The Effects of the Flow State on Social Orientation Within and Beyond Group Boundaries

Abstract

Research on flow, a positive emotional experience characterized by full absorption, involvement, and enjoyment during an activity, has primarily focused on the individual benefits of this mental state. In the present study, I investigate the mechanisms by which flow may produce changes in social orientation such that the boundaries between the self and other are diminished. In a 2x2 study, undergraduate participants (N=106) were randomly assigned to a flow or no flow condition; half of the participants were also randomly assigned to have a mirror in the cubicle during the study to manipulate self-consciousness. I hypothesized that flow would alter social orientation such that people reported increased feelings of closeness with others, mediated by decreases in self-consciousness. Contrary to hypotheses, primary analyses demonstrated no significant effects of condition on average measures of social closeness, although participants in the flow and mirror condition reported the highest feelings of closeness with others on individual items from two measures of interpersonal closeness. Further, participants in the flow and mirror condition also exhibited higher levels of state mindfulness. This work implies that the flow state should be conceptualized and researched in terms of the potential social benefits of decreasing boundaries between individuals.