Flow states in athletes and musicians unfold through three distinct phases: preparation to enter flow, entry into the flow state, and exit from the flow state. Emotions play a core role across all three phases, regulating the emergence, maintenance, and termination of flow over time. The findings highlight the temporal dynamics of flow and the phenomenological characteristics of its transition and maintenance.
People often report sharper perception during peak performance, but it is unclear whether this reflects real changes in sensory processing or memory bias. This study tested 27 athletes and musicians on a temporal order judgement task before and after a sports or music performance over three sessions. Participants rated their flow experience—a state of high focus, low distractibility, altered time sense, and enjoyment. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that higher subjective flow during performance was associated with better post-performance task accuracy compared to pre-performance. The findings suggest flow may modulate temporal processing and spatial attention, offering a more complete account of perception during high-level performance.