Csikszentmihalyi (1975, 2002) first described the flow state as a deeply rewarding psychological state of optimal experience, in which the person is fully immersed in an activity to the exclusion of all other thoughts and emotions. Csikszentmihalyi (1990) described flow conceptually through nine dimensions:
1) challenge-skills balance;
2) merging of action and awareness;
3) clear goals;
4) unambiguous feedback;
5) concentration on the task at hand;
6) sense of control;
7) loss of self-consciousness;
8) transformation of time and
9) autotelic experience.
Csikszentmihalyi (1990) theorized that the more dimensions and intensity of each dimension an individual experienced, the greater the flow experience. This flow model has proven robust across lines of culture, class & gender (Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi, 2002). Equally, the model has been confirmed in multiple domains such as the visual arts (Reynolds & Prior, 2006), music (Bakker, 2005), recreational activities (Havitz & Mannell, 2005), business (Csikszentmihalyi, 2004), aesthetic experiences (Csikszentmihalyi & Robinson, 1990) and competitive sport (Jackson, 1992, 1996; Swann, Keegan, Piggott & Crust, 2012).
Most notably, the flow state is a valued experience for athletes (Jackson & Roberts, 1992), often pushing them to their performance limits (Jackson & Csikszentmihalyi, 1999).
Consequently, a multitude of studies have linked increases in flow with performance (e.g., Jackson & Csikszentmihalyi, 1999; Pates, Oliverz & Maynard, 2001). For example, Flett (2015) reported that increases in flow correlated to increases in performance in tennis players and that flow is more function- and performance-orientated than it is reflective of positive and optimal experience.
Notwithstanding, the flow state is a distinct concept from the outcomes of peak performance (Harmison, 2011). For example, one can perform well but not be in an optimal state of flow (Jackson & Csikszentmihalyi, 1999), thus indicating a training programme devised to increase flow may be similar but not identical to performance training.
Nevertheless, the limited research that exists may be very applicable to applied psychologists, since flow is an optimal psychological state that underpins an athlete’s greatest and most memorable performances (Jackson & Csikszentmihalyi, 1999). Indeed, Swann, Keegan, Piggott and Crust’s (2012) review on flow research reported that 72% of elite athletes’ perceived obtaining flow was in their control, while 81% perceived they could restore flow after disruption.
The few studies measuring changes in flow have predominantly examined samples of high performing or elite athletes as participants. Although flow can be achieved by the populous in multiple domains and differing cultures (Nakamura and Csikszentmihalyi, 2014), this focus on athletes has been justified through the selection of information-rich and relevant cases, as flow is more frequently experienced in elite athletes due to their continual opportunity during competitions to meet the dimensional ‘skill-challenge’ balance required for flow (Jackson, 1995).