What is flow in psychology?

Flow is a mental state of complete absorption, energized focus, and enjoyment during an activity. First described by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, it occurs when a person balances task challenges with their skill level, leading to a modified sense of time. It is frequently studied in positive psychology, occupational therapy, and sport psychology, and also shares characteristics with mental states studied across broader psychological research.

What we know

• Flow is characterized by full involvement, high concentration, and the melting together of action and consciousness. [2]
• The concept was first presented by Hungarian-American psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi in his 1975 book Beyond Boredom and Anxiety. [2]
• Psychology as a scientific discipline studies both conscious and unconscious phenomena, mental processes, and subjective experiences like flow. [4]
• Flow is utilized as a coping mechanism for stress and anxiety when engaging in productive leisure activities matching a person's skill set. [2]

Where to go next

• whoWho first defined flow?
• compared withHow does flow differ from hyperfocus?
• the bigger pictureWhat is positive psychology?
• a case in pointWhat is sport psychology?
• how it workedHow do operational definitions measure mental states?
• an unexpected connectionHow does flow relate to clinical conditions like ADHD?While flow is strictly a positive state of optimal engagement, it shares psychological characteristics with hyperfocus, which is frequently observed in conditions like ADHD, autism, and schizophrenia.

Sources

• [1]flow (Wikidata Q750449) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Flow (psychology) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Operational definition · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Psychology · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Shadow (psychology) · CC BY-SA 4.0