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Flow
Dr. Suresh Kumar Murugesan PhD
Head, Department of Psychology, The American College, Madurai +91 97504
06463
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About the Presenter
● Dr.Suresh Kumar Murugesan is a passionate Professor, researcher
and Mental Health Practitioner from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
● At present he is Heading the department of Psychology, The
American College, Madurai and Adjunct Professor of School of
Behavioural Sciences and Education at TAU
● He is very keen in new research studies in behavioural Sciences
and open to learn.
● His area of specializations are Psychometry, Counselling &
Psychotherapy, Positive Psychology, Education Psychology.
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Disclaimer
● This presentation is prepared
for learning purpose only and all
the images and pictures used in
this presentation are taken from
google image search.
● Due recognition was given to all
the material collected from the
various sources.
● Any name or reference is missed
kindly bring it to the notice of
the presenter for inclusion.
● Email -
sureshkumar800@yahoo.com
Thank you
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Have you ever been
completely and utterly
immersed in a task?
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Have you ever
spent much time
in internet than
actually
planned?
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Opened a book shortly after
breakfast and a little while later
noticed that the room was getting
darker?
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Have you
focused only
what’s going
on right here
and now?
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Have you
experienced that
time flies while
doing the activity
you like?
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The experiences
of Flow can
occur in
different ways
for different
people.
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Flow
Some people might experience flow while
engaging in a sport such as skiing, tennis, soccer,
dancing, or running.
Others might have such an experience while
engaged in an activity such as painting, drawing,
or writing.
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The moments of
flow often occur
when we are
engaged in an
activity that we
love/enjoy
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Think of a moment in our
life when we were so
involved in what we were
doing that the rest of the
world seemed to have
disappeared.
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In Flow
1. Our mind wasn’t
wandering;
2. we were totally focused
and concentrated on
the activity,
3. we were not even
aware of our own self.
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Most people can remember
experiencing such a state. In fact,
about 90% can easily recognise and
associate it with one or more
activities. Athletes call it:
‘being in the zone’, others a
‘heightened state of consciousness’.
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Almost total absence of
emotions during the actual
process of Flow.
One seems to be almost beyond
experiencing emotions, most
likely because the awareness of
self is not present.
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Activities that lead to a flow
experience are called
autotelic (from Greek:
auto=self, telos=goal)
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Flow activities are intrinsically
motivated and enjoyable
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Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Me-high
Cheek-sent-me-high), the researcher who
coined the term ‘flow’
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According to positive
psychologist Mihály
Csíkszentmihályi,
1. What we are experiencing
at that moment is known as
flow,
2. Flow is a state of complete
immersion in an activity.
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Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes the
mental state of flow as "being
completely involved in an activity
for its own sake.
1. The ego falls away.
2. Time flies.
3. Every action, movement, and
thought follows inevitably from
the previous one, like playing
jazz.
4. Our whole being is involved,
and we're using our skills to the
utmost."
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Flow
In positive psychology, a flow state, also
known colloquially as being in the zone
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Flow
Flow is the positive mental state in which a
person performing some activity
● is fully immersed
● being completely absorbed
● in a feeling of energized focus,
● full involvement, and
● enjoyment in the process of the
activity.
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Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discovered that
people who experience flow tend to
describe it similarly.
1. There’s a feeling of timelessness.
2. The task seems easy and things just
“come together.”
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Flow
‘Flow research’ (Csikszentmihalyi and
Csikszentmihalyi, 1988: 195):
“My mind isn’t wandering. I am not thinking
of something else. I am totally involved in
what I am doing. My body feels good. I don’t
seem to hear anything. The world seems to
be cut off from me. I am less aware of myself
and my problems.”
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The Universal
Factors of
Flow
The universal factors of flow, per Csikszentmihalyi’s studies
(1990; Nakamura and Csikszentmihalyi, 2002), include:
1. Challenge-skill balance;
2. Action-awareness merging;
3. Clear goals;
4. Unambiguous feedback;
5. Concentration on the task at hand;
6. A sense of control;
7. Loss of self-consciousness;
8. Transformation of time; and
9. Autotelic experience.
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Factors of
Flow
Jeanne Nakamura and Csíkszentmihályi identify the following six
factors as encompassing an experience of flow.
● Intense and focused concentration on the present
moment
● Merging of action and awareness
● A loss of reflective self-consciousness
● A sense of personal control or agency over the situation
or activity
● A distortion of temporal experience, one's subjective
experience of time is altered
● Experience of the activity as intrinsically rewarding, also
referred to as autotelic experience
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Characteristics of Flow Csikszentmihalyi describes eight characteristics of flow:
1. Complete concentration on the task;
2. Clarity of goals and reward in mind and immediate
feedback;
3. Transformation of time (speeding up/slowing down);
4. The experience is intrinsically rewarding;
5. Effortlessness and ease;
6. There is a balance between challenge and skills;
7. Actions and awareness are merged, losing self-
conscious rumination;
8. There is a feeling of control over the task.
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Characteristics of Flow
Csikszentmihalyi investigated the phenomenon of flow by interviewing thousands of people from many different walks of life
– chess players, mountain climbers, tennis players, ballet dancers, surgeons, etc. He came to the conclusion that flow is a
universal experience, which has several important characteristics:
● Clarity of goals and immediate feedback on the progress. For example, in a competition we know what we’ve got to
achieve and we know exactly how well we are doing, i.e. whetherwe are winning or losing.
● Complete concentration on what one is doing at the present moment, with no room in one’s mind for any other
information.
● Actions and awareness are merged. A guitar player merges with the instrument and becomes the music that he plays.
The activity becomes almost automatic, and the involvement seems almost effortless (though far from being so in
reality).
● Losing awareness of oneself or self-consciousness is also a common experience but, interestingly, after each flow
experience the sense of self is strengthened and a person becomes more than he or she was before.
● Sense of control over what one is doing, with no worries about failure.
● Transformation of time. Usually, time passes much faster than expected. However, the reverse can also be true.
● Activities are intrinsically rewarding. This means they have an end in themselves (you do something because you want
to), with any other end goal often being just an excuse. Yellow
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Ten Factors of
Flow
According to Csíkszentmihályi, there are ten factors that accompany the
experience of flow. While many of these components may be present, it is
not necessary to experience all of them for flow to occur:
1. The activity is intrinsically rewarding
2. Clear goals that, while challenging, are still attainable
3. Complete focus on the activity itself
4. Feelings of personal control over the situation and the outcome
5. Feelings of serenity; a loss of feelings of self-consciousness
6. Immediate feedback
7. Knowing that the task is doable; a balance between skill level and
the challenge presented
8. Lack of awareness of physical needs
9. Strong concentration and focused attention
10. Timelessness; a distorted sense of time; feeling so focused on the
present that you lose track of time passing
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Ways to
achieve Flow
To achieve a state of flow, it helps if:
1. It is an activity that we enjoy or feel passionate
about
2. There is an element of challenge
3. We are able to stretch our current skill level
4. We have a specific goal and plan of action
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Achieving Flow In Cziksentmihalyi’s (1990) first edition of Flow: The psychology of optimal experience,
he identified 9 ways through which we can achieve flow.
● Our bodies: Sex, dancing, and singing are a few examples. Later,
Csikszentmihalyi (2008) classifies these as pleasurable, but not necessarily
leading to flow.
● Our minds: Pushing ourselves to accomplish a difficult task like solving a math
problem leads to satisfaction and enjoyment.
● Memories: Recalling enjoyable events allows us to relive our experience.
● Contemplating philosophical questions
● Communication: Conveying our thoughts to others and being understood can
create a sense of profound enjoyment.
● Writing: This activity brings organization to our thoughts and is therefore
enjoyable.
● Lifelong learning keeps us engaged in the activities we enjoy.
● A job: This works especially well if one is able to gamify one’s job.
● Solitude: Being comfortable alone with our thoughts can lead to exciting
discoveries about the topics we find most enjoyable.
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Components
of Flow
Cziksentmihalyi (2008) also describes the theory as involving nine major components. To
experience flow is to experience a sense of euphoria.
They are:
● The task is just outside our grasp, but we believe we can reach it.
● We’re able to focus all of our effort and attention on the task.
● Our goals are clearly defined.
● We receive immediate feedback (which includes course corrections.)
● Our time spent on the task seems effortless to us.
● We feel a sense of autonomy over our actions.
● Our focus isn’t on ourselves.
● The experience is timeless.
● The experience is autotelic.
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Who has
difficulty
achieving
flow?
● People who have psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia
have difficulty because they can’t ignore distractions from
external stimuli. They’re unable to distinguish between
relevant and irrelevant information.
● Self-conscious people may lack the confidence necessary to
pursue a challenging task.
● Self-centered people may lack the intrinsic motivation
needed to doggedly pursue a challenge to completion.
● People who behave in ways that go against their goals
(known as alienation) may not establish clearly defined
objectives for their tasks.
● People who experience an environment in which the norms
aren’t clearly defined may become confused.
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Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow
State Scale
The Flow State Scale (FSS) is most frequently seen in
academic research and in sports psychology (Jackson & Marsh,
1996). The 36-item instrument measures Flow’s nine
dimensions along nine four-item scales; these pertain directly
to those dimensions identified and described by
Csikszentmihalyi’s earlier work (1990).
The scales comprise 5-point Likert scale questions and are
generally either administered by asking the participant to
recall a specific Flow experience or as post-event flow
assessments. Some sample items are shown below. The Likert
scales themselves are standard and uniform throughout the
test, ranging from Strongly Disagree (1) to Strongly Agree (5)
(Jackson & Marsh, 1996).
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Csikszentmihalyi’s
Flow State Scale
1. I was challenged, but I believed my skills
would allow me to meet the challenge.
2. My attention was focused entirely on
what I was doing.
3. I really enjoyed the experience.
4. It was no effort to keep my mind on what
was happening.
5. I felt I was competent enough to meet the
high demands of the situation.
6. I was not concerned with how I was
presenting myself.
7. The challenge and my skills were at an
equally high level.
8. I did things spontaneously and automatically
without having to think.
9. At times, it almost seemed like things were
happening in slow motion.
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Csikszentmihalyi’
s Flow State Scale
Since its initial construction, the instrument has been
adapted to enhance its ability to measure certain
dimensions, resulting in the shorter FSS-2 and the
Dispositional Flow scale-2 (DFS-2) (Jackson &
Eklund, 2002).
All three of the scales we have looked at hold up
reasonably well as psychometrically reliable
instruments – two exceptions to this relate to the
lower internal consistency of the self-awareness and
time subscales in the short-form tests (Marsh &
Jackson, 1999; Jackson et al., 2008).
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Applications of Flow
While flow experiences can happen as part of everyday life, there are also important
practical applications in various areas including education, sports, and the workplace.
1. Flow in education
2. Flow in sports
3. Flow in the workplace
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Flow in Education
Csíkszentmihályi has
suggested that overlearning a
skill or concept can help
people experience flow.
Another critical concept in
his theory is the idea of
slightly extending oneself
beyond one's current ability
level.
This slight stretching of one's
current skills can help the
individual experience flow.
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Flow in Sports
1. Just like in educational settings, engaging in a challenging athletic activity that is
doable but presents a slight stretching of one's abilities is a good way to achieve
flow.
2. Sometimes described by being "in the zone," reaching this state of flow allows an
athlete to experience a loss of self-consciousness and a sense of complete mastery
of the performance.
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Flow in the Workplace
● Flow can also occur when workers are engaged in tasks where they
are able to focus entirely on the project at hand.
● For example, a writer might experience this while working on a
novel or a graphic designer might achieve flow while working on a
website illustration.
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Benefits of Flow
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Benefits of Flow
In addition to making activities more enjoyable,
flow also has a number of other advantages
such as:
1. Improved performance
2. Learning and skill development:
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Benefits of Flow
Improved performance: Researchers have found that flow can enhance performance in
a wide variety of areas including teaching, learning, athletics, and artistic creativity.
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Benefits of Flow
Learning and skill development: Because the act of achieving flow
indicates a substantial mastery of a certain skill, the individual must
continually seek new challenges and information in order to maintain
this state.
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Physical
Activities of
Flow
The most popular physical activities below:
● Yoga – controlled breathing and a quiet setting are great conditions
for focusing your thoughts on what you’re doing in the present, here
and now. With the right challenge to skills ratio in terms of balance
and stretching, some find yoga is very conducive to attaining a Flow
state;
● Swimming – if you’re one who enjoys slightly more intense physical
activities, swimming lets you concentrate on your technique,
breathing. Plus, there are few distractions when you’re physically in
the water;
● Running – challenge levels are very straightforward to set when
you’re running, allowing you to find the ideal balance with your
abilities for attaining a Flow state. If you find that you sometimes tend
to ‘self-talk’ while running, or think things over, it may help to listen to
music or a good audiobook; and
● Rock climbing – this activity featured quite frequently in
Csikszentmihalyi and others’ earlier research, thanks to its ability to
provide a flexible blend of physical exertion and focus.
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Triggers to Induce Flow
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Triggers to induce
Flow
The co-founder of the Flow Genome Project Steven Kotler
published a brilliant article in the Harvard Business Review.
he shared 17 Flow State triggers from his book The Rise of
Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance.
Concisely, flow triggers are conditions (as Csikszentmihalyi often
describes them) that facilitate entry into a Flow state.
These Flow State triggers can be one of four types:
1. psychological,
2. environmental,
3. social, or
4. creative.
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I. Psychological
Triggers
The following four strategies are internally driven,
and they work by focusing our attention on the
present; what’s right in front of us, or the activity
we’re engaged in. For all the activities we’ve listed
above to attain a Flow state, the presence of these
triggers can definitely help the process along. They
include:
1. Intense concentration
2. Goal clarity
3. Immediate feedback
4. Challenge to skills ratio
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Psychological
Triggers
1. Intense concentration –
When we focus with
undivided attention on a
certain task. We aren’t
engaging in activities with
others. Like
Csikszentmihalyi’s painter,
we’re solo.
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Psychological Triggers
2. Goal clarity – numerous studies that we’ve already
mentioned (and a whole wider range) support the
idea that the goal we are working towards must be
unambiguous. According to Kotler, that means the
task at hand needs to be clearly delineated so our
minds can stay focused on the present moment and
action. Rather than wondering what the next step
might be.
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Psychological
Triggers
3. Immediate feedback – As
Kotler says: “Clear goals tell us
what we’re doing; immediate
feedback tells us how to do it
better”. Instant feedback also
aligns our awareness and
attention, as per
Csikszentmihalyi’s early
definitions of the nature of a
Flow state.
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Psychological Triggers
4. Challenge to skills ratio – too-challenging
tasks can make us feel overwhelmed,
unequipped to face them, and anxious. A
task that’s too simple, on the other hand,
can induce boredom. To trigger flow, a goal
should be halfway between these two
extremes, Kotler believes.
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II. Environmental Triggers
Unlike the four psychological triggers we considered above, environmental triggers are aspects of our
surroundings that help us get further into a flow state.
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Environmental
triggers
5. High consequences – Our
concentration and focus are
instinctively heightened when we
detect a sense of danger in our
environments.
● This is a subjective and
perceived threat, for some,
● it could be speaking publicly
or approaching another
person.
● For the extreme athletes
Kotler interviews, it may be
a more immediate physical
danger.
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Environmental triggers
6. Rich environments – When we’re in new,
complex, and dynamic or unpredictable
environments, our focus and attention are
enhanced.
With regard to environmental complexity, it
switches our attention on to the different
information headed our way.
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Environmental triggers
7. Deep embodiment – Here, Kotler is referring to
total physical awareness, and when we discuss Flow in
sports psychology in a short moment, this may make
more sense.
Succinctly, it relates in one way to our sense of
control over our physical performance, and the link
between this perceived control and goal achievement.
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Social triggers
Social triggers have great importance if we are
attempting to generate greater group flow. Some
practical applications would include team sports,
and workgroup dynamics.
8. Serious concentration – we aren’t solo for
this type of Flow, rather we need to focus
as a team on the present, to the exclusion
of outside distractions.
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Social triggers
9. Clear, shared goals – while
similar to Kotler’s earlier
mention of a clear goal as a
psychological trigger, this has
implications for how we
communicate in groups.
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Social triggers
10. Good communication – paying attention
to and building on what others contribute to
group discussions.
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Social triggers 11. Familiarity – this relates to a collective language within
the group, extending beyond verbal expression to
encompass nonverbal cues, too. It’s easy to see how this can
be linked closely to organizational culture in a work
context.
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Social triggers
12. Equal participation and skill level – in the
workplace, this means different participants
should have an equal part to play in the
execution of a project. It’s connected to the idea
that a certain challenge-skill ratio will be ideally
suited to group members who are similarly
equipped to handle the task.
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Social triggers
13. Risk – strong parallels for this one with the
‘Rich Environments’ trigger for individuals.
Kotler links this very nicely to the idea that
innovation and risk go hand-in-hand.
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Social triggers
14. Sense of control – without being able to link
our group actions to the collective goal, there’s
no spark of intrinsic motivation. Nor will we feel
adequately equipped for tasks that are perceived
to be too difficult.
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Social triggers
15. Close listening – to what’s
being said, here and now.
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Social triggers 16. Always say yes – in Kotler’s words, “interactions should be
additive more than argumentative”, as this both generates
momentum and harbors a collaborative spirit.
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Creative triggers
17. Creativity – Kotler unpacks this concept
into pattern recognition and risk-taking.
Think of how the famous apple fell on
Newton’s head before he bravely proposed
the concept of gravity for a good idea of
what he’s discussing. Flow triggers
creativity, which triggers flow, and so forth
in a domino effect.
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Meditation and Flow
Meditation and Flow have lots in common – loss of self-
consciousness, and when done right, a differential sense of time and
our surroundings.
Coach and martial artist Stacey Nemour has shared some tips on
using meditation to get into the Flow state in her superb Huffington
Post article,
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Meditation and Flow
Relaxing our eyes and focusing
on our breath – while engaging in
whatever sport or activity it is
that we’ve picked. “Feel the body
follow, this will clear and calm
the mind and body”, she writes.
Get out of our own way – to
program for success, Nemour
says, it’s important to “merge
with our highest visions of our
self”. Meditation can help us
bring our mind, body, and spirit
together in that truly focused
Flow state of being where we’re
attuned with our goals. And of
course, a sense of controls over
our skills to achieve them.
Connect with our full creative
power – with practice, meditation
allows us to move into an altered
state of consciousness when we
want to. It’s the same kind of
consistent practice that athletes
will be familiar with: as we get
more experienced with working
out or similar, we can learn to
tune out distractions, both
internal and external.
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Danger of Flow
With flow having become such a popular notion and a
desirable state, few pause to ask whether it is always good.
In fact, the activities in which flow is found can be morally
good or bad.
Gambling, for example, especially games like bridge or poker,
has all the conditions necessary for flow – they are
challenging and require a high level of skill to stand any
chance of winning.
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Danger of Flow
Even activities that are morally good or neutral, like mountain climbing, chess or
Playstation, can become addictive, so much so that life without them can feel static,
boring and meaningless.
A simple non-gambling game on your computer, like solitaire, which many people use
to ‘switch off’ for a few minutes, can take over our life. This happens when, instead of
being a choice, a flow-inducing activity becomes a necessity.
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Danger of Flow
Csikszentmihalyi himself is very much aware of
the dangers of flow. He writes:
‘…enjoyable activities that produce flow have a
potentially negative effect: while they are
capable of improving the quality of existence
by creating order in the mind, they can become
addictive, at which point the self becomes
captive of a certain kind of order, and is then
unwilling to cope with the ambiguities of life’.
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Danger of Flow Addiction to flow can also lead to losing a larger perspective. A
workaholic manager may lose himself in flow at work until 10 or
11 at night, forgetting dinner, his family or saying goodnight to
the children.
Csikszentmihalyi also adds:
‘The flow experience, like everything else, is not “good” in an
absolute sense. It is good only in that it has the potential to
make life more rich, intense, and meaningful; it is good
because it increases the strengths and complexity of the self.
But whether the consequence of any particular instance of flow
is good in a larger sense needs to be discussed and evaluated in
terms of more inclusive social criteria’.
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Other Optimal Experiences
Flow is not the only optimal experience that we know of. A humanistic psychologist,
Abraham Maslow, (1908-1970) coined the term peak experience to describe intensely
joyous and exciting moments in the lives of every individual. In these moments, we
feel more whole, integrated, aware of ourselves and deeply happy.
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Other Optimal Experiences
We have a sense of transcendence, awe, unity and meaningfulness in life. Often these experiences have a spiritual quality
about them. The peak moments are often inspired by intense occurrences – moments of love, exposure to great art or
music, the overwhelming beauty of nature or even tragic events.
Maslow, like Csikszentmihalyi with regard to flow, believed that all individuals are capable of peak experiences, but those
who achieved self-actualisation are more likely to have them. Although many characteristics are shared (e.g. absorption,
spontaneity, loss of time), peak experience differs from flow in the presence (rather than loss) of the sense of self, the rarity
of its occurrence and having almost a mystical quality about it. Whilst flow experiences are encouraged, Maslow cautioned
against seeking peak experiences for their own sake.
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Microflow We have a long way to go in learning about the
optimal states of human existence.
Little is known about microflow activities (such as
doodling), shared, rather than individualised, flow, in
which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts
(like in a musical jam session) or a plateau experience
(which is a continuous peak experience).
Positive psychology might be potentially a vehicle for
exploring the complexity of these and other positive
human experiences.
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Research on Flow
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A Look at Flow
and Happiness
Both psychological and subjective well-being have been
empirically linked by numerous researchers over time (e.g. Bryce
& Haworth, 2002; Heo et al., 2010). By its very nature, Flow is
also related to lower (or a loss of) self-consciousness, suggesting
that it is at least related to happiness – if not a means of feeling
positive emotions.
Indeed, happiness and a sense of reward are associated with the
autotelic experience of being in a Flow state, although the
individual activities that we all participate in to enter the state
itself are different.
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The Research on
Flow Experience
We’ve only looked quite briefly so far at
how the Flow concept has been used with
other theoretical frameworks to advance
our understanding of the concept. Here,
we’ll take a little peek at how the research
on Flow experience has played a role in
other fields, as well as a particularly
interesting perceived ‘gap’ in the
literature—Csikszentmihalyi’s notion of
the autotelic personality.
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The Flow Experience online Somewhat unsurprisingly, the Flow
concept has gained popularity with
marketers, advertisers, educators, game
designers, and others working in fields that
are heavily involved with User Experience
(UX). In most cases, this has been
associated with users’ Flow experiences
while on the internet. Hoffman and Novak
(1996: 57) have even gone so far as to
premise that “Flow is the ‘glue’ holding the
consumer in the hypermedia Computer-
Mediated Environment”.
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Flow and Learning
Some interesting examples of the diverse findings include the following.
A 2007 study on Web-based training programs, where Choi and colleagues
found a positive relationship between participants experiencing Flow and their
learning outcomes;
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Flow and Attitude
Hoffman and Novak’s (1996) empirical research on how the
Flow experience can positively influence Web users’
attitudes and behavioral intentions in online marketing. The
Flow experience was also hypothesized to increase users’
perceived control over their purchasing behavior;
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Flow and Learning
Kiili’s (2005) research, which comments on the
very real possibility of designing educational
computer games that facilitate the Flow
experience to enhance learning and player
attitudes—an ‘experiential gaming model’; and
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Internet Flow
A study by Rettie (2001) on what she terms ‘Internet Flow’,
which uses the Experience Sampling Method to more closely
examine the role of different factors such as download
speed, banner ads, and more on consumer behavior.
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Flow Experiences
These brilliant studies are all great further reads for therapists looking to
further understand the Flow experience and its 21st Century applications.
They are also very lovely examples of how Csikszentmihalyi’s (1975)
concept has continued to help us understand our own happiness-seeking,
goal-directed, and exploratory behavior on a day-to-day basis.
Yellow
Pond
The Flow Experience and
Social Interactions
Another interesting area of research into the Flow experience
concerns our positive subjective experiences at the
interpersonal level (Magyaródi & Olah, 2017). This relatively
new study used the Flow State Questionnaire—another
measure of the Flow Experience—to reveal insights into the
Flow experience in shared, cooperative activities.
Findings suggest that ‘social’ Flow can actually add to the
intensity of the experience itself: participants coordinating in
activities together became more absorbed in the task at hand.
The authors argue that these results may hold implications for
our social development.
Yellow
Pond
The autotelic
personality
The concept of the autotelic personality is often used to account
for different peoples’ diverse capacities to experience flow at
work or in general. Compared with some other applications of
the Flow concept, it appears less frequently in the academic
literature—at least in empirical studies.
An autotelic personality describes the tendency of individuals to
engage in activities for reasons related to intrinsic motivation. In
other words, they may derive more enjoyment from the task itself
rather than being driven by a future goal, and more easily able to
focus ‘effortlessly’ on a task at hand (Csikszentmihalyi, 2002;
Engeser and Rheinberg, 2008). They may also be more capable of
self-regulating, some research suggests (Keller and Blomann,
2008).
Yellow
Pond
Brain Waves and
Neuroscience
Interest in the neuroscience behind Flow has
started to blossom quite recently, spearheaded in
part by neurocognitive researcher Arne Dietrich.
Perhaps one of his most easily understandable
findings, in layman’s terms, is that physical
activity gives the ‘focused’ cerebral areas a little
break. Other areas are then allowed to take over,
freeing us up temporarily from processes such as
self-consciousness and self-talk, and leading us
into a more relaxed and creative state (Dietrich,
2004).
Yellow
Pond
Flow State
Scientifically, it’s termed transient hypofrontality and
refers to a less engaged pre-frontal cortex. Because our
pre-frontal cortices take care of higher cognitive
processes—including self-reflection, analytical
thinking, and other meta-conscious capacities, our
implicit system can play a bigger role. Effortless
information processing ensues, and we enter the
highly desirable Flow state.
Yellow
Pond
References
1. https://positivepsychology.com/what-is-flow/
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)#:~:text=In%20positive%20psy
chology%2C%20a%20flow,the%20process%20of%20the%20activity.
3. https://positivepsychology.com/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-father-of-flow/
4. https://positivepsychology.com/theory-psychology-flow/
5. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-flow-2794768
6. http://positivepsychology.org.uk/living-in-flow/
7. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/flow
8. https://exploringyourmind.com/positive-psychology-a-flow-state/
Yellow
Pond
About the Presenter
● Dr.Suresh Kumar Murugesan is a passionate Professor,
researcher and Mental Health Practitioner from
Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
● At present he is heading the department of Psychology,
the American College, Madurai
● He is very keen in learning new research studies in
behavioural Sciences and open to learn.
● His ultimate aim is to make impression in the field of
Knowledge
● His area of specializations are Psychotherapy, Positive
Psychology, Education Psychology, Cognitive
Psychology, Cyber Psychology etc
Yellow
Pond
Contact
Dr. Suresh Kumar Murugesan PhD
sureshkumar800@yahoo.com
Home:
7, Vivekananda Street,
New Vilangudi,
Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
WhatsApp: +91 9750 406463
Yellow
Pond
Disclaimer
● This presentation is prepared for
learning purpose only and all the
photos used in this presentation are
taken from google image search.
● Due recognition was given to all the
material collected from the various
sources.
● Any name or reference is missed
kindly bring it to the notice of the
presenter for inclusion
Yellow
Pond

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Flow

  • 1. Flow Dr. Suresh Kumar Murugesan PhD Head, Department of Psychology, The American College, Madurai +91 97504 06463 Yellow Pond
  • 2. About the Presenter ● Dr.Suresh Kumar Murugesan is a passionate Professor, researcher and Mental Health Practitioner from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India ● At present he is Heading the department of Psychology, The American College, Madurai and Adjunct Professor of School of Behavioural Sciences and Education at TAU ● He is very keen in new research studies in behavioural Sciences and open to learn. ● His area of specializations are Psychometry, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Positive Psychology, Education Psychology. Yellow Pond
  • 3. Disclaimer ● This presentation is prepared for learning purpose only and all the images and pictures used in this presentation are taken from google image search. ● Due recognition was given to all the material collected from the various sources. ● Any name or reference is missed kindly bring it to the notice of the presenter for inclusion. ● Email - sureshkumar800@yahoo.com Thank you Yellow Pond
  • 4. Have you ever been completely and utterly immersed in a task? Yellow Pond
  • 5. Have you ever spent much time in internet than actually planned? Yellow Pond
  • 6. Opened a book shortly after breakfast and a little while later noticed that the room was getting darker? Yellow Pond
  • 7. Have you focused only what’s going on right here and now? Yellow Pond
  • 8. Have you experienced that time flies while doing the activity you like? Yellow Pond
  • 9. The experiences of Flow can occur in different ways for different people. Yellow Pond
  • 10. Flow Some people might experience flow while engaging in a sport such as skiing, tennis, soccer, dancing, or running. Others might have such an experience while engaged in an activity such as painting, drawing, or writing. Yellow Pond
  • 11. The moments of flow often occur when we are engaged in an activity that we love/enjoy Yellow Pond
  • 12. Think of a moment in our life when we were so involved in what we were doing that the rest of the world seemed to have disappeared. Yellow Pond
  • 13. In Flow 1. Our mind wasn’t wandering; 2. we were totally focused and concentrated on the activity, 3. we were not even aware of our own self. Yellow Pond
  • 14. Most people can remember experiencing such a state. In fact, about 90% can easily recognise and associate it with one or more activities. Athletes call it: ‘being in the zone’, others a ‘heightened state of consciousness’. Yellow Pond
  • 15. Almost total absence of emotions during the actual process of Flow. One seems to be almost beyond experiencing emotions, most likely because the awareness of self is not present. Yellow Pond
  • 16. Activities that lead to a flow experience are called autotelic (from Greek: auto=self, telos=goal) Yellow Pond
  • 17. Flow activities are intrinsically motivated and enjoyable Yellow Pond
  • 18. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Me-high Cheek-sent-me-high), the researcher who coined the term ‘flow’ Yellow Pond
  • 19. According to positive psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, 1. What we are experiencing at that moment is known as flow, 2. Flow is a state of complete immersion in an activity. Yellow Pond
  • 20. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes the mental state of flow as "being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. 1. The ego falls away. 2. Time flies. 3. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. 4. Our whole being is involved, and we're using our skills to the utmost." Yellow Pond
  • 21. Flow In positive psychology, a flow state, also known colloquially as being in the zone Yellow Pond
  • 22. Flow Flow is the positive mental state in which a person performing some activity ● is fully immersed ● being completely absorbed ● in a feeling of energized focus, ● full involvement, and ● enjoyment in the process of the activity. Yellow Pond
  • 23. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discovered that people who experience flow tend to describe it similarly. 1. There’s a feeling of timelessness. 2. The task seems easy and things just “come together.” Yellow Pond
  • 24. Flow ‘Flow research’ (Csikszentmihalyi and Csikszentmihalyi, 1988: 195): “My mind isn’t wandering. I am not thinking of something else. I am totally involved in what I am doing. My body feels good. I don’t seem to hear anything. The world seems to be cut off from me. I am less aware of myself and my problems.” Yellow Pond
  • 25. The Universal Factors of Flow The universal factors of flow, per Csikszentmihalyi’s studies (1990; Nakamura and Csikszentmihalyi, 2002), include: 1. Challenge-skill balance; 2. Action-awareness merging; 3. Clear goals; 4. Unambiguous feedback; 5. Concentration on the task at hand; 6. A sense of control; 7. Loss of self-consciousness; 8. Transformation of time; and 9. Autotelic experience. Yellow Pond
  • 26. Factors of Flow Jeanne Nakamura and Csíkszentmihályi identify the following six factors as encompassing an experience of flow. ● Intense and focused concentration on the present moment ● Merging of action and awareness ● A loss of reflective self-consciousness ● A sense of personal control or agency over the situation or activity ● A distortion of temporal experience, one's subjective experience of time is altered ● Experience of the activity as intrinsically rewarding, also referred to as autotelic experience Yellow Pond
  • 27. Characteristics of Flow Csikszentmihalyi describes eight characteristics of flow: 1. Complete concentration on the task; 2. Clarity of goals and reward in mind and immediate feedback; 3. Transformation of time (speeding up/slowing down); 4. The experience is intrinsically rewarding; 5. Effortlessness and ease; 6. There is a balance between challenge and skills; 7. Actions and awareness are merged, losing self- conscious rumination; 8. There is a feeling of control over the task. Yellow Pond
  • 28. Characteristics of Flow Csikszentmihalyi investigated the phenomenon of flow by interviewing thousands of people from many different walks of life – chess players, mountain climbers, tennis players, ballet dancers, surgeons, etc. He came to the conclusion that flow is a universal experience, which has several important characteristics: ● Clarity of goals and immediate feedback on the progress. For example, in a competition we know what we’ve got to achieve and we know exactly how well we are doing, i.e. whetherwe are winning or losing. ● Complete concentration on what one is doing at the present moment, with no room in one’s mind for any other information. ● Actions and awareness are merged. A guitar player merges with the instrument and becomes the music that he plays. The activity becomes almost automatic, and the involvement seems almost effortless (though far from being so in reality). ● Losing awareness of oneself or self-consciousness is also a common experience but, interestingly, after each flow experience the sense of self is strengthened and a person becomes more than he or she was before. ● Sense of control over what one is doing, with no worries about failure. ● Transformation of time. Usually, time passes much faster than expected. However, the reverse can also be true. ● Activities are intrinsically rewarding. This means they have an end in themselves (you do something because you want to), with any other end goal often being just an excuse. Yellow Pond
  • 29. Ten Factors of Flow According to Csíkszentmihályi, there are ten factors that accompany the experience of flow. While many of these components may be present, it is not necessary to experience all of them for flow to occur: 1. The activity is intrinsically rewarding 2. Clear goals that, while challenging, are still attainable 3. Complete focus on the activity itself 4. Feelings of personal control over the situation and the outcome 5. Feelings of serenity; a loss of feelings of self-consciousness 6. Immediate feedback 7. Knowing that the task is doable; a balance between skill level and the challenge presented 8. Lack of awareness of physical needs 9. Strong concentration and focused attention 10. Timelessness; a distorted sense of time; feeling so focused on the present that you lose track of time passing Yellow Pond
  • 30. Ways to achieve Flow To achieve a state of flow, it helps if: 1. It is an activity that we enjoy or feel passionate about 2. There is an element of challenge 3. We are able to stretch our current skill level 4. We have a specific goal and plan of action Yellow Pond
  • 31. Achieving Flow In Cziksentmihalyi’s (1990) first edition of Flow: The psychology of optimal experience, he identified 9 ways through which we can achieve flow. ● Our bodies: Sex, dancing, and singing are a few examples. Later, Csikszentmihalyi (2008) classifies these as pleasurable, but not necessarily leading to flow. ● Our minds: Pushing ourselves to accomplish a difficult task like solving a math problem leads to satisfaction and enjoyment. ● Memories: Recalling enjoyable events allows us to relive our experience. ● Contemplating philosophical questions ● Communication: Conveying our thoughts to others and being understood can create a sense of profound enjoyment. ● Writing: This activity brings organization to our thoughts and is therefore enjoyable. ● Lifelong learning keeps us engaged in the activities we enjoy. ● A job: This works especially well if one is able to gamify one’s job. ● Solitude: Being comfortable alone with our thoughts can lead to exciting discoveries about the topics we find most enjoyable. Yellow Pond
  • 32. Components of Flow Cziksentmihalyi (2008) also describes the theory as involving nine major components. To experience flow is to experience a sense of euphoria. They are: ● The task is just outside our grasp, but we believe we can reach it. ● We’re able to focus all of our effort and attention on the task. ● Our goals are clearly defined. ● We receive immediate feedback (which includes course corrections.) ● Our time spent on the task seems effortless to us. ● We feel a sense of autonomy over our actions. ● Our focus isn’t on ourselves. ● The experience is timeless. ● The experience is autotelic. Yellow Pond
  • 33. Who has difficulty achieving flow? ● People who have psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia have difficulty because they can’t ignore distractions from external stimuli. They’re unable to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information. ● Self-conscious people may lack the confidence necessary to pursue a challenging task. ● Self-centered people may lack the intrinsic motivation needed to doggedly pursue a challenge to completion. ● People who behave in ways that go against their goals (known as alienation) may not establish clearly defined objectives for their tasks. ● People who experience an environment in which the norms aren’t clearly defined may become confused. Yellow Pond
  • 34. Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow State Scale The Flow State Scale (FSS) is most frequently seen in academic research and in sports psychology (Jackson & Marsh, 1996). The 36-item instrument measures Flow’s nine dimensions along nine four-item scales; these pertain directly to those dimensions identified and described by Csikszentmihalyi’s earlier work (1990). The scales comprise 5-point Likert scale questions and are generally either administered by asking the participant to recall a specific Flow experience or as post-event flow assessments. Some sample items are shown below. The Likert scales themselves are standard and uniform throughout the test, ranging from Strongly Disagree (1) to Strongly Agree (5) (Jackson & Marsh, 1996). Yellow Pond
  • 35. Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow State Scale 1. I was challenged, but I believed my skills would allow me to meet the challenge. 2. My attention was focused entirely on what I was doing. 3. I really enjoyed the experience. 4. It was no effort to keep my mind on what was happening. 5. I felt I was competent enough to meet the high demands of the situation. 6. I was not concerned with how I was presenting myself. 7. The challenge and my skills were at an equally high level. 8. I did things spontaneously and automatically without having to think. 9. At times, it almost seemed like things were happening in slow motion. Yellow Pond
  • 36. Csikszentmihalyi’ s Flow State Scale Since its initial construction, the instrument has been adapted to enhance its ability to measure certain dimensions, resulting in the shorter FSS-2 and the Dispositional Flow scale-2 (DFS-2) (Jackson & Eklund, 2002). All three of the scales we have looked at hold up reasonably well as psychometrically reliable instruments – two exceptions to this relate to the lower internal consistency of the self-awareness and time subscales in the short-form tests (Marsh & Jackson, 1999; Jackson et al., 2008). Yellow Pond
  • 37. Applications of Flow While flow experiences can happen as part of everyday life, there are also important practical applications in various areas including education, sports, and the workplace. 1. Flow in education 2. Flow in sports 3. Flow in the workplace Yellow Pond
  • 38. Flow in Education Csíkszentmihályi has suggested that overlearning a skill or concept can help people experience flow. Another critical concept in his theory is the idea of slightly extending oneself beyond one's current ability level. This slight stretching of one's current skills can help the individual experience flow. Yellow Pond
  • 39. Flow in Sports 1. Just like in educational settings, engaging in a challenging athletic activity that is doable but presents a slight stretching of one's abilities is a good way to achieve flow. 2. Sometimes described by being "in the zone," reaching this state of flow allows an athlete to experience a loss of self-consciousness and a sense of complete mastery of the performance. Yellow Pond
  • 40. Flow in the Workplace ● Flow can also occur when workers are engaged in tasks where they are able to focus entirely on the project at hand. ● For example, a writer might experience this while working on a novel or a graphic designer might achieve flow while working on a website illustration. Yellow Pond
  • 42. Benefits of Flow In addition to making activities more enjoyable, flow also has a number of other advantages such as: 1. Improved performance 2. Learning and skill development: Yellow Pond
  • 43. Benefits of Flow Improved performance: Researchers have found that flow can enhance performance in a wide variety of areas including teaching, learning, athletics, and artistic creativity. Yellow Pond
  • 44. Benefits of Flow Learning and skill development: Because the act of achieving flow indicates a substantial mastery of a certain skill, the individual must continually seek new challenges and information in order to maintain this state. Yellow Pond
  • 45. Physical Activities of Flow The most popular physical activities below: ● Yoga – controlled breathing and a quiet setting are great conditions for focusing your thoughts on what you’re doing in the present, here and now. With the right challenge to skills ratio in terms of balance and stretching, some find yoga is very conducive to attaining a Flow state; ● Swimming – if you’re one who enjoys slightly more intense physical activities, swimming lets you concentrate on your technique, breathing. Plus, there are few distractions when you’re physically in the water; ● Running – challenge levels are very straightforward to set when you’re running, allowing you to find the ideal balance with your abilities for attaining a Flow state. If you find that you sometimes tend to ‘self-talk’ while running, or think things over, it may help to listen to music or a good audiobook; and ● Rock climbing – this activity featured quite frequently in Csikszentmihalyi and others’ earlier research, thanks to its ability to provide a flexible blend of physical exertion and focus. Yellow Pond
  • 46. Triggers to Induce Flow Yellow Pond
  • 47. Triggers to induce Flow The co-founder of the Flow Genome Project Steven Kotler published a brilliant article in the Harvard Business Review. he shared 17 Flow State triggers from his book The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance. Concisely, flow triggers are conditions (as Csikszentmihalyi often describes them) that facilitate entry into a Flow state. These Flow State triggers can be one of four types: 1. psychological, 2. environmental, 3. social, or 4. creative. Yellow Pond
  • 48. I. Psychological Triggers The following four strategies are internally driven, and they work by focusing our attention on the present; what’s right in front of us, or the activity we’re engaged in. For all the activities we’ve listed above to attain a Flow state, the presence of these triggers can definitely help the process along. They include: 1. Intense concentration 2. Goal clarity 3. Immediate feedback 4. Challenge to skills ratio Yellow Pond
  • 49. Psychological Triggers 1. Intense concentration – When we focus with undivided attention on a certain task. We aren’t engaging in activities with others. Like Csikszentmihalyi’s painter, we’re solo. Yellow Pond
  • 50. Psychological Triggers 2. Goal clarity – numerous studies that we’ve already mentioned (and a whole wider range) support the idea that the goal we are working towards must be unambiguous. According to Kotler, that means the task at hand needs to be clearly delineated so our minds can stay focused on the present moment and action. Rather than wondering what the next step might be. Yellow Pond
  • 51. Psychological Triggers 3. Immediate feedback – As Kotler says: “Clear goals tell us what we’re doing; immediate feedback tells us how to do it better”. Instant feedback also aligns our awareness and attention, as per Csikszentmihalyi’s early definitions of the nature of a Flow state. Yellow Pond
  • 52. Psychological Triggers 4. Challenge to skills ratio – too-challenging tasks can make us feel overwhelmed, unequipped to face them, and anxious. A task that’s too simple, on the other hand, can induce boredom. To trigger flow, a goal should be halfway between these two extremes, Kotler believes. Yellow Pond
  • 53. II. Environmental Triggers Unlike the four psychological triggers we considered above, environmental triggers are aspects of our surroundings that help us get further into a flow state. Yellow Pond
  • 54. Environmental triggers 5. High consequences – Our concentration and focus are instinctively heightened when we detect a sense of danger in our environments. ● This is a subjective and perceived threat, for some, ● it could be speaking publicly or approaching another person. ● For the extreme athletes Kotler interviews, it may be a more immediate physical danger. Yellow Pond
  • 55. Environmental triggers 6. Rich environments – When we’re in new, complex, and dynamic or unpredictable environments, our focus and attention are enhanced. With regard to environmental complexity, it switches our attention on to the different information headed our way. Yellow Pond
  • 56. Environmental triggers 7. Deep embodiment – Here, Kotler is referring to total physical awareness, and when we discuss Flow in sports psychology in a short moment, this may make more sense. Succinctly, it relates in one way to our sense of control over our physical performance, and the link between this perceived control and goal achievement. Yellow Pond
  • 57. Social triggers Social triggers have great importance if we are attempting to generate greater group flow. Some practical applications would include team sports, and workgroup dynamics. 8. Serious concentration – we aren’t solo for this type of Flow, rather we need to focus as a team on the present, to the exclusion of outside distractions. Yellow Pond
  • 58. Social triggers 9. Clear, shared goals – while similar to Kotler’s earlier mention of a clear goal as a psychological trigger, this has implications for how we communicate in groups. Yellow Pond
  • 59. Social triggers 10. Good communication – paying attention to and building on what others contribute to group discussions. Yellow Pond
  • 60. Social triggers 11. Familiarity – this relates to a collective language within the group, extending beyond verbal expression to encompass nonverbal cues, too. It’s easy to see how this can be linked closely to organizational culture in a work context. Yellow Pond
  • 61. Social triggers 12. Equal participation and skill level – in the workplace, this means different participants should have an equal part to play in the execution of a project. It’s connected to the idea that a certain challenge-skill ratio will be ideally suited to group members who are similarly equipped to handle the task. Yellow Pond
  • 62. Social triggers 13. Risk – strong parallels for this one with the ‘Rich Environments’ trigger for individuals. Kotler links this very nicely to the idea that innovation and risk go hand-in-hand. Yellow Pond
  • 63. Social triggers 14. Sense of control – without being able to link our group actions to the collective goal, there’s no spark of intrinsic motivation. Nor will we feel adequately equipped for tasks that are perceived to be too difficult. Yellow Pond
  • 64. Social triggers 15. Close listening – to what’s being said, here and now. Yellow Pond
  • 65. Social triggers 16. Always say yes – in Kotler’s words, “interactions should be additive more than argumentative”, as this both generates momentum and harbors a collaborative spirit. Yellow Pond
  • 66. Creative triggers 17. Creativity – Kotler unpacks this concept into pattern recognition and risk-taking. Think of how the famous apple fell on Newton’s head before he bravely proposed the concept of gravity for a good idea of what he’s discussing. Flow triggers creativity, which triggers flow, and so forth in a domino effect. Yellow Pond
  • 67. Meditation and Flow Meditation and Flow have lots in common – loss of self- consciousness, and when done right, a differential sense of time and our surroundings. Coach and martial artist Stacey Nemour has shared some tips on using meditation to get into the Flow state in her superb Huffington Post article, Yellow Pond
  • 68. 1 2 3 Meditation and Flow Relaxing our eyes and focusing on our breath – while engaging in whatever sport or activity it is that we’ve picked. “Feel the body follow, this will clear and calm the mind and body”, she writes. Get out of our own way – to program for success, Nemour says, it’s important to “merge with our highest visions of our self”. Meditation can help us bring our mind, body, and spirit together in that truly focused Flow state of being where we’re attuned with our goals. And of course, a sense of controls over our skills to achieve them. Connect with our full creative power – with practice, meditation allows us to move into an altered state of consciousness when we want to. It’s the same kind of consistent practice that athletes will be familiar with: as we get more experienced with working out or similar, we can learn to tune out distractions, both internal and external. Yellow Pond
  • 69. Danger of Flow With flow having become such a popular notion and a desirable state, few pause to ask whether it is always good. In fact, the activities in which flow is found can be morally good or bad. Gambling, for example, especially games like bridge or poker, has all the conditions necessary for flow – they are challenging and require a high level of skill to stand any chance of winning. Yellow Pond
  • 70. Danger of Flow Even activities that are morally good or neutral, like mountain climbing, chess or Playstation, can become addictive, so much so that life without them can feel static, boring and meaningless. A simple non-gambling game on your computer, like solitaire, which many people use to ‘switch off’ for a few minutes, can take over our life. This happens when, instead of being a choice, a flow-inducing activity becomes a necessity. Yellow Pond
  • 71. Danger of Flow Csikszentmihalyi himself is very much aware of the dangers of flow. He writes: ‘…enjoyable activities that produce flow have a potentially negative effect: while they are capable of improving the quality of existence by creating order in the mind, they can become addictive, at which point the self becomes captive of a certain kind of order, and is then unwilling to cope with the ambiguities of life’. Yellow Pond
  • 72. Danger of Flow Addiction to flow can also lead to losing a larger perspective. A workaholic manager may lose himself in flow at work until 10 or 11 at night, forgetting dinner, his family or saying goodnight to the children. Csikszentmihalyi also adds: ‘The flow experience, like everything else, is not “good” in an absolute sense. It is good only in that it has the potential to make life more rich, intense, and meaningful; it is good because it increases the strengths and complexity of the self. But whether the consequence of any particular instance of flow is good in a larger sense needs to be discussed and evaluated in terms of more inclusive social criteria’. Yellow Pond
  • 73. Other Optimal Experiences Flow is not the only optimal experience that we know of. A humanistic psychologist, Abraham Maslow, (1908-1970) coined the term peak experience to describe intensely joyous and exciting moments in the lives of every individual. In these moments, we feel more whole, integrated, aware of ourselves and deeply happy. Yellow Pond
  • 74. Other Optimal Experiences We have a sense of transcendence, awe, unity and meaningfulness in life. Often these experiences have a spiritual quality about them. The peak moments are often inspired by intense occurrences – moments of love, exposure to great art or music, the overwhelming beauty of nature or even tragic events. Maslow, like Csikszentmihalyi with regard to flow, believed that all individuals are capable of peak experiences, but those who achieved self-actualisation are more likely to have them. Although many characteristics are shared (e.g. absorption, spontaneity, loss of time), peak experience differs from flow in the presence (rather than loss) of the sense of self, the rarity of its occurrence and having almost a mystical quality about it. Whilst flow experiences are encouraged, Maslow cautioned against seeking peak experiences for their own sake. Yellow Pond
  • 75. Microflow We have a long way to go in learning about the optimal states of human existence. Little is known about microflow activities (such as doodling), shared, rather than individualised, flow, in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts (like in a musical jam session) or a plateau experience (which is a continuous peak experience). Positive psychology might be potentially a vehicle for exploring the complexity of these and other positive human experiences. Yellow Pond
  • 77. A Look at Flow and Happiness Both psychological and subjective well-being have been empirically linked by numerous researchers over time (e.g. Bryce & Haworth, 2002; Heo et al., 2010). By its very nature, Flow is also related to lower (or a loss of) self-consciousness, suggesting that it is at least related to happiness – if not a means of feeling positive emotions. Indeed, happiness and a sense of reward are associated with the autotelic experience of being in a Flow state, although the individual activities that we all participate in to enter the state itself are different. Yellow Pond
  • 78. The Research on Flow Experience We’ve only looked quite briefly so far at how the Flow concept has been used with other theoretical frameworks to advance our understanding of the concept. Here, we’ll take a little peek at how the research on Flow experience has played a role in other fields, as well as a particularly interesting perceived ‘gap’ in the literature—Csikszentmihalyi’s notion of the autotelic personality. Yellow Pond
  • 79. The Flow Experience online Somewhat unsurprisingly, the Flow concept has gained popularity with marketers, advertisers, educators, game designers, and others working in fields that are heavily involved with User Experience (UX). In most cases, this has been associated with users’ Flow experiences while on the internet. Hoffman and Novak (1996: 57) have even gone so far as to premise that “Flow is the ‘glue’ holding the consumer in the hypermedia Computer- Mediated Environment”. Yellow Pond
  • 80. Flow and Learning Some interesting examples of the diverse findings include the following. A 2007 study on Web-based training programs, where Choi and colleagues found a positive relationship between participants experiencing Flow and their learning outcomes; Yellow Pond
  • 81. Flow and Attitude Hoffman and Novak’s (1996) empirical research on how the Flow experience can positively influence Web users’ attitudes and behavioral intentions in online marketing. The Flow experience was also hypothesized to increase users’ perceived control over their purchasing behavior; Yellow Pond
  • 82. Flow and Learning Kiili’s (2005) research, which comments on the very real possibility of designing educational computer games that facilitate the Flow experience to enhance learning and player attitudes—an ‘experiential gaming model’; and Yellow Pond
  • 83. Internet Flow A study by Rettie (2001) on what she terms ‘Internet Flow’, which uses the Experience Sampling Method to more closely examine the role of different factors such as download speed, banner ads, and more on consumer behavior. Yellow Pond
  • 84. Flow Experiences These brilliant studies are all great further reads for therapists looking to further understand the Flow experience and its 21st Century applications. They are also very lovely examples of how Csikszentmihalyi’s (1975) concept has continued to help us understand our own happiness-seeking, goal-directed, and exploratory behavior on a day-to-day basis. Yellow Pond
  • 85. The Flow Experience and Social Interactions Another interesting area of research into the Flow experience concerns our positive subjective experiences at the interpersonal level (Magyaródi & Olah, 2017). This relatively new study used the Flow State Questionnaire—another measure of the Flow Experience—to reveal insights into the Flow experience in shared, cooperative activities. Findings suggest that ‘social’ Flow can actually add to the intensity of the experience itself: participants coordinating in activities together became more absorbed in the task at hand. The authors argue that these results may hold implications for our social development. Yellow Pond
  • 86. The autotelic personality The concept of the autotelic personality is often used to account for different peoples’ diverse capacities to experience flow at work or in general. Compared with some other applications of the Flow concept, it appears less frequently in the academic literature—at least in empirical studies. An autotelic personality describes the tendency of individuals to engage in activities for reasons related to intrinsic motivation. In other words, they may derive more enjoyment from the task itself rather than being driven by a future goal, and more easily able to focus ‘effortlessly’ on a task at hand (Csikszentmihalyi, 2002; Engeser and Rheinberg, 2008). They may also be more capable of self-regulating, some research suggests (Keller and Blomann, 2008). Yellow Pond
  • 87. Brain Waves and Neuroscience Interest in the neuroscience behind Flow has started to blossom quite recently, spearheaded in part by neurocognitive researcher Arne Dietrich. Perhaps one of his most easily understandable findings, in layman’s terms, is that physical activity gives the ‘focused’ cerebral areas a little break. Other areas are then allowed to take over, freeing us up temporarily from processes such as self-consciousness and self-talk, and leading us into a more relaxed and creative state (Dietrich, 2004). Yellow Pond
  • 88. Flow State Scientifically, it’s termed transient hypofrontality and refers to a less engaged pre-frontal cortex. Because our pre-frontal cortices take care of higher cognitive processes—including self-reflection, analytical thinking, and other meta-conscious capacities, our implicit system can play a bigger role. Effortless information processing ensues, and we enter the highly desirable Flow state. Yellow Pond
  • 89. References 1. https://positivepsychology.com/what-is-flow/ 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)#:~:text=In%20positive%20psy chology%2C%20a%20flow,the%20process%20of%20the%20activity. 3. https://positivepsychology.com/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-father-of-flow/ 4. https://positivepsychology.com/theory-psychology-flow/ 5. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-flow-2794768 6. http://positivepsychology.org.uk/living-in-flow/ 7. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/flow 8. https://exploringyourmind.com/positive-psychology-a-flow-state/ Yellow Pond
  • 90. About the Presenter ● Dr.Suresh Kumar Murugesan is a passionate Professor, researcher and Mental Health Practitioner from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India ● At present he is heading the department of Psychology, the American College, Madurai ● He is very keen in learning new research studies in behavioural Sciences and open to learn. ● His ultimate aim is to make impression in the field of Knowledge ● His area of specializations are Psychotherapy, Positive Psychology, Education Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Cyber Psychology etc Yellow Pond
  • 91. Contact Dr. Suresh Kumar Murugesan PhD sureshkumar800@yahoo.com Home: 7, Vivekananda Street, New Vilangudi, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India WhatsApp: +91 9750 406463 Yellow Pond
  • 92. Disclaimer ● This presentation is prepared for learning purpose only and all the photos used in this presentation are taken from google image search. ● Due recognition was given to all the material collected from the various sources. ● Any name or reference is missed kindly bring it to the notice of the presenter for inclusion Yellow Pond