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Parvizi-Wayne D, Sandved-Smith L, Pitliya RJ, Limanowski J, Tufft MRA, Friston KJ. Forgetting ourselves in flow: an active inference account of flow states and how we experience ourselves within them. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1354719. [PMID: 38887627 PMCID: PMC11182004 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1354719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Flow has been described as a state of optimal performance, experienced universally across a broad range of domains: from art to athletics, gaming to writing. However, its phenomenal characteristics can, at first glance, be puzzling. Firstly, individuals in flow supposedly report a loss of self-awareness, even though they perform in a manner which seems to evince their agency and skill. Secondly, flow states are felt to be effortless, despite the prerequisite complexity of the tasks that engender them. In this paper, we unpick these features of flow, as well as others, through the active inference framework, which posits that action and perception are forms of active Bayesian inference directed at sustained self-organisation; i.e., the minimisation of variational free energy. We propose that the phenomenology of flow is rooted in the deployment of high precision weight over (i) the expected sensory consequences of action and (ii) beliefs about how action will sequentially unfold. This computational mechanism thus draws the embodied cognitive system to minimise the ensuing (i.e., expected) free energy through the exploitation of the pragmatic affordances at hand. Furthermore, given the challenging dynamics the flow-inducing situation presents, attention must be wholly focussed on the unfolding task whilst counterfactual planning is restricted, leading to the attested loss of the sense of self-as-object. This involves the inhibition of both the sense of self as a temporally extended object and higher-order, meta-cognitive forms of self-conceptualisation. Nevertheless, we stress that self-awareness is not entirely lost in flow. Rather, it is pre-reflective and bodily. Our approach to bodily-action-centred phenomenology can be applied to similar facets of seemingly agentive experience beyond canonical flow states, providing insights into the mechanisms of so-called selfless experiences, embodied expertise and wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darius Parvizi-Wayne
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lars Sandved-Smith
- Monash Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Riddhi J. Pitliya
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- VERSES AI Research Lab, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jakub Limanowski
- Institute of Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Miles R. A. Tufft
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Karl J. Friston
- VERSES AI Research Lab, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Huang F. The Relationship Between Trait Mindfulness and Depression in Elementary Pre-Service Teachers: The Sequential Mediating Role of Flow Experience and Learning Engagement. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2024; 17:1689-1702. [PMID: 38660457 PMCID: PMC11042480 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s450594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between trait mindfulness, flow experience, learning engagement, and depression among elementary pre-service teachers. Methods We employed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, Flow Experience Scale, Learning Engagement Scale, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to assess 614 elementary pre-service teachers. Results Trait mindfulness in elementary pre-service teachers negatively predicts depression. Trait mindfulness indirectly impacts depression through flow experience and learning engagement. Furthermore, flow experience and learning engagement serve as mediating factors in the relationship between trait mindfulness and depression among elementary pre-service teachers. Conclusion Flow experience and learning engagement play a mediating role in the relationship between trait mindfulness and depression among elementary pre-service teachers. This study enriches our understanding of depression cognitive theory, emphasizing the positive influence of internal resources on depression prevention. Additionally, it provides a deeper explanation of the mechanism through which trait mindfulness affects depression, offering valuable insights for future depression intervention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenxia Huang
- Basic Education College, Putian University, Putian, People’s Republic of China
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Mao Y, Kang X, Lai Y, Yu J, Deng X, Zhai Y, Kong F, Ma J, Bonaiuto F. Authentic leadership and employee resilience during the COVID-19: The role of flow, organizational identification, and trust. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 42:1-16. [PMID: 36713621 PMCID: PMC9869839 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-04148-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The present work investigated fundamental mediating mechanisms (i.e., flow experience, organizational identification, and trust), underlining the impact of authentic leadership on employee resilience during the turbulent COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 901 frontline employees working in a construction engineering company in China participated in this study. They were asked to respond to a battery of questionnaires comprising Trust Scale (affective-based, cognitive-based, and competence-based), Flow Proneness Questionnaire (FPQ), Organizational Identification Scale, Authentic Leadership Questionnaire, and Employee Resilience Scale. Results of structural equation modeling indicated that: (1) Authentic leadership positively predicted employee resilience in the COVID-19 pandemic, directly and indirectly. (2) As for the indirect relationship, two parallel mediation effects and one chain mediation were detected: employees' flow at work and organizational identification respectively and dependently mediated the relationship between authentic leadership and employee resilience; trust and organizational identification played as a chain mediation role within authentic leadership-employee resilience association. The study provides empirical evidence for organizations' resilience-building and leadership training programs. Findings also contribute to the literature by facilitating flow intervention, promoting organizational identification and trust to enhance the effect of authentic leadership in promoting positive psychological functioning of employee resilience. Limitations with respect to future research directions were also outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Mao
- Institute of Applied Psychology, Psychological Research and Counseling Center, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031 Chengdu, China
- Department of Psychology and Behavior Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310028 Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinyue Kang
- School of Economics and Management, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031 Chengdu, China
| | - Yao Lai
- School of Economics and Management, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031 Chengdu, China
| | - Junkai Yu
- School of Economics and Management, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031 Chengdu, China
| | - Xuyuan Deng
- School of Economics and Management, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031 Chengdu, China
| | - Yuxi Zhai
- Southwest Branch, China Railway Construction Group Co., Ltd, 610031 Chengdu, China
| | - Feng Kong
- Department of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, 710062 Xian, China
| | - Jianhong Ma
- Department of Psychology and Behavior Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310028 Hangzhou, China
| | - Flavia Bonaiuto
- Facoltà di Economia, Universitas Mercatorum, 00186 Roma, Italy
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Hintze S, Yee JR. Animals in flow - towards the scientific study of intrinsic reward in animals. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 98:792-806. [PMID: 36579815 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The concept of flow, a state of complete absorption in an intrinsically rewarding activity, has played a pivotal role in advancing notions of human well-being beyond minimising suffering towards promoting flourishing and thriving. While flow has played a fundamental role in human positive psychology, it has not yet been explored in non-human animals, leaving an enormous void in our understanding of intrinsic motivation in animals. As ethology and related fields keep progressing in uncovering complex cognitive and affective capacities of non-human animals, we propose the time is ripe to translate the concept of flow to animals. We start by embedding flow in the topic of intrinsic motivation and describe its impact on positive human psychology and potentially positive animal welfare. We then disambiguate flow from related concepts discussed in the animal literature. Next, we derive experimental approaches in animals from the canonical characteristics of flow in humans and provide guidelines for both inducing and assessing flow by focusing on two characteristics that do not necessarily depend on self-report, namely resistance to distraction and time distortion. Not all aspects of the human flow experience are (yet) translatable, but those that are may improve quality of life in captive non-human animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Hintze
- Institute of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Gregor-Mendel-Strasse 38, 1180, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jason R Yee
- Institute of Animal Welfare Science, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
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Ye JH, Wu YT, Wu YF, Chen MY, Ye JN. Effects of Short Video Addiction on the Motivation and Well-Being of Chinese Vocational College Students. Front Public Health 2022; 10:847672. [PMID: 35619803 PMCID: PMC9127725 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.847672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
While media use can be beneficial in some ways, excessive use of media has led to growing concerns about its potential negative consequences. With the popularity of Chinese video applications (apps) such as DouYin, TikTok, Kwai, and other short video apps sweeping through schools around the world. Due to the diversity and immersion principle of short videos, their popularity continues to grow, and the phenomenon of students being addicted to short videos also brings many hidden dangers to the learning effect. Among other things, the problem of excessive use of the Internet among Chinese youth has led the government to propose a series of control policies to strengthen the monitoring of harmful habits of youth in the use of online applications. In addition, the problem of youth addiction to short videos has become a major concern for education experts and the general public, thus demonstrating that short video addiction is indeed an ongoing research issue. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the causes of short-form video addiction and its impact on the psychology of learning, and to investigate the relationship between short-form video flow experience, short-form video addiction, intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation, and learning well-being from the perspectives of flow experience theory and micro ecological systems. The questionnaire was sent via instant messaging software such as QQ and WeChat, and university students from vocational colleges in China were invited to complete the questionnaire. A total of 517 valid data were collected, including 222 (42.9%) were male students and 295 (57.1%) were female students. The collected questionnaires were analyzed for reliability and validity after removing incomplete data, followed by structural equation modeling for model verification. The findings showed that: (1) short video flow experience had a positive effect on short video addiction; (2) short video addiction had a negative effect on intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation; (3) intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation had a positive effect on learning well-being; (4) short video flow experience had an indirect negative effect on intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation; (5) short video flow and short video addiction had indirect negative effects on learning well-being. According to the results, it is clear that addiction to short videos has a negative impact on learners' learning motivation and positive psychology of learning, so parents and teachers should effectively guide students to use short video apps in a self-controlled way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Hong Ye
- Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Tai Wu
- Office of Physical Education, Soochow University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Feng Wu
- Office of Physical Education, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Yen Chen
- Graduate Institute of Sport, Leisure and Hospitality Management, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Jhen-Ni Ye
- Graduate Institute of Technological and Vocational Education, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan
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Aleksandrova L. Flow theory in foreign and Russian psychology: history, contemporary state of arts and perspectives of development. СОВРЕМЕННАЯ ЗАРУБЕЖНАЯ ПСИХОЛОГИЯ 2022. [DOI: 10.17759/jmfp.2022110314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The article describes the theoretical premises and the logic of the emergence of the Flow concept and its development in almost half of the century. The article presents an overview of the current state of arts in Flow theory being developed by M. Csikszentmihalyi and his followers. Different models of Flow are described, main directions of Flow research are analyzed, an overview of research methods and techniques are highlighted, including qualitative (interviews) and quantitative methods (questionnaires, experience sampling method (ESM). The possibilities and directions of further development of the Flow ideas and research, including interdisciplinary ones, are discussed. The ideas and concepts of representatives of modern Russian psychology, most close to the ideas of M. Csikszentmihalyi and their contribution to flow understanding are listed.
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Rodríguez-Ardura I, Meseguer-Artola A. Imagine, feel “there”, and flow! Immersive experiences on m-Facebook, and their affective and behavioural effects. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & PEOPLE 2019. [DOI: 10.1108/itp-10-2017-0358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
Mobile Facebook (m-Facebook) creates many business opportunities for brands and firms while increasingly drawing interest in scientific literature. However, research is scarce on the immersive experiences prompted by m-Facebook, and how these experiences facilitate users’ engagement, their positive attitude towards Facebook and their continued use of it. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper theoretically and empirically analyses m-Facebook users’ immersive experiences, along with their affective and behavioural effects.
Findings
The results reveal the important role of imagery, presence and flow in the context of m-Facebook; the interplay between these three immersive phenomena; and the influence the user’s optimum stimulation level has on them.
Originality/value
The investigation offers a foundation for understanding users’ immersive experiences on m-Facebook, and informs practitioners who aim to enhance users’ engagement with, attitude towards, and continued use of m-Facebook content.
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Salehzadeh Niksirat K, Park K, Silpasuwanchai C, Wang Z, Ren X. The relationship between flow proneness in everyday life and variations in the volume of gray matter in the dopaminergic system: A cross-sectional study. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2018.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Rémond JJ, Romo L. Analysis of Gambling in the Media Related to Screens: Immersion as a Predictor of Excessive Use? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:E58. [PMID: 29301311 PMCID: PMC5800157 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15010058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2017] [Revised: 12/25/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
This study investigates the intricacies between the player interface proposed by the screens, (in particular on smartphone applications or in video games) and gambling. Recent research indicates connections between "immersion" and excessive screen practice. We want to understand the causal-effects between online gambling and the "immersion" variable and understand their relationship and its contingencies. This article empirically investigates whether and how it is possible to observe immersion with its sub-dimensions in gambling on different screens. The objective of this study was to analyze: (1) the costs and benefits associated with gambling practice on screens (2) the link between gambling practice and screen practice (video game, Internet, mobile screen); (3) to observe the propensity to immersion for individuals practicing gambling on screens; and (4) to examine the comorbidities and cognitive factors associated with the practice of gambling on screen. A total of 432 adults (212 men, 220 women), recruited from Ile-de-France (France), responded to a battery of questionnaires. Our study suggests that immersion variables make it possible to understand the cognitive participation of individuals towards screens in general, the practice of gambling on screens and the excessive practice of screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Jacques Rémond
- Psychology Department, Laboratory EA CLIPSYD 4430, Paris Nanterre University, 92000 Nanterre, France.
| | - Lucia Romo
- Psychology Department, Laboratory EA CLIPSYD 4430, Paris Nanterre University, 92000 Nanterre, France.
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Tsuda A, Hwang KK. Editorial: The Construction of Culture-Inclusive Approaches in Psychology. JAPANESE PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jpr.12106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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