameplay has surged. An important antecedent of flow in the context of video-gaming is the skill-challenge balance, but researchers have only manipulated this balance by changing speed of play. The current research seeks to examine the skill-challenge balance and flow in a mobile game in which challenge is increased via the complexity of puzzles. We predicted games like Candy-Crush would more strongly support a model of flow in which the greatest flow would be experienced by more skilled players and that high flow games would induce the most urge to continue play. METHODS: We had 60 Candy-Crush players play games near their level standing (maximal skill-challenge balance), or games that were too easy or too hard. Perceived skill, challenge, flow, and urge to continue gameplay were measured after each game. RESULTS: Players felt the highest degree of skill-challenge balance when playing games around their level standing. Easy games produced the least flow, while both regular and hard games produced comparable flow despite hard games being far more challenging and frustrating. The findings support models of flow positing those with highest perceived skill will experience greater flow. Finally, flow and arousal combine to increase urge to keep playing. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest those with high perceived skill will experience deep, immersive flow which motivates players to keep playing.

… of flow and the flow experience itself, we look at interest as a moderator between the challenge/skills balance and the experience of flow, rather than a component of the flow experience…

… level of the task and the skill level of the learner. This challenge- skills balance is a key … their classroom instruction to support the challenge- skills balance of their diverse learners. …

Flow and self-determination theory predict that game difficulty in balance with player skill maximises enjoyment and engagement, mediated by attentive absorption or competence. Yet recent evidence and methodological concerns are challenging this view, and key theoretical predictions have remained untested, importantly which objective difficulty-skill ratio is perceived as most balanced. To test these, we ran a preregistered study (n=309) using a Go-like 2-player game with an AI opponent, randomly assigning players to one of three objective difficulty-skill ratios (AI plays to win, draw, or lose) over five matches. The AI successfully manipulated objective balance, with the draw condition perceived as most balanced. However, balance did not impact play behaviour, nor did we find the predicted uniform 'inverted-U' between balance and positive play experiences. Importantly, we found both theories too underspecified to severely test. We conclude that balance and competence likely matter less for behavioural engagement than commonly held. We propose alternative factors such as player appraisals, novelty, and progress, and debate the value and challenges of theory-testing work in games HCI.

OBJECTIVE. We sought to investigate whether occupational therapy that includes adjusting the challenge–skill balance improves health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for older adults in comparison with standard occupational therapy.METHOD. In this single-blind, randomized controlled trial, 56 older adults were assigned to two groups that received 10 sessions of occupational therapy with and without adjustment of challenge–skill balance. The primary outcome was change in HRQOL after 10 sessions of occupational therapy.RESULTS. Significant differences were observed in HRQOL using the EuroQol–5 Dimension score (p = .022, d = 0.76) and the eight-item Short-Form Health Survey scores for general health (p = .001, d = 0.99) and in flow experience using the Flow State Scale for Occupational Tasks (p = .008, d = 0.82).CONCLUSION. Assessment and adjustment of the challenge–skill balance of activities may effectively improve older adults’ HRQOL.

… flow beyond skill-demand balance. According to the revised flow model (Csikszentmihalyi and LeFevre 1989), flow is expected only under conditions of high skills and high demands. …

Objective: To verify the effect of adjusting the challenge–skill balance with respect to rehabilitation process. Design: A single-blind, two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial. Setting: Recovery rehabilitation unit of Harue Hospital, Japan. Subjects: The trial included 72 clients (mean (SD): age, 74.64 (9.51) years; Functional Independence Measure score, 98.26 (15.27)) with cerebral or spinal disease or musculoskeletal disease. Interventions: Clients were randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group, who received occupational therapy with adjustment of the challenge–skill balance, and the control group who received conventional occupational therapy. Time from admission to discharge was considered the implementation period; the final evaluation was conducted at three months after discharge. Main measures: The primary outcome was subjective quality of life (Ikigai-9). Secondary outcomes were the health-related quality of life (EuroQol–5 Dimensions, Five Levels (EQ-5D-5L)), the Flow State Scale for Occupational Tasks, and the Functional Independence Measure. A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using total cost and quality-adjusted life-year based on the EQ-5D-5L. Results: Significant differences were observed between the experimental and control groups with respect to the Ikigai-9 score (P = 0.008) and EQ-5D-5L (P = 0.038), and the effect sizes were 0.76 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.27–1.24) and 0.62 (95% CI: 0.14–1.10), respectively. No significant between-group differences in other outcomes were observed, for example, the Functional Independence Measure score improved in both experimental and control groups (119.80 (5.50) and 118.84 (6.97), respectively. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was US$5518.38. Conclusions: Adjusting the challenge–skill balance may be a useful approach to improve the participant’s subjective quality of life in the rehabilitation process.

The aim of this study was to test the notion that engagement in creative activity directly affects the flow state dimension of challenge-skills balance, and indirectly via coping strategies in the realm of sport. Two hundred and eight athletes classified as intermediate, advanced, and expert level were administered a Creative Activities and Accomplishment Checklist (CAAC), the Dispositional Coping Inventory for Competitive Sport (DCICS), and the Challenge-Skill Balance subscale of the Dispositional Flow Scale (CS-DFS-2). Measurement and structural equation modeling were used to test the postulated model. The best fit of the model showed that 36% of the variance in challenge-skills balance was accounted for by creative activities and task-oriented coping, of which 27% was attributed to the indirect effect from creative activities via task-oriented coping. The findings extend the role that creativity engagement has on flow state.

An adaptive task difficulty assignment method which we reckon as balanced difficulty task finder (BDTF) is proposed in this paper. The aim is to recommend tasks to a learner using a trade-off between skills of the learner and difficulty of the tasks such that the learner experiences a state of flow during the learning. Flow is a mental state that psychologists refer to when someone is completely immersed in an activity. Flow state is a multidisciplinary field of research and has been studied not only in psychology, but also neuroscience, education, sport, and games. The idea behind this paper is to try to achieve a flow state in a similar way as Elo’s chess skill rating (Glickman in Am Chess J 3:59–102) and TrueSkill (Herbrich et al. in Advances in neural information processing systems, 2006) for matching game players, where “matched players” should possess similar capabilities and skills in order to maintain the level of motivation and involvement in the game. The BDTF draws analogy between choosing an appropriate opponent or appropriate game level and automatically choosing an appropriate difficulty level of a learning task. This method, as an intelligent tutoring system, could be used in a wide range of applications from online learning environments and e-learning, to learning and remembering techniques in traditional methods such as adjusting delayed matching to sample and spaced retrieval training that can be used for people with memory problems such as people with dementia.

… challenges, skills, and their absolute difference expressing the balance/imbalance of challenges and skills. … the prediction of flow theory that the balance of challenges and skills has a …

This study uses self-determination and flow theories as a theoretical framework to investigate the role of need for competence satisfaction (NCS) and autonomous motivation (AM) in balance between challenge and skills (BCS) and dispositional flow (DF) in international junior elite tennis players. A sample of 114 (62 girls and 52 boys) junior elite players (15.62 ± 1.36 years) representing 24 countries competing in International Tennis Federation junior tournaments completed measures on the NCS using the Basic Needs Satisfaction in Sport Scale, AM with the Sport Motivation Scale and DF State scale to measure the BCS and their DF. Values of Cronbach α >.80 and the rhô Jöreskog coefficients were shown to be satisfactory and >0.89. The independent sample t-test analysis revealed no significant gender differences in any of them (p > .05). Simple regression analysis showed that there was a significant positive linear correlation between BCS and DF (r = .46; F = 29.31, p < .001). Multiple regression analysis indicated that AM and NCS explained 50.8% of the variance of BCS (F = 57.30, p < .001). Canonical correlation analysis indicated that a lack of NCS and AM was associated with a lack of DF and BCS. Wilks’ lambda = .38, F = 34.11, p < .001, accounted for 99% (rc = .79) of the overlapping variance. It can be concluded that NCS and AM contribute effectively to the BCS and then to DF in the sample studied.

… The particular aspects of flow explored in this article are the notion of flow as a quality of attention and the way in which the concept of skill-challenge balance can be used as a training …

… We noted that the flow scale score did not differ between … flow model, it is possible that clients in this study did not reach the flow state experienced with a high challenge–skill balance. …

… people need to experience occupations that balance challenges with skills, as well as occupations that are out of balance because challenges are too high or too low in relation to skills. …

<ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Background</ns4:bold> : This is a review and analysis of the questionnaires most used in empirical research on psychological phenomena labelled as “presence,” “flow,” and “narrative absorption,” mostly for experiences mediated by technology (printed books, screens for games and films, and virtual reality). Overlapping concepts have been formulated in different fields according to specific disciplinary interests and based on knowledge within each field. </ns4:p> <ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Objectives</ns4:bold> : This review focuses on how language is actually used in questionnaire items, rather than on how concepts are formulated top-down and arbitrarily associated with corresponding linguistic expressions that become items of a questionnaire. The goal is to highlight similarities and overlaps in order to show the core aspects of the psychological states elicited by mediated experiences. </ns4:p> <ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Eligibility criteria</ns4:bold> : Questionnaires developed or used for research about VR, video games, films, or books have been selected for analysis. They should be available in English and used in empirical research since the year 2000. </ns4:p> <ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Sources of evidence</ns4:bold> : A search has been performed through Google Scholar and two other disciplinary bibliographies edited by international learned societies. </ns4:p> <ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Charting methods</ns4:bold> : The items of each questionnaire are categorized based on their wordings, and thus independently from the conceptual models within which they have been developed. Based on this categorization, various domains to which the items can be ascribed are identified (e.g. space, realism, agency, etc.) and psychological phenomena are linked to them (e.g. presence, social presence, narrative absorption, etc.). </ns4:p> <ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Results</ns4:bold> : 308 items in 23 questionnaires have been found to have overlapping of wordings. </ns4:p> <ns4:p> <ns4:bold>Conclusions</ns4:bold> : A list of the core aspects of presence, social presence, flow, and narrative absorption is presented, together with a critical selection of items suitable to measure each construct. </ns4:p>

… Importantly, this study conceptualizes flow not merely as an experiential outcome but as a mediating psychological mechanism that explains how immersive experiences are …

<ns4:p>Presence, flow, narrative absorption, immersion, transportation, and similar subjective phenomena are studied in many different disciplines, mostly in relation to mediated experiences (books, film, VR, games). Moreover, since real, virtual, or fictional agents are often involved, concepts like identification and state empathy are often linked to engaging media use. Based on a scoping review which identified similarities in the wording of various questionnaire items conceived to measure different phenomena, we categorize items into the most relevant psychological aspects, and use this categorization to propose an interdisciplinary systematization. Then, based on a framework of embodied predictive processing, we present a new cognitive model of presence-related phenomena for mediated and non-mediated experiences, integrating spatial and temporal aspects and also considering the role of fiction and media design. Key processes described within the model are: selective attention, enactment of intentions, and interoception. We claim that presence is the state of perceived successful agency of an embodied mind able to correctly enact its predictions. The difference between real-life and simulated experiences (“book problem,” “paradox of fiction”) lays in the different precision weighing of exteroceptive and interoceptive signals.</ns4:p>

While the formulation of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's theory of flow, including the experience dimensions, has remained stable since its introduction in 1975, its dedicated measurement tools, research methodologies, and fields of application, have evolved considerably. Among these, education stands out as one of the most active. In recent years, researchers have examined flow in the context of other theoretical constructs such as motivation. The resulting work in the field of education has led to the development of a new model for understanding flow experience in education, specifically dedicated to adult learning. As a result of both a meticulous analysis of existing models and consideration of more recent developments, a new flow scale has thus been developed. The aim of this study is therefore twofold: to validate the new flow measurement scale dedicated to the educational environment, EduFlow-2, and to test a new theoretical model. Students taking a course (N = 6,596), some on-site and others in a MOOC, participated. Several scales were administered online at the end of the participants' course during the 2017 academic year. The factor structure of EduFlow-2 was tested using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling. Several models were tested. The model with a second-order factor best fit the data. We tested the invariance of the flow scale measure for gender and for the type of training (MOOC/on-site). We were able to show that the flow scale is invariant of the modalities of these two variables. Results revealed good psychometric qualities for the scale, making it suitable for both on-site and distance learning. The analysis also revealed significant relationships with the classic variables of motivation, self-efficacy, learning climate, and life satisfaction. Furthermore, all four dimensions of the model were found to be adequate and consistent with the underlying theoretical arguments. In the end, this new, short flow scale and the theoretical model were demonstrated to be promising for future studies in the field of education.

… Based on the model, a virtual-course flow measure was … between measured flow antecedents, flow experiences and flow … to determining the level of flow, (2) flow is a significant predictor …

The flow experience (i.e., challenge-skill balance, action-awareness merging, clear goals, unambiguous feedback, concentration, sense of control, loss of self-consciousness, transformation of time, and autotelic experience) is an experience highly related to the learning experience. One of the current challenges is to identify whether students are managing to achieve this experience in educational systems. The methods currently used to identify students’ flow experience are based on self-reports or equipment (e.g., eye trackers or electroencephalograms). The main problem with these methods is the high cost of the equipment and the impossibility of applying them massively. To address this challenge, we used behavior data logs produced by students during the use of a gamified educational system to predict the students’ flow experience. Through a data-driven study (N = 23) using structural equation modeling, we identified possibilities to predict the students’ flow experience through the speed of students’ actions. With this initial study, we advance the literature, especially contributing to the field of student experience analysis, by bringing insights showing how to step towards automatic students’ flow experience identification in gamified educational systems.

… An important concept in this work is flow experience (‘flow’ for short). Flow is defined as a ‘holistic sensation that people feel when they act with total involvement’ (Csikszentmihalyi 1990…

… are many different measures and methods that seek to quantify the flow experience. The present work examined whether a common measure of flow, the Dispositional Flow Scale-2 (…

The measurement of the subjective playing experience is important part of the game development process. The enjoyment level that a serious game offers is a key factor in determining whether a player will be engaged in the gameplay and achieve the objectives of the game. In this paper we report the results of a game design process in which two prototypes of a collaborative exergame were studied. The main aim of the paper is to explore to what extend the measurement of flow experience can facilitate the game evaluation and design process. Alltogether 102 junior high school students participated in two user experience studies and played collaborative exergames designed to teach soft skills. Playing experience was measured with a flow questionnaire, playing behavior was observed and some of the players were interviewed. The results showed that flow experience can be used to evaluate the overall quality of the gameplay and it provides a structured approach to consider the quality of the game. However, flow does not provide detailed information about the shortages of the game and thus complementary methods is needed to identify the causes. The results also indicated that flow experience was independent of gender that supports its use in quality measurement.

… how measuring flow experience assisted on understanding the affordances of the multimodal learning environment and whether the technology supported or hindered this experience. …

The purpose of this paper is to review three decades of the literature on flow measurement and propose issues to advance research on the measurement of social flow at work.,In a systematic literature review, the authors analyzed 143 articles published in the first three decades (1983–2013) of scholarly publications on flow measurement, of which 84 articles used scales to measure flow and 16 articles used scales to measure flow at work.,The main findings are: flow is frequently measured in association with other constructs or by means of proxies; flow measurement is highly dependent on a study’s purposes and context; flow is mostly studied at the level of the individual and, when studied beyond the individual, the measurement of flow in groups is simplified as an aggregation of individual-level measures; and social flow at work is an underresearched construct that nevertheless impacts organizations in important ways, thus deserving a specific research agenda.,The first limitation refers to the databases included in the review. There is always the possibility that important works were ignored. Another limitation is that the coding procedure was highly dependent on the authors’ discretion, as it did not include independent coding and formal assessment of agreement among coders. But the greatest limitation may refer to our very perspectives on flow, flow measurement and social flow at work, as they are highly attached to current models instead of seeing the issues with different lenses. This limitation is also present in the literature.,Reviewing three decades of scholarly publications on how flow has been measured contributes to organizations in their planning for person-job fit. The measurement of flow can reveal if and when flow correlates with personal characteristics and organizational events, thus serving to inform initiatives on personnel development, acculturation and job design. However, considering that flow as a social phenomenon has been conceived in superficial terms, that a vast number of empirical studies were developed with non-professional subjects, and that flow measurement involves significant adaptations to each situation, organizations are thus advised to be careful in adopting extant instruments.,This study provides a rich account on how flow measurement has been addressed in the scholarly literature, and it calls attention to research opportunities on social flow at work.

… flow experience levels than those achieved by users of the web-based application. However, not all the factors seem to have influence on learners' flow … , and autotelic experience. A …

The Flow State Scale (FSS) is a new measure of flow in sport and physical activity settings. The nine FSS scales of the 36-item instrument represent the dimensions of flow discussed by Csikszentmihalyi (1990, 1993), and each scale is measured by four items. Development of items was based on (a) past research with flow state both within and outside of sport settings, (b) qualitative analysis of interviews with elite athletes, and (c) quantitative analyses conducted in the present investigation. Internal consistency estimates for the nine FSS scales were reasonable (alpha M = 33) for administration of the scale to 394 athletes. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the nine scales. Consistent with the theoretical basis of the FSS, there was also support for a hierarchical model in which one global (higher order) flow factor explained correlations among the nine first-order FSS factors. Suggestions for use of the scale and for further research are discussed.

Motivate students is a top research aspect for many research communities, schools, universities, and institutions. In this context, motivation has an important role in the leaning process and particularly in the students’ success and the drop-out avoidance. This paper proposes a flow measurement instrument in order to test the students’ motivation in a Computer Science course. The experimental study involved 33 students that answer a same questionnaire twice in a period of one week. The temporal stability, internal consistency and convergent validity of the first English version of the Flow in education scale (EduFlow) were examined. The results show that autotelic experience (well-being provided by the activity itself) is significantly positively correlated with academic achievement. This research work is dedicated to Education and Computer Science active communities and more specifically to directors of learning centres / pedagogy departments, and the service of information technology and communication for education (pedagogical engineers) who meet difficulties in evaluate students’ motivation in a specific course.

… has been conducted on the flow experiences of musicians, a … of flow are equally important correlates of the flow experiences … a psychometric analysis of a key flow scale such as the DFS-…

… measures flow in the context of gamification and investigates the psychometric properties of the Dispositional Flow … components of flow divide into highly correlated conditions of flow (…

In transferring the concept of flow to the context of fiction reading a new approach to understanding the evolvement of reading pleasure is provided. This study presents the Reading Flow Short Scale (RFSS), the first reading-specific flow measurement tool. The RFSS was applied to 229 readers via online survey after 20 min of reading in self-selected novels. In a systematic analysis of psychometric properties, the RFSS’ factorial structure, reliability, and associations with theoretically related constructs were examined. As expected, the RFSS showed a two-factor structure, positive correlations with variables related to reading pleasure and flow, and an inverted U-shaped association with perceived fit between reader skills and text challenge. Comparisons of confirmatory factor analysis model confirmed that RFSS items loaded on different latent variables than items assessing other narrative engagement concepts, namely presence, identification, suspense, and cognitive mastery, and hence distinctly capture flow states in fiction reading. In sum, our findings indicate that the RFSS is a useful instrument for assessing flow states in fiction reading, thereby enriching the portfolio of measurement instruments in reading research.

… When in the flow state during a computer interaction, involvement with the system is enjoyable and becomes an end in itself. The positive subjective experience becomes an important …

… a given device or interaction is usable, well-functioning and positive. However, we also highlighted that Human Computer Interaction is a complex and various field, in which flow is not …

… This article builds on job characteristics and optimal flow theory … Flow, which is characterized by intense concentration and … behavior, which in turn was linked to extent of computer use. …

Flow experience is an enjoyable feeling highly linked to the learning experience. Identifying whether a student is in flow while using educational systems is critical to measure the quality of systems and the students' learning. Usually, this process is done through intrusive techniques or with a high cost and can not be applied with a large number of students at the same time. In this study, we propose a computational approach to provide automatic student's flow experience identification in educational systems using only the student's data logs from their interactions in the systems. We conducted a systematic literature review to identify the different possibilities currently used to identify student's flow experience in educational systems, as well as a theoretical study associating student's interaction data logs in educational systems with the flow experience dimensions. Our preliminary results indicate that it is possible to obtain the flow experience in an automatic and implicit way.

… With the presented approach—using the flow state of the operator as the basis of dynamic adaptation of the work process—we aim to stimulate a more individualized and human-…

… and high levels of enjoyment and control in human-computer interaction correlated with higher online experimentation and exploration [5], [6]. As we will see, user experiences of flow …

Flow is a holistic description of people's optimal experiences during creative activities that can be characterized as being totally concentrated on, and actively involved in the task, enjoying the process of creation, and achieving a balance between one's skill and the task's challenge. Understanding software developers' flow states has attracted an increasing attention in both research and practice because of the strong link between being in flow and achieving good performance. In this paper, we study the problem of tracking and recognizing developers' flow states by tracing their computer interactions including activities of using the keyboard, mouse, IDE functions, and switching application windows. Compared to the traditional approaches that rely on self-reports or wearable sensors, a major advantage of the proposed approach is being non-invasive for not requiring any additional efforts from the developers after the training phase is completed, which is important because the developers' flow states can easily be interrupted by external interferences. Based on the captured interaction traces, we represent the developers' activities with extensive features, and propose to address the flow state recognition problem using machine learning technologies. And a hierarchical recognition model is built following the multi-dimensional construct of the flow concept, which is interpretable and effective. We develop a prototype system and conduct a 17-day field study in a medium-sized IT company in China to collect real-world data. The results show that our approach is effective by achieving the highest recognition accuracy of 92.6%, and efficient for performing real-time recognition.

… One has to measure all flow elements including preconditions, flow state, and … flow state and whether flow is actually achieved. To game designers, helping players achieve a flow state …

Modeling users' experience in gameful systems is one of the main contemporary challenges in the field of human-computer interaction. One of the most desired and complex experiences to be identified is the flow experience (i.e., challenge-skill balance, action-awareness merging, clear goals, unambiguous feedback, concentration, sense of control, loss of self-consciousness, transformation of time, and autotelic experience). Facing this challenge, we conducted a quantitative study (N = 313) based on structural equation modeling, aiming to model and predict the users' flow experience through their behavior (represented by performance-related, interaction with gamification, as well as the time they take in different actions) in the system. The main results indicate that i) gamification (i.e., doing well in points, badges, and leader-board) was positively related to users' experience of good challenge-skill balance, ii) whereas it was negatively related to users' concentration. Thirdly iii) user performance was positively related to users' concentration. However, overall, the results indicate that while associations between user behavior and flow experience could be established, there remains future work to be done to fully explain user flow experience while using a system. Our study contributes to the fields of human-computer interaction, gamification, and educational technologies, especially through insights related to modeling and predicting flow experiences in gameful systems through behavior data.

… interaction is a pressing problem. In order to … human–computer interaction, we analyze the interaction requirements of flow visualization and study the characteristics of four human–…

Digital monitoring of physiological signals can allow computer systems to adapt unobtrusively to users, so as to enhance personalised ‘smart’ interactions. In recent years, physiological computing has grown as a research field, and it is increasingly considered in diverse applications, ranging from specialised work contexts to consumer electronics. Working in this emerging field requires comprehension of several physiological signals, psychophysiological states or ‘indices’, and analysis techniques. The resulting literature encompasses a complex array of knowledge and techniques, presenting a clear challenge to the practitioner. The Psychophysiology Primer provides a foundational review of the field of psychophysiology to serve as a primer for the novice, enabling rapid familiarisation with the core concepts, or as a quick-reference resource for advanced readers. It places special emphasis on everyday human–computer interface applications, drawing a distinction from clinical or sports applications, which are more commonplace. The Psychophysiology Primer provides the reader with a framework of commonly understood terms associated with experiential constructs and physiological signals. Then, 12 short and precisely focused review sections describe 10 individual signals or signal sources and present two technical discussions of online data fusion and processing. A systematic review of multimodal studies is provided in the form of a reference table. It concludes with a general discussion of the application of psychophysiology to human–computer interaction, including guidelines and challenges.

… of applying knowledge from Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) to … modalities to the mental or affective state of the user. … Workload, frustration, and interaction flow are then issues that …

Abstract The flow experience is a central focus in the design of game-like environments. However, the current state of research in this area remains unclear. We conducted a systematic literature review to answer the following questions: How has the flow experience been analyzed in gameful environments? In what types of gameful environments has the flow experience been analyzed? and What types of technology have been utilized to present gameful environments? In addition, we performed a scientometric analysis. We identified 601 authors who contributed to the field, primarily through quantitative studies published as journal articles in education. Self-report scales are the predominant method for assessing the user flow experience. Games and gamified environments are the most commonly used approaches, with websites as the primary technology for delivering gameful experiences. Based on these findings, we propose an agenda for future research to guide further studies in this domain.

… model we present suggests the feedback must be task-relevant to generate a flow state, which means there must be feedback that pertains to the goals of the task. We conducted a …

Gamification refers to the attempt to transform different kinds of systems to be able to better invoke positive experiences such as the flow state. However, the ability of such intervention to invoke flow state is commonly believed to depend on several moderating factors including the user’s traits. Currently, there is a dearth of research on the effect of user traits on the results of gamification. Gamer types (personality traits related to gaming styles and preferences) are considered some of the most relevant factors affecting the individual’s susceptibility to gamification. Therefore, in this study we investigate how gamer types from the BrainHex taxonomy (achiever, conqueror, daredevil, mastermind, seeker, socializer and survivor) moderate the effects of personalized/non-personalized gamification on users’ flow experience (challenge-skill balance, merging of action and awareness, clear goals, feedback, concentration, control, loss of self-consciousness and autotelic experience), enjoyment, perception of gamification and motivation. We conducted a mixed factorial within-subject experiment involving 121 elementary school students comparing a personalized version against a non-personalized version of a gamified education system. There were no main effects between personalization and students’ flow experience, perception of gamification and motivation, and enjoyment. Our results also indicate patterns of characteristics that can lead students to the high flow experience (e.g., those who prefer to play multiplayer have a high flow experience in both personalized and non-personalized versions). Based on our results, we provided recommendations to advance the design of gamifed educational systems.

In human-computer interaction, the trend towards gamification is part of the shift of focus from usability to the more holistic approach of user experience. Gamification is "the use of game elements in non-game contexts" and is increasingly used in a variety of domains such as crowd sourcing, health care, sustainability, sports and learning. In today’s Internet, consumer loyalty is low and high expectations are placed upon positive effects of gamification. Despite its widespread use, only a small number of studies have examined the phenomenon empirically and it is still unclear if and how gamification is able to live up to expectations. A promising approach is to study gamification from the perspective of motivation theories. The extensive research on rewards and research in the field of video games makes the theory of self-determination a viable starting point. Likewise, the concept of flow has strengths when it comes to designing for an optimal user experience and usability. Following the approach of self-determination theory, the possible effects of personal, situational and contextual factors will be discussed and recommendations for design and possible research will be given.

Abstract Research has repeatedly demonstrated that educational gamification can improve academic outcomes. However, a well-defined theoretical explanation for gamification’s positive effects has yet to be validated. Two theories are frequently cited as potential theoretical explanations for gamification: Self-determination Theory (SDT) and Flow Theory. In this study, we compare students’ academic outcomes with measures of SDT and Flow Theory in both gamified and non-gamified versions of a course. Results showed a statistically significant effect for the gamified group on four academic measures: withdrawals, failures, dropouts, and performance. Given gamification’s significant improvements in academic outcomes, we expected to find a similarly significant difference in SDT and Flow Theory measures. However, there were no significant differences on 18 of 19 subscales assessed. These results suggest that contrary to common suggestions made in gamification literature, SDT and Flow Theory are insufficient explanations for gamification’s effectiveness. This finding, if confirmed in other studies, will have significant impact on how gamification is studied and implemented in the future. We suggest other possible theoretical explanations for gamification and how they might be validated.

Introduction Digitalization and gamification offer numerous motivation-enhancing opportunities to design biology lessons. For example, digital, gamified learning settings can enhance lessons by offering intense experiences. Such lessons might offer the opportunity to witness flow during the learning activity. For learners, flow can be positively influenced by perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness. However, previous research on biology lessons has not focused on the impacts of the basic need satisfaction on the flow experience in digital learning settings. Methods To address this research gap, using the topic of the locomotion systems of animals, we investigated students’ perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness as possible predictors of their flow experience while processing a digital, gamified learning environment. The teaching unit was thematically focused on the locomotion system of animals. Our sample consisted of 161 students (46.6% female) from sixth to eighth grade. Students’ perceived satisfaction of their basic needs and their flow experience were evaluated. Results and Discussion Results confirmed perceived autonomy and perceived competence as predictors of students’ flow experience. However, perceived relatedness had no impact on the flow experience. Our findings are in line with the current state of research and prove to be mostly consistent with previous results.

… This research aims to use flow theory to explain the relationship between gamification and … motivation, whereas game-based learning engages students with their intrinsic motivation. …

Does Gamification Improve Flow Experience in Classroom? An Analysis of Gamer Types in Collaborative and Competitive Settings. Brazilian

Despite the growing attention towards gamification in learning context, challenge-based gamification application has rarely been subjected to testing in education. In recognition of this void, and grounded on gamification principles, we developed Educhall web-based program. Drawing on self-determination theory, and flow theory the present study aims to explore how the application of this challenge-based gamified program in to learning process of students can increase students’ motivation, flow, and academic success through the generated competition and challenge. The study applied a random experimental research design within distance learning context with 30 university students of control group and 30 students of experimental group who used the Educhall application for one academic semester. In line with self-determination theory, it was statistically evidenced that application of challenge-based gamified learning method increased level of academic performance and overall motivation. Of the motivational sub factors, experimental group reported significantly higher confidence level and satisfaction towards the course. Furthermore, grounded on flow theory, the study showed that challenge-based gamified learning increased flow level of learners but not significantly which warrants further data collection and experimental research in future studies. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Purpose This research has three main objectives. First, it examines influence of gamification on the behavioral intention to use an e-commerce platform. Second, it analyzes the role of the flow state given its importance in terms of behavior in online environments. Finally, the study aims to detect and analyze differences between Millennials and Generation X. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical basis for this study stems from technology acceptance model. The extended model incorporates gamification and the optimal state of intrinsic motivation, flow state, as additional constructs. An online consumer panel was used to collect data from 253 Spanish Amazon users. A structural equation modeling, partial least squares, is proposed and multi-group moderation was studied. Findings Gamification in Millennials has positive and significant indirect effects on behavioral intention through the flow state. In the case of the Generation X, it has been detected that flow interferes in its perception of ease of use. The behavioral intention of using the Web page is directly correlated with the purchase intention. Companies should offer a fun interface to Millennials and an environment easier to use to the Generation X, for gamification to be successful. Originality/value This study expands the research scope in gamification by focusing on e-commerce sector, a field where scientific research is still scarcely developed. It emphasizes the importance of flow as mediator. Age differences confirm the need for segmentation when applying gamification and marketing strategies in e-commerce.

There is accumulating evidence that engagement with digital math games can improve students’ learning. However, in what way individual variables critical to game-based learning influence students' learning success still needs to be explored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of students’ acceptance of game-based learning (e.g., perceived usefulness of a game as a learning tool, perceived ease of use), as well as their intrinsic motivation for math (e.g., their math interest, self-efficacy) and quality of playing experience on learning success in a game-based rational number training. Additionally, we investigated the influence of the former variables on quality of playing experience (operationalized as perceived flow). Results indicated that the game-based training was effective. Moreover, students’ learning success and their quality of playing experience were predicted by measures of acceptance of game-based learning and intrinsic motivation for math. These findings indicated that learning success in game-based learning approaches are driven by students’ acceptance of the game as a learning tool and content-specific intrinsic motivation. Therefore, the present work is of particular interest to researchers, developers, and practitioners working with game-based learning environments.

Gamification has been used in recent years to enhance the student experience in educational environments and to help students achieve an optimal experience. However, there is limited empirical evidence of the effects of gamification on specific psychological experiences, such as the students' flow experience, which is a highly motivating state associated with the learning process.To address this gap, we examined the impact of gamification on students' flow experience within a learning management system.We conducted a controlled between‐subjects experiment (N = 65) in which participants in the experimental group interacted with a gamified version of the system, which incorporated a typical gamification design consisting of a collection of various game elements that constituted a form of meta‐game interaction around the learning activity (as opposed to, for example, serious games or game‐based learning). In contrast, the participants in the control group used the same system with the same educational tasks but without gamification. We used descriptive and inferential statistical methods (i.e., Mann–Whitney U test) to compare the students' flow experience between the groups.The results reveal that the influence of gamification on students' flow experience was not statistically significant. These findings suggest that current gamification designs may not effectively facilitate flow in educational contexts, highlighting the need for further research and development to align gamification with desired educational outcomes.

While the experience of flow is often described in attentional terms—focused concentration or task absorption—specific cognitive mechanisms have received limited interest. We …

… The main finding was that those who experienced more state-level flow … that flow is linked to better sustained attention. Interestingly, the correlation between flow and sustained attention …

This chapter investigates whether a high level of attention during flow is physiologically distinct from effortful attention. The investigation associates the concepts of flow and flow proneness with the existing theories of emotion, attention, and expertise to arrive at accurate result, and surveys the existing research studies on psychological and physiological correlates of flow and proneness for similar experiences. It examines whether these entities support the view that attention during flow is different from attention involved in mental effort, and discusses how psychophysiology of flow has the ability to explain the relationships prevailing between flow and health. Flow is defined as an experience of “enjoyment and concentration” occurring during challenging tasks that matches in difficulty to the levels of a person’s skill, whereas flow proneness is defined as the habit of a person in experiencing the flow state.

… flow state and its neural dynamics seem to converge on the key role of structures linked to attention, … role in the experience of flow. However, the dynamics of these brain regions during …

… ’ attention, meditation, flow state, and their creative products. … ’s creativity, flow state, brainwave (as shown in attention and … enter the state of flow, or maintain a high degree of attention, …

Flow is the state of full attention to the task at hand. It is typically studied in daily life, as people engage deeply in activities such as art, sports, and leisure, and typically its affective characteristics are emphasized. This research investigates flow in the laboratory, focusing on its cognitive characteristics. Participants completed different versions of the Trail Making test, a measure of executive function, that made parametrically increasing demands on attention. As predicted, more participants were in the flow state when attentional demands were moderate than when they were low or high. This was revealed by conventional survey measures indicating a balance between the perceived challenge of the task and the perceived skill of participants. Critically, this was also evidenced by a new operational measure of time distortion, defined as the difference between people’s subjective estimates of their task completion times and the objective, experimenter-recorded times. Participants experienced downward time distortion—the feeling of time flying—when attentional demands were moderate. These findings demonstrate for the first time the causal role of attentional demands in inducing the flow state. They set the stage for future studies of flow and time distortion using attention-demanding cognitive tasks, and of the association between time perception and creative thinking.

… of the flow state. As such, the role of attention and effort in the flow experience requires … processes underpinning the flow experience in a goal directed, competitive, movement task. …

ABSTRACT Achieving a state of flow is associated with positive experiences and improved sporting performance (Jackson & Csikszentmihalyi, 1999). Focused attention is a fundamental component of the flow experience, but to date there has been little investigation of whether attention plays a causal role in creating flow, or is a product of it. Consequently, this study aimed to test the effect of an attentional focus manipulation on flow and performance in a simulated driving task. It was predicted that an external focus would lead to improved visuomotor control, greater flow experience and improved performance. Thirty-three participants from a student population completed the driving task under both internal and external focus instructions. Eye movements and steering wheel movements were recorded during each race. Participants reported greater flow experience (p < .001, d = 1.78) and enhanced outcome expectancies (p = .02, d = 0.41) under external, compared to internal focus conditions, however, there was no effect on visuomotor control (gaze-steering coordination and steering entropy) or racing performance (ps > 0.28). These findings suggest that adopting an external focus of attention may contribute to positive performance states such as flow.

… whether flow state will vary as perceived exertion and attention … will differ in experiencing flow as effort and attention shift; and (c… in flow experience as effort increases and attention shifts …

… of the flow experience using a hypothesis that views the process of attention as an act of activity . … A close link that exists between flow states and corresponding activities enables us to …