Psychophysiological Correlates of Flow-Experience

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Authors

Flow—the pleasant state of absorption of a person with an activity—has rarely been investigated from a physiological perspective. However, interest in such studies is growing fast. Only recently, researchers started to apply psychophysiological measures to study flow-experiences. In order to contribute to this ongoing research, this chapter aims to report and integrate existing theories and findings concerning the physiology of flow-experience and to stimulate further investigation.

The first part of this chapter will give an overview about existing literature explicitly dealing with the psychophysiology of flow. A theoretical psychophysiological framework is then developed on the basis of prominent stress theories. The third part discusses physiological correlates of flow, integrating existing literature on flow and related concepts such as attention and cognitive control. The chapter ends with an integrative definition of flow-experience, practical implications, and an outlook on future research perspectives.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAdvances in Flow-Research
EditorsS. Engeser
Number of pages26
Place of PublicationNew York
PublisherSpringer
Publication date21.03.2012
Pages139-164
ISBN (print)978-1-4614-2358-4
ISBN (electronic)978-1-4614-2359-1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 21.03.2012

    Research areas

  • Psychology - Heart Rate Variability, Skin Conductance Level, Cortisol Reactivity, Default Network, Orbicularis Oculus