However in 2007 Steven Pritzker proposed that audience flow can occur if a television show is relevant to the viewers' life.įlow is an interdisciplinary field of research, addressed by psychologists working in the fields of positive psychology, cognitive psychology, arts, sports, science, sociologists and by anthropologists interested in altered states of consciousness, spiritual experiences, and rituals in different cultures. While almost any active involvement can potentially lead to flow, activities which are passive, such as watching television, do not normally lead to flow. In these activities people were deeply involved and motivated because they were participating in an enjoyable experience. It was easier to achieve the flow state in activities such as performing music, dance and writing since they had rules and required the learning of skills.

Flow also inspires peak performances so some use expressions such as ‘everything clicks’ and ‘experiencing a magic moment’.Ĭsikszentmihalyi reported that flow occurred more often during work than free time. Flow experience corresponds to an optimal psychophysical state: participants said it is like being in the zone, being on the ball, being in the groove.

Flow refers to a state of mind which brings together cognitive, physiological and affective aspects. The concept of flow became the key element for the theory of optimal experience, since it provided the best user experience. It usually stretched the person's capacity and provided a challenge to his/her skills. The flow experience came when the activity was difficult and involved risk. Participants were motivated by the quality of the experience they had while they were engaged in the activity. He called this state flow, because during his research, people illustrated their intense experiences using the metaphor of being carried by a current like a river flows. He was surprised to discover that enjoyment did not result from relaxing or living without stress, but during these intense activities, in which their attention was fully absorbed. He considered artists, writers, athletes, chess masters, and surgeons – individuals who were involved in activities they preferred. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi introduced flow theory in the 1970s based on research examining people who did activities for pleasure, even when they were not rewarded with money or fame. Biasutti, in Encyclopedia of Creativity (Second Edition), 2011 Introduction

Flow by mihaly csikszentmihalyi