Ideal self and proactive physical wellness behaviors predict leader flow at work

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of leader flow (well-being) at work, based on conservation-of-resources theory. The authors also introduce the concept of fuel, the proactive and strategic use of physical wellness behaviors to generate the energy needed to manage personal stress, maximize performance and to thrive in life. Specifically, the authors examined the main and interactive relationships of leader self-reports of ideal self and fuel on flow at work. Design/methodology/approach Three different samples of leaders were surveyed online over a three-year period. Findings In all three samples, leaders high in self-reported fuel had strong, positive relationships between their ideal selves and flow at work. Leaders low in self-reported fuel had negative or non-significant relationships between ideal selves and flow. Practical implications Leaders can be coached to develop and use a healthy ideal self and to proactively engage in physical wellness behaviors, to enhance their workplace well-being. This coaching can be strengthened by emphasizing the connection between possessing an ideal self, and engaging in physical wellness behaviors, and resulting leader well-being. Originality/value This is the first study to examine and demonstrate that a combination of proactive leader wellness behaviors is critical to their experience of flow at work, an indicator of work-related well-being.

The brain in flow: a systematic review on the neural basis of the flow state

Flow state is a subjective experience that people report when task performance is experienced as automatic, intrinsically rewarding, optimal and effortless. While this intriguing phenomenon is the subject of a plethora of behavioural studies, only recently researchers have started to look at its neural correlates. Here, we summarize the main findings of a total of 22 studies aimed at inducing or assessing the experience of flow and the concomitant brain activity patterns. In light of the results, we conclude that the current available evidence is sparse and inconclusive, which limits any theoretical debate. We also outline major limitations of this literature and highlight several aspects regarding experimental design and flow measurements that may provide useful avenues for future studies on this topic.

Alone but together: flow experience and its impact on creative output in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®

PurposeDo LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP) workshops result in improved experience of flow components as well as higher levels of creative output than traditional meetings (MEET)? This research studies the extent to which LSP, as a specialized material-mediated and process-oriented cocreative workshop setting, differs from MEET, a traditional workshop setting. Hypotheses for differences in individual flow components (autotelic behavior, happiness, balance), group flow components (equal participation, continuous communication) and creative output were developed and tested in a quasi-experimental comparison between LSP and MEET.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted with 39 practitioners in six teams from various industries. In total, 164 observations were collected during two workshops using the Experience Sampling Method. The creative output was assessed by peer evaluations of all participants, followed by structural analysis and quantitative group comparisons.FindingsThe results show that two components of individual flow experience (autotelic behavior, happiness) were significantly higher in LSP, and one of the components of group flow experience (continuous communication) was, as expected, significantly lower. Regarding creative output, the LSP teams outperformed the MEET teams. The study suggests that a process-oriented setting that includes time for individuals to independently explore their ideas using a different kind of material in the presence of other participants has a significant influence on the team result.Practical implicationsLSP can improve the components of participants' flow experience to have an impact on the creative output of teams. In cocreative settings like LSP, teams benefit from a combination of alone time and high-quality collaborative activities using boundary objects and a clear process to share their ideas.Originality/valueThis is the first quasi-experimental study with management practitioners as participants to compare LSP with a traditional and widespread workshop approach in the context of flow experience and creative output.

A Simple Approach to Relating the Optimal Learning and the Meaningful Learning Experience in Students Age 14–16

Using a questionnaire applied in real time to students in stages 14–16 during a distance class, the authors appraise whether they experience feelings that lead to a central experience of flow, according to the flow theory of positive psychology. Students are exposed to a planned session that considers the moments of the training sequence and consciously integrates technological tools to support learning. A formal evaluation system, which includes formative and summative evaluations, determines if students build meaningful learning. This research contributes to understanding that an optimal learning experience characterized by the pedagogical principles of curiosity, concentration, challenge, and enjoyment, favor the construction of meaningful learning. Furthermore, the simplicity of the proposed experimental design suggests a direct way to replicate the study in later learning stages and assess the efficiency of new technology-based pedagogies within the distance education paradigm imposed by the 2020 pandemic crisis.

LOVE AS INFORMATION AND ENERGY UNIT OF PERSON’S HAPPINESS

Love is a core of personality. Love is foundation and systemicity that integrates in itself motivations, content and purpose. Love is all-embracing and represents actuality of happiness. The top experience of love is what is called “experience of flow” in the contemporary psychology. A person is excited and driven by the flow of life itself. Goals, strivings and anticipations disappear – everything submits to the flow, the motion that becomes the most important and essential itself. Keywords: happiness, development, love, dynamics, becoming, an individual, productivity.

Identification of the flow experience in gamified educational environment

Determining and understanding the user experience in gamified educational environments is a contemporary challenge, especially when analyzing the flow experience (balance of challenge and skills, conscious actions, clear goals, clear feedback, sense of control, etc.). The reason for this lies in the assessment tools that most often created and implemented to separate the user from the experience of flow and/or cannot be applied en masse.The paper presents the results of a study in which flow experience was modeled based on data logs (e.g. number of mouse actions or average response time) in gamified educational environment on a sample of 31HE students. The results indicate the existence of correlations between data logs and flow experience dimensions.

What Does it Take to Flow? Investigating Links Between Grit, Growth Mindset, and Flow in Musicians

While it may seem effortless for great musicians to deliver beautiful works of art, little is known about the hard work behind these performances. Musicians require grit to sustain effort over many years of training but flow can sweeten this experience. Growth mindset, referring to the belief that ability is malleable, is often related to grit and has been theorized to be conducive to flow. Self-identified musicians, between 18 and 57 years of age ( N = 162), participated in an online survey investigating the potential links between grit, growth mindset, and dispositional flow. Correlational analyses revealed that grit was a significant predictor of flow but no correlations between growth mindset and grit or flow were found. Furthermore, a hierarchical regression analysis taking into account participants’ musical training, personality traits, and performance anxiety found that grit did not predict dispositional flow over and above what can be predicted by practice hours and music performance anxiety. Altogether, these findings offer a closer look at the effects of the non-cognitive factors of growth mindset and grit on the experience of flow in music performance.

HOW TEMPERAMENT, CHARACTER, FLOW STATE & MOTIVATION PLAY ROLE IN ADVENTURE & NON-ADVENTURE SPORTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Adventure Sports (AS) is mostly associated with high risk-taking behaviors, unlike Non-adventure sports (NAS). Still, the AS persons can be highly functional while risking their lives for their passion for adventure sports. Therefore, we assumed for this study that the psychological processes involved in participation in Adventure sports might be different. The study intended to identify the difference in dispositional factors, the experience of flow state and motivational factors of Adventure Sports persons as compared to Non-adventure Sportspersons. The sample consisted of trained persons/professionals of Adventure Sports (viz. mountaineering, kayaking, river rafting, etc.) (n = 21) and participants of Non-adventure outdoor sports (viz. cricketers, footballers, etc.) (n = 21). We used the Temperament and Character Inventory, Flow State Scale, and Motivational Factors Scale. The findings revealed that low harm avoidance could be a dispositional factor for choosing adventure sports whereas; to gain status could be a factor to select non-adventure games. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0727/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>