Flow experiences across adulthood : preliminary findings on the continuity hypothesis
Tse, Dwight C. K. and Nakamura, Jeanne and Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly (2022) Flow experiences across adulthood : preliminary findings on the continuity hypothesis. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23 (6). pp. 2517-2540. ISSN 1573-7780 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00514-5)
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Abstract
Flow experience is a psychological state characterized by simultaneous absorption, concentration, and enjoyment. Examining the change and continuity of the flow experience––an optimal state that contributes to well-being––is critical to the understanding of the lifelong trajectory of human flourishing. Nevertheless, to date there has been no systematic investigation of the relationship between age and flow experiences across adulthood. Developmental models of flow experiences suggest the continuity hypothesis that people are motivated to sustain a high level of flow experiences as long as conditions permit. We conducted two studies to investigate flow experiences among adults of different ages. Study 1 (N=1,162; age range 30–80) used longitudinal data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) project, investigating the changes in flow experiences at work over a 10-year span. Study 2 (N=393; age range 20–82) was an online survey that examined age-related differences in flow experiences. Both studies revealed minimal relationships between age and flow experiences. Post-hoc analyses revealed no significant moderating effect of common demographics including gender, race, and education on the age–flow relationship. Taken together, these studies elucidate the "flow profile" in adulthood that is consistent with the continuity hypothesis. We discuss relations of the findings to the literature on flow experiences and well-being.
ORCID iDs
Tse, Dwight C. K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2725-1849, Nakamura, Jeanne and Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly;-
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Item type: Article ID code: 79814 Dates: DateEventAugust 2022Published3 March 2022Published Online13 February 2022AcceptedSubjects: Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology Department: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) > Psychological Sciences and Health > Psychology Depositing user: Pure Administrator Date deposited: 03 Mar 2022 12:48 Last modified: 21 Nov 2024 06:37 URI: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/79814