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Professional tennis players in the zone
... Although it is acknowledged that flow research in sport needs to go beyond description of the elements of a flow experience and begin explaining the occurrence of these states (Kimiecik and Stein, 1992), this study also aimed to be exploratory in nature, intending only to establish a description rather than attempting to explain flow. In doing so, it followed the example of previous studies of flow in other elite sports (e.g., Jackson, 1992;Young, 2000). It is hoped that once this introductory understanding is established, future studies can build upon this and begin to investigate "the potential psychosocial mechanisms and variables that may be causally related, or, at the very least, positively or negatively associated with the flow experience" (Kimiecik and Stein, 1992, p.149). ...
... This study aimed to establish a description of how flow occurred within a sample of elite golfers, and suggest whether flow may occur differently in golf than in previously researched sports due to golf's self-paced nature. While explicit comparison is difficult because each previous study has presented and labelled their findings differently, the main concepts found to influence flow in elite sport thus far relate to preparation, mental attitude, focus, motivation, arousal, and environmental and situational conditions (Jackson, 1992(Jackson, , 1995Young, 2000;Sugiyama and Inomata, 2005;Chavez, 2008). These were also found in the present study, which suggests there are similarities between the occurrence of flow for these elite golfers and the previously researched sports. ...
... Similar to those of Jackson (1992) and Young (2000), applied recommendations for athletes, coaches, and practitioners revolve around putting relevant factors in place to improve the likelihood of flow occurring for golfers. This involves: (i) the promotion of controllable facilitators, (ii) negating controllable preventers and disruptors, and (iii) the practicing of refocusing strategies to overcome any distractions that may occur. ...
Research on flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975) has traditionally focused on reactive, externally-paced sports (e.g., tennis) without exploring those that are self-paced and stopstart in nature. This study investigated the occurrence of flow in a sample of thirteen elite golfers by conducting semi-structured interviews discussing: (i) their experiences of flow, (ii) factors that influenced flow occurrence, and (iii) the controllability of these experiences. Results shared similarity with existing research in terms of the majority of influencing factors reported, including motivation, preparation, focus, psychological state, environmental and situational conditions, and arousal, and that flow was reported to be at least potentially controllable. Golf-specific influences were also noted, including pre-shot routines, use of psychological interventions, standard of performance, and maintenance of physical state, suggesting that flow may have occurred differently for this sample. Findings are discussed and applied recommendations are made that may help golfers put relevant factors in place to increase the likelihood of experiencing flow.
... Intrinsic and extrinsic categories were based on criteria proposed by Ryan and Deci's (2000) self-determination theory. Several studies have applied self-determination theory in the context of flow (Kowal & Fortier, 1999, 2000). For instance, we categorised all responses associated with enjoyment and inherent satisfaction (e.g. ...
... The hypothesis that flow occurs more frequently in training than in competition has been supported, indicating that athletes' scored substantially higher on flow in training. The results confirmed a previous finding by Young (2000) that for advanced tennis players the training environment appears to be more conducive to experiencing flow. Training situations allow coaches to regulate drills so that players can use and develop their skills optimally. ...
... In order to more frequently experience flow, advanced competitive athletes need to find which of their personal skills, including use of groundstrokes, tactical or mental game plans, allow them to 'get into' the match and give them the edge over their opponents. The development of pre-performance routines, focusing on challenge-skills balance and clear goals, would help advanced junior athletes to achieve a state of optimal mental preparation and readiness for the competition to attain flow (Jackson, 1995;Russell, 2001;Young, 2000). ...
Abstract The main purpose of this study was to examine interaction effects between skill level and performance contexts on the experience of flow in adolescent tennis players. The study employed a factorial design to examine differences in flow frequency between competition and training settings and the independent groups factor of ranking list and club players. Junior tennis players (55 males, 29 females) completed the Dispositional Flow Scale-2 in training and competition settings. A repeated-measure ANCOVA, with years of tennis experience and training hours per week as covariates, showed a significant main effect for skill level, F(1, 82) = 6.67, p<0.05, [Formula: see text], a significant main effect for performance contexts, F(1, 82) = 7.69, p<0.01, [Formula: see text], and a significant disordinal interaction, F(1, 82) = 9.93, p<0.01, [Formula: see text]. Lower skilled athletes experienced flow with similar frequency across performance contexts, whereas advanced players experienced flow more often during training than competition. Qualitative results showed that club players' involvement in both performance contexts was mainly based on intrinsic reasons, whereas ranking list players reported intrinsic reasons for training, but a high number of extrinsic reasons for competition. Future studies should take propositions of the flow model into account in order to advance theoretical developments on interaction effects and shed more light into the complex processes underlying flow in sport.
... Although it is acknowledged that flow research in sport needs to go beyond description of the elements of a flow experience and begin explaining the occurrence of these states (Kimiecik and Stein, 1992), this study also aimed to be exploratory in nature, intending only to establish a description rather than attempting to explain flow. In doing so, it followed the example of previous studies of flow in other elite sports (e.g., Jackson, 1992;Young, 2000). It is hoped that once this introductory understanding is established, future studies can build upon this and begin to investigate "the potential psychosocial mechanisms and variables that may be causally related, or, at the very least, positively or negatively associated with the flow experience" (Kimiecik and Stein, 1992, p.149). ...
... This study aimed to establish a description of how flow occurred within a sample of elite golfers, and suggest whether flow may occur differently in golf than in previously researched sports due to golf's self-paced nature. While explicit comparison is difficult because each previous study has presented and labelled their findings differently, the main concepts found to influence flow in elite sport thus far relate to preparation, mental attitude, focus, motivation, arousal, and environmental and situational conditions (Jackson, 1992(Jackson, , 1995Young, 2000;Sugiyama and Inomata, 2005;Chavez, 2008). These were also found in the present study, which suggests there are similarities between the occurrence of flow for these elite golfers and the previously researched sports. ...
... Similar to those of Jackson (1992) and Young (2000), applied recommendations for athletes, coaches, and practitioners revolve around putting relevant factors in place to improve the likelihood of flow occurring for golfers. This involves: (i) the promotion of controllable facilitators, (ii) negating controllable preventers and disruptors, and (iii) the practicing of refocusing strategies to overcome any distractions that may occur. ...
AVAILABLE HERE: https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/dspace-jspui/handle/2134/5903
A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University. This thesis aimed to develop an understanding of the social and environmental influences on athlete motivation, and the way these change across the athlete career span. Study 1 set out to explore the social and environmental influences of coaches, parents and peers on the motivation of young athletes (under 12 years old), at the initiation/sampling stage of their careers. Forty participants (7-11 years of age) from a variety of sports were interviewed in focus groups, using a semi-structured format to investigate the roles played by coaches, parents, and peers in influencing athlete motivation. An inductive content analysis was conducted to determine which behaviours among these social agents influenced key motivational outcomes. The young athletes described motivational influences which showed consistencies with existing models of motivation, but which also expanded upon these models in terms of both the specificity of behaviours identified, and also the comprehensive nature of the findings. The influences of coaches related most strongly to the manner in which they perform their roles of instruction and assessment, whereas parents influences were most salient in terms of the way they support the child s participation and learning. Both parents and coaches exerted influences through their leadership styles, affective responses and pre-performance behaviours. Peers influenced participants motivation through competitive behaviours, collaborative behaviours, evaluative communications and through their social relationships. This study provides an insight into the socioenvironmental influences on motivation experienced by young athletes, as well as helping to delineate the different roles of social agents in influencing their motivation at this early stage of development. Study 2 qualitatively examined the motivationally relevant behaviours of key social agents in athletes at the specialising career stage. Seventy-nine participants (9-18 years old) from 26 sports participated in semi-structured focus-groups investigating how coaches, parents, and peers may influence motivation. Using a critical-realist perspective, an inductive content-analysis indicated that specialising athletes perceived a multitude of motivationally-relevant social cues. Coaches and parents influences were related to their specific roles: instruction/assessment for coaches, support-and-facilitation for parents. Peers influenced motivation through competitive behaviours, collaborative behaviours, evaluative communications and through their social relationships. The results were consistent with Study 1 in terms of returning an analysis based around the different roles performed by social agents in relation to the ways that athlete motivation can be influenced. Study 3 examined the socio-environmental influences of coaches, parents and peers on the motivation of elite athletes. Twenty-nine elite sport participants (15-29 years old) took part in semi-structured focus groups or interviews investigating how coaches, parents, and peers influenced their motivation. An inductive content analysis was performed using a critical realist approach. Coaches and peers were reported to be focal influences, whilst the role of parents appeared to be decreased relative to other career-stages; being limited to emotional and moral support. Themes of feedback/evaluation, and pre-performance motivating behaviours were common to all social agents, whilst the coach-athlete and peer-athlete relationships appeared to be important in mediating and directly influencing motivation. The influences of social agents related to their specific roles: instruction/leadership for coaches; whilst peer-influences revolved around collaborative and competitive behaviours and emotional support. The discussion chapter took the form of a meta-interpretive synthesis of research findings concerning social and environmental influences on athlete motivation across the career-span. From a total of 124 papers that qualified for initial consideration 45 contributed to the final analysis. This chapter presents models of motivational processes that are intended to contribute new ideas and stimulate thinking in the area. The final analysis proposes a horizontal structure relating to athletic career developments, and a vertical structure detailing general dimensions of the overall motivationally relevant social environment. From this, the relative influences of coaches, parents and peers were ideographically assessed, suggesting that the influence of peers grows over the athletic career, whilst the relative influence of parents decreases. Finally, a meteorological model is presented, with a view to facilitating the joint consideration of numerous motivationally relevant variables, reflecting the proposed complex interactivity and interdependence identified throughout this thesis. In this chapter, the term motivational atmosphere is proposed in order to represent the extremely broad, complex and interactive nature of the socio-environmental influences on athlete motivation. The thesis concludes with the consideration of the theoretical and applied implications of the studies conducted.
... Investigations in sports have shown positive associations between flow and performance, similar to surgery, suggesting that positive emotional states (i.e. flow) were related to elevated levels of performance [15][16][17]. The relationship of flow and performance has also been shown to depend on athletes' perceptions of their own control over flow, mediated by possible mechanisms, such as preparation, positive thinking, and optimal arousal [18]. ...
... Both are further quite different from the surgeon's operating room. Additional compounding factors of the flow experience include dynamic social relationships, unique team cultures, and individual physiological responses, which were shown to change even from sport to sport [15][16][17]. All of these aspects must be considered in the flow experience. ...
Purpose of review:
In a time of record levels of physician burnout coupled with a global pandemic, protecting physician wellness is critical. The experience of cognitive flow has been found to enhance both wellness and performance. Although flow has been vastly explored in other fields including elite sport, it has not been deeply investigated or applied in cardiac surgery. Here we discuss flow and flow-promoting techniques employed in other fields that may be beneficial within cardiac surgery.
Recent findings:
Flow is a prevalent experience among surgeons, amplified during operations. Possible strategies to cultivate flow may be separated into individual skills training, such as mindfulness practice and stress management, institutional changes, such as ensuring adequate resources and protected spaces, and strategies targeting the intersectionality of individuals and systems, such as how workplace culture shapes an individual's experience. These techniques may be applicable within cardiac surgery, especially in training.
Summary:
Flow has been identified as a key component of a happy and meaningful life, and a potential protector against burnout. Harnessing the benefits of flow may help promote flourishing, particularly in demanding fields, such as cardiac surgery.
... Compared to the other samples, lower scoring on eight out of nine flow dimensions for elite tennis athletes could indicate that specific performance or situational demands, or a combination of both, influence the experience of flow. Young (2000) concluded that flow in tennis is an unstable and volatile state. The results of the Jackson (1996), Young (2000), and Sugiyama and Inomata (2005) studies have provided some evidence for the general importance of some flow dimensions. ...
... Young (2000) concluded that flow in tennis is an unstable and volatile state. The results of the Jackson (1996), Young (2000), and Sugiyama and Inomata (2005) studies have provided some evidence for the general importance of some flow dimensions. More research needs to be conducted that aims to detect similarities and differences in flow between sports with contrasting task characteristics. ...
... For example, Jackson's (1995Jackson's ( , 1996 early interview-based studies with elite athletes provided some of the first insights into the experience and occurrence of flow in sport, and are some of the most-cited studies in this field. Subsequently, researchers have attempted to build upon this understanding by exploring flow in different sports such as tennis (Young 2000), swimming (Bernier et al. 2009), and golf (Swann et al. 2012b(Swann et al. , 2015a(Swann et al. , 2015b(Swann et al. , 2016. Interviews can therefore be very valuable in exploratory research, especially when studying flow in new sporting contexts. ...
... Studies exploring the experience of flow in sport have tended to adopt a qualitative approach of interviewing athletes. A number of researchers have adopted a largely deductive approach to analysis whereby the emphasis was on coding data into Csikszentmihalyi's framework to 8 understand the relevance of those dimensions across sport (e.g., Jackson, 1996) or in specific sports including tennis (Young, 2000) and swimming (Bernier et al. 2009). Other researchers , beginning with Jackson's (1996) investigation using elite athletes which provided the first main understanding of how these states are experienced by athletes. ...
Sport offers rich opportunities to experience flow by posing both mental and physical challenges. Studies specifically investigating flow in sport were first published in 1992. Since then a body of empirical research has emerged in this area, which this chapter aims to review in terms of: (i) the methods commonly used to study flow in sport (i.e., interviews, questionnaires, and the Experience Sampling Method); and (ii) key research themes (i.e., the experience, occurrence, controllability and correlates of flow in sport). In turn, current issues within this field are examined, and recommendations are made for future research, including the need to build towards a causal explanation of flow, and potential refinement in understanding how athletes experience these optimal states.
... Athletes in flow describe their experience as being totally absorbed in and focussed on the task at hand, feeling confident and in control (Jackson, 1995;Jackson & Csikszentmihalyi, 1999). Although flow is an ephemeral state that is difficult to control and can be easily disrupted (Jackson, 1995;Young, 2000), the experience of flow is crucial for competitive athletes in facilitating successful performances. For example, intervention studies aimed at enhancing flow state have shown a general increase in both flow and performance (e.g., Lindsay, Maynard, & Thomas, 2005;Pates, Cummings, & Maynard, 2002). ...
... Although the interaction between confidence and anxiety has been proposed from a multidimensional anxiety perspective (e.g., Jones & Hanton, 2001;Hanton et al., 2004), given the importance of confidence and anxiety for the experience of flow (Jackson et al., 1998), further research is necessary to examine potential moderating effects between confidence and anxiety on flow. Previous flow studies on confidence and anxiety employed samples with senior or college athletes (e.g., Jackson, 1995;Russell, 2001;Young, 2000), but little is known about the flow experience in younger samples and whether predictions of flow and multidimensional anxiety theory affect teenage athletes in a similar way. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess potential direct and indirect effects of confidence and anxiety dimensions on flow state in junior tennis competitors. ...
Abstract Confidence and anxiety are important variables that underlie the experience of flow in sport. Specifically, research has indicated that confidence displays a positive relationship and anxiety a negative relationship with flow. The aim of this study was to assess potential direct and indirect effects of confidence and anxiety dimensions on flow state in tennis competition. A sample of 59 junior tennis players completed measures of Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2d and Flow State Scale-2. Following predictive analysis, results showed significant positive correlations between confidence (intensity and direction) and anxiety symptoms (only directional perceptions) with flow state. Standard multiple regression analysis indicated confidence as the only significant predictor of flow. The results confirmed a protective function of confidence against debilitating anxiety interpretations, but there were no significant interaction effects between confidence and anxiety on flow state.
... Die allgegenwärtige Beschreibung von Flow durch Csikszentmihalyis frühe Theorie ist wegen ungenauer Definitionen der Flow-Dimensionen und sich überschneidender oder fehlender Konstrukte in die Kritik geraten (Swann et al., 2018). Grund dafür ist im Wesentlichen, dass sich die bisherige Forschung in hohem Maße auf karrierebasierte Interviews mit anekdotischen Flowberichten stützte, die in der Erinnerung der Athlet*innen teilweise Jahre zurücklagen (Chavez, 2008;Jackson, 1995;Sugiyama & Inomata, 2005;Young, 2000). Die ersten eventfokussierten Studien zeigen, dass Flow von einem Clutchzustand zu unterscheiden ist (Swann et al., 2017;Swann et al., 2016), welcher als optimale Spitzenleistungserfahrung unter Druck verstanden wird (Otten, 2009). ...
Skateboarding ist von einer spezifischen Motorik charakterisiert und geht mit sportspezifischen Verletzungsmustern einher. Es ist daher für die Gesundheit von Skateboarder*innen
wichtig, die skateboard-spezifischen Verletzungen zu kennen.
Im ersten Teil dieses Vortrags (S.J. Kramer) werden orthopädische/ sporttraumatologische
Verletzungsmuster und deren Behandlung, sowie Prävention/Rehabilitation vorgestellt. Im
zweiten Teil des Vortrags (I. Helmich) wird auf Kopfverletzungen (insbesondere leichte
Schädel-Hirn Traumata (lSHT)) im Skateboarding genauer eingegangen.
S.J. Kramer: Seit dem Debut von Skateboarding bei den Olympischen Spielen in Tokyo,
Japan 2020 (*21) mit den beiden Disziplinen „Street & Parc“ ist das öffentliche (mediale)
und das sportmedizinische Interesse deutlich gestiegen. Um ein Verständnis für diese relativ jungen Sportart und möglichen Sportverletzungen zu gewinnen, ist es hilfreich die heterogene Skateboarding Community mit den unterschiedlichsten Ausübungsformen zu betrachten (athletisch vs. „lifestyle“ Ansatz). Da viele Verletzungen weder behandelt noch dokumentiert sind, ist die wissenschaftliche Datenlage insgesamt relativ gering und es sind
weitere Forschungen und Datenerhebungen in Zukunft nötig. Dieser Vortrag zeigt ihnen
eine aktuelle Übersicht über die häufigsten Verletzungsmuster und deren Behandlungen,
Prävention und Trainingsmethoden.
I. Helmich: lSHT sind im Sport weit verbreitet. Im Skateboarding liegen dafür noch wenig
Daten vor. Die diagnostische Beurteilung des lSHT stellt eine schwierige Aufgabe dar, da
die Symptome nach einem Trauma nicht immer eindeutig zu erkennen sind. In eigenen Studien konnte gezeigt werden, dass gehirnerschütterte Athlet*innen, die unter Symptomen
nach der Verletzung leiden, von unterschiedlichen Einschränkungen im Vergleich zu gesunden Kontrollen charakterisiert sind (z.B. Helmich et al, 2019, 2020). Diese Einschränkungen
können sich nicht nur negativ auf die eigene Leistung, sondern langfristig auch auf die Gesundheit von Athlet*innen auswirken. Es werden daher in diesem Vortrag Kopfverletzungen
sowie spezifische Einschränkungen präsentiert sowie Möglichkeiten der Diagnose und des
Managements von lSHT im Sport vorgestellt.
... Die allgegenwärtige Beschreibung von Flow durch Csikszentmihalyis frühe Theorie ist wegen ungenauer Definitionen der Flow-Dimensionen und sich überschneidender oder fehlender Konstrukte in die Kritik geraten (Swann et al., 2018). Grund dafür ist im Wesentlichen, dass sich die bisherige Forschung in hohem Maße auf karrierebasierte Interviews mit anekdotischen Flowberichten stützte, die in der Erinnerung der Athlet*innen teilweise Jahre zurücklagen (Chavez, 2008;Jackson, 1995;Sugiyama & Inomata, 2005;Young, 2000). Die ersten eventfokussierten Studien zeigen, dass Flow von einem Clutchzustand zu unterscheiden ist (Swann et al., 2017;Swann et al., 2016), welcher als optimale Spitzenleistungserfahrung unter Druck verstanden wird (Otten, 2009). ...
Book of Abstracts zur 15. Jahrestagung der dvs-Kommission „Sport und Raum“, 5.-7.10.2023. Institut für Sport und Sportwissenschaft. Technische Universität Dortmund.
... Another study of 31 female professional tennis athletes examined differences between flow in training and during competitions and reported that professional tennis players experienced flow more often in training than during competitions. 38 This difference might have arisen because competitive settings have more disrupting factors that influence flow than during training settings. It was concluded that flow was related to optimal performance, but that this optimal performance was not necessarily associated with a winning performance. ...
This study examined the relationships between differing types of motivation and the flow state and possible gender differences. A sample of 94 junior elite tennis players (44 boys and 50 girls), ages 11 to 14 years (12.05 ± 1.2) completed the French Flow State Scale-2 (F FSS-2) and the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS) questionnaires. Results reported a moderate link between intrinsic motivation and flow state (r = 0.44, p < 0.05). Amotivation was negatively related to all dimensions of flow state except for transformation of time (r = -.02, p <0.05). An independent-sample t-test analysis indicated that girls had stronger intrinsic motivation than boys to know (t = 1.95; p <.05; d = .59), and to accomplish (t = 2.14; p <.04; d = .64) and also had better extrinsic motivation identified-regulation (t = 3.71; p <.01; d = 1.11). No meaningful differences were found between girls and boys in their general flow state (t = .18; p <.86; d = .04). In conclusion, our findings suggest that intrinsic motivation can contribute positively to improving the flow state in young tennis players.
... Flow is a state of optimal being because it allows athletes to completely absorb into an activity and therefore enable attentional resources to completely engage in a task (Csikszentmihalyi, 2002). According to Csikszentmihalyi Research identifying factors that contribute to the occurrence of flow has generally produced mixed findings with cognitive relevant factors, such as: goals, focus, arousal, motivation, confidence, thoughts and emotions (Chavez, 2008;Jackson, 1992Jackson, , 1995Jackson, Ford, Kimiecik, & Marsh, 1998;Stein, Kimiecik, Daniels, & Jackson, 1995;Sugiyama & Inomata, 2005;Young, 2000). However, Swann, Keegan, Piggott and Crust's (2011) systematic review highlighted the difficulties in standardising flow studies in stressful situations such as competition, because different aspects of flow are said to be more easily experienced than others, and that different tasks require different resources. ...
Metacognition, or experiencing cognition about cognition, has been evidenced to have strong associations with to the way attention, information, and emotions are regulated. However, to date, little research has investigated how metacognitive concepts may apply to a sporting context, which is heavily dependent on the regulation of such phenomena. Therefore, the primary aims of this thesis were to: (a) investigate whether metacognitions were significantly associated with sports related mental states; (b) develop appropriate sports specific measurements of metacognitions; and (c) investigate the associations between sports specific metacognitions with sports related mental states. A literature review, five empirical studies, and a discussion piece were designed for this purpose. The first study evaluated how competitive triathletes’ metacognitive beliefs associated with competitive state anxiety, concentration, and performance. It also examined differences in metacognitive beliefs across cross-sectional time-to-event intervals. The second study examined how triathletes’ metacognitions relate to mindfulness and the different dimensions of flow during competition. It also assessed at how these factors differed across motivational types (i.e., recreational; social; competitive). The purpose of the third and fourth studies was to develop and validate two self-report questionnaires measuring sport specific metacognitive beliefs and processes, based on previous literature and findings of the previous studies. Additionally, the studies investigated the contributions that these measures had towards psychological outcomes, such as: state anxiety, cognitive flexibility, and concentration. The fifth study aimed to extend the results from the second study, by investigating the associations between the sports specific metacognitive questionnaires, with flow state. The proceeding discussion chapter, evaluated the results of these studies in whole, presented a proposed metacognitive model of performance, discussed potential implications of the findings towards enhancing athletic performance, and suggested areas of focus for future research.
... Studies by Jackson (1995Jackson ( , 1996, that are based on interviews, are among the first and also most cited about flow in sports and exercise and have produced valuable insights, followed by numerous works in different sport settings, e.g. golf (Swann et al., 2012, swimming (Bernier et al., 2009), tennis (Young, 2000). Interviews are still the method of choice when it comes to obtaining precise information from athletes about their subjective flow experience (Stavrou et al., 2007). ...
Originally, Csikszentmihalyi studied activities such as rock climbing, playing chess, composing music, modern dancing, playing basketball or conducting a surgery. Csikszentmihalyi’s interest was to determine, why people pursue these activities even though they might offer little, if any extrinsic rewards. He claimed that if we better understood, what makes us put a lot of effort into something that is seemingly lacking an extrinsic reward, then it may help us be less dependent on extrinsic rewards (cf. Engeser, Schiepe-Tiska & Peifer, Chap. 1). Competitive sports, as well as physical exercise (in terms of prevention) are often linked to extrinsic rewards (e.g. performance & money in competitive sports, or gaining and stabilizing health in prevention settings). Nevertheless, there are a lot of sports activities, which can’t be explained with extrinsic rewards, such as marathon-running as a hobby. Since the early 1990s, flow-experiences were often in the focus of sports- and exercise psychology. The aim of this chapter is to describe the historical development of flow research in sports and exercise settings and furthermore methodological as well as theoretical advances (e.g. neuro-cognitive aspects) related to sports and exercise will be reported and discussed.
... In attempts to better understanding the occurrence of flow, researchers have identified several relevant cognitive factors that have shown to be associated with flow, including: goals; focus; arousal; motivation; confidence; thoughts; and emotions (Chavez, 2008;Jackson, 1992Jackson, , 1995Jackson et al., 1998;Stein et al., 1995;Sugiyama & Inomata, 2005;Young, 2000). However, Swann, Keegan, Piggott, and Crust's (2012) systematic review highlighted the difficulties in standardising flow studies in stressful situations such as competition, because some dimensions of flow are considered to be more easily experienced than others, and that different tasks require different resources. ...
Objectives
This study investigated associations between triathletes’ sports-specific metacognitive beliefs, metacognitive processes measured prior to a triathlon (n = 193), and in-event flow measured post event (n = 76)..
Method
The Metacognitive questionnaires were administered to triathletes one day prior to the event, and the flow scale was administered just following the event. Bivariate correlations were used to test relationships with individual flow dimensions, while stepwise regressions were used to determine the strongest metacognitive predictors of meta processes and flow.
Results
Correlations indicated that metacognitive beliefs were negatively associated with various specific dimensions of flow (Cohen’s f² = .28), while metacognitive processes positively associated with flow dimensions (Cohen’s f ² = .49). Stepwise regressions revealed that specific metacognitive beliefs were negatively associated with metacognitive processes during competition (Cohen’s f² = .08 to .49), including the coordination, evaluation and control of cognition. Further regressions demonstrated that negative beliefs about competitive thinking, thought control, and cognitive coordination predicted experience of flow during competition.
Conclusions
Overall, this study demonstrated that sports specific metacognitive beliefs and processes may influence the regulation of flow during a competition, however, further research using longitudinal and qualitative methodologies is required to understand the relationships further
KEY POINTS
• (1)Flow state has been well established as mental state for optimal performance.
• (2)Manifesting flow requires effective self-regulation of attention and cognition.
• (3)Metacognitions have shown to influence attention and flow in athletes.
• (4)Sports-specific metacognitions were associated with various dimensions of flow state.
• (5)Sports-specific metacognitive beliefs predicted self-regulatory ability prior to performances.
• (6)Sports-specific metacognitions predicted the experience of flow during performances.
... The flow-performance relationship has been examined in several studies investigating the connection between flow and subjective performance assessments, and between flow and objective performance outcomes Stavrou and Zervas [3]. A limitation of these previous studies was the use of a retrospective design. ...
Previous research has suggested that distinct bodily sensations are experienced by athletes during flow states, and could represent a sport-specific characteristic of this phenomenon. This study aimed to enrich understanding about bodily sensations and flow states in sport by exploring this experience in national hunt jockeys. The interspecies nature of horse-rider partnerships accentuates the importance of bodily awareness in equestrian sports. Therefore, horse racing provided a fertile context in which to investigate bodily sensations experienced during flow states in sport. In-depth, semi-structured interviews exploring the experience of flow in horse racing were undertaken with 10 professional national hunt jockeys (M age = 28.1 years). Data were interpreted iteratively using inductive categorising/thematic and connecting analyses. Present findings suggested that flow states in jockeys produce an idiosyncratic and multifaceted sensory experience, and indicated that altered physical perceptions during flow were not restricted to kinaesthetic properties. Jockeys explained that distinct bodily sensations were experienced during flow states, and described alterations in their perceptions of kinaesthetic ‘feel’, balance, arousal and strength of touch. Each of these bodily sensations was discussed in relation to sensory information received from the horse, and a connecting analysis enlightened the factors underlying the realisation of these unique bodily sensations that accompanied flow states. Findings are discussed with respect to the existing literature on flow in sport and recommendations for future research are outlined. Further, possible considerations regarding the inclusion of bodily sensations as a characteristic of the flow experience in sport are outlined.
Purpose : The present study was conducted to examine the flow state in basketball performance. Materials : The investigator had selected Forty Five (N=45) female basketball players of 19 to 25 years of age to act as subjects. They were divided into three groups; (i.e., N1=15; District, N2=15; State and N3=15 National). The purposive sampling technique was used to select the subjects. All the subjects, after having been informed about the objective and protocol of the study, gave their consent and volunteered to participate in this study. Statistical Analyses : To measure the level of dispositional flow state of the subjects, the flow state battery constructed by Jackson & Eklund (2004) was administered. One way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed to find out the intra-group differences. Where F values were found significant, LSD (Least Significant Difference) Post-hoc test was applied to find out the direction and degree of difference. For testing the hypotheses, the level of significance was set at 0.05. Results & Conclusion : The results revealed no significant differences were found among female basketball players on the sub-variables of Dispositional Flow Scale-2 i.e., Challenge Skill Balance, Action-Awareness Merging, Clear Goals, Unambiguous Feedback, Concentration on the Task at Hand, Sense of Control, Loss of Self-Consciousness, Time transformation and Autotelic experience.
El flow es un estado subjetivo positivo y placentero que, por
sus características (e.g., equilibrio desafío - habilidad, objetivos
claros, máxima concentración, elevada sensación de control,
etc.), se asocia a un rendimiento superior. Se quiso comprobar
si los futbolistas experimentaban flow y sus características. Se
buscó la relación de las situaciones de práctica
(entrenamiento, partido y mejor competición) y del resultado
deportivo con este estado. 146 jugadores de fútbol
cumplimentaron la Escala Breve de Flow para su evaluación.
Los resultados indican que los futbolistas experimentan flow
con diferencias interindividuales (diferentes dimensiones y
distinta profundidad), existiendo más flow en el mejor partido,
en el de liga y cuando se gana o empata. Así, este estado es
experimentado con frecuencia en los mejores partidos. Saber
qué condiciones llevan al flow ayudaría a diseñar
intervenciones para aumentar su experimentación o se podrían
modificar las condiciones de los entrenamientos para
conseguirlo, mejorando su ejecución y resultados.
Objectives: Research to date has identified a range of factors suggested to facilitate flow states in sport. However, less attention has focused on how those facilitating factors influence the occurrence of flow. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the specific ways in which such facilitators influenced flow occurrence in European Tour golf.
Design: Qualitative design.
Method: Ten full-time golfers from the European Tour (M age = 37; SD = 13.08) took part in semi-structured interviews investigating the occurrence of their flow states. Data were interpreted using an iterative process of thematic and connecting analyses.
Results: Ten facilitators of flow were identified, of which commitment and the caddie do not appear to have been reported previously. Twenty four connecting links were identified in the data, through which the caddie, effective preparation, and high-quality performance appeared to be most influential for flow occurrence. Confidence and concentration also emerged as key constructs underlying the flow experience in this setting.
Conclusion: A central contribution of this study is the identification of ways in which facilitating factors could influence flow occurrence in elite golf. This process adds detail to understanding of flow occurrence, and moves beyond simply identifying factors which are associated with the experience. As such, connecting analysis is proposed as an additional strategy for qualitatively investigating flow occurrence in sport. Results are discussed in relation to previous literature, and recommendations are identified for researchers, athletes, coaches and practitioners.
This study explored perceptions regarding the experience of flow (Csikszentmihalyi 1975) in elite golf; a sport which is different to those studied previously due to its self-paced, stop-start nature. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 European Tour golfers. Whereas the majority of previous studies have deductively coded data into Csikszentmihalyi’s dimensions, the data in this study were analysed inductively. Thirteen categories were generated which described the flow experiences of these golfers, and these were compared to the original flow dimensions after analysis. In contrast to previous understanding, these golfers reported being aware that they were in flow as it occurred, and seemingly were able to manage their flow experiences. A category describing altered cognitive and kinaesthetic perceptions was also generated which was not accounted for in the existing flow framework, while the participants also suggested that flow was observable (e.g., through changes in behaviour). Findings are discussed in relation to existing literature, and recommendations made for future research including possible revisions to the flow framework to better describe this experience within golf and other sporting contexts.
Objectives
This study aimed to provide an up-to-date summary of the literature on flow in elite sport, specifically relating to: (i) how flow is experienced; (ii) how these states occur; and (iii) the potential controllability of flow.DesignSystematic review.MethodsA comprehensive literature search of SPORTdiscus, PsycINFO, SAGE journals online, INGENTA connect, and Web of Knowledge was completed in August, 2011, and yielded 17 empirical studies published between 1992 and 2011. The primarily qualitative findings were analysed thematically and synthesised using a narrative approach.ResultsFindings indicated that: (i) some flow dimensions appear to be experienced more consistently than others; (ii) key factors were consistently reported to induce or inhibit flow occurrence; and (iii) the perception that flow experiences could be controllable to some extent, and are not merely ‘coincidental’. Additionally, it is appears that physiology is also relevant in flow, and these experiences may be psychophysiological.Conclusions
Based on these findings, recommendations are made including the need for researchers to move from description to explanation of flow, the use of new methodologies, greater focus on the role of personality factors, and possible refinements of existing flow theory to be more specific to sport.
The purpose of this research was to highlightthe importance of the specificity of speed andagility on the performance of competitive jun-ior tennis players. The participants (n=38)were assessed in two separate sessions usingfive different running speed and agility tests.The players (males, n=24; females, n=14)were evaluated for short sprints over fourmetres (two tests), 20 metres dash sprint(one test) and for sprints with changes ofdirection at various angles over 20 metreswith and without hitting tennis balls (twotests). Test-retest correlations indicated thatthe five tests showed moderate to good relia-bility with values ranging from 0.704 to0.830. Correlation coefficients among thefive speed and agility tests showed low rela-tionships (r=0.032 to 0.642). The results ofthis study suggest that speed and agility arevery specific and must be assessed and devel-oped in different tennis-related conditions. Ithas been shown that traditional linear sprinttests (20-40 metres) are not a good indicatorof the player’s running speed in real game situations. Indeed, assessment and trainingmust be sport- specific for maximal efficiency. Specificity of running speed and agility in competitive junior tennis players.
The study aimed to examine 1) the validity of the nine-factor flow model in tennis competition; 2) differences in flow state between athletes who won or lost their competition match; 3) the link between flow and subjective performance; and 4) flow dimensions as predictors of performance outcome
The sample consisted of 188 junior tennis players (115 male, 73 female) between 12 and 18 years of age. Participants' performance was recorded during junior ranking-list tournaments. Following the completion of a tennis competition match, participants completed the Flow State Scale-2 and a subjective performance outcome measure.
Acceptable flow model fit indices of CFI, TLI, SRMR, and RMSEA were only found for winning athletes. The group of winning athletes scored significantly higher on all nine flow dimensions, except time transformation, than losing athletes, showing statistically significant differences for challenge-skills balance, clear goals, sense of control, and autotelic experience. Significant correlation coefficients were found between flow state and subjective performance assessments. The binary logistic regression revealed concentration on the task and sense of control to be significant predictors of performance outcome. The predictor variables explained 13% of the variance in games won.
The study showed that athletes who win or lose perceived flow state differently. Studies using retrospective assessments need to be aware that subjective experience could be biased by performance outcomes. Pinpointing psychological variables and their impact on ecologically valid measures, such as performance results, would support the development of effective intervention studies to increase performance in sport competition.
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