A framework for neurophysiological experiments on flow states.
Communications Psychology July 18, 2024 Oliver Durcan, Peter Holland, Joydeep Bhattacharya
The flow state, a concept originally observed in experts absorbed in intrinsically rewarding activities, is now frequently studied in neurophysiology using constrained, unfamiliar tasks. This perspective article proposes an activity-autonomy framework with testable hypotheses to induce flow, expanding beyond the traditional challenge-skill balance. It reviews and synthesizes best methodological practices from neurophysiological flow studies into a 24-item checklist. The checklist provides guidelines for consistent reporting, personalizing and testing isolated challenge types, accounting for participant skills, motivation, and individual differences, and processing self-report data. The authors argue for a cohesive approach to capture a consistent representation of flow states in neurophysiological research.