Towards a Comprehensive Understanding of Essential Antecedents of Flow Experiences: Perceived Meaningfulness of the Activity as Crucial Factor

• Applicants: Dr. Michael Barthelmäs; Professor Dr. Johannes Keller
• Subject Area: Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 524737168

Flow experience is a state characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of various experiential components, particularly a high degree of intrinsic motivation and a strong sense of control, which has been frequently associated with increased well-being. Accordingly, it is interesting and important to identify factors that influence the occurrence of this state. The assumption that flow occurs during activities in which individual skills match situational demands has been widely supported. Furthermore, personality traits have been identified that are beneficial or detrimental to the experience of flow. In the present project, we focus on a specific characteristic of the activity and examine its role in the emergence of the flow experience. Our preliminary studies provided evidence that the perceived meaningfulness attributed to an activity has a substantial impact on the flow experience. Following work psychology’s definition, we understand perceived meaningfulness as the subjective experience that what one is doing (at the workplace) has personal significance. In two preliminary studies, we found a positive correlation between flow experience and perceived meaningfulness. This correlation remains robust when we account for (a) the central determinant of flow experience (i.e., the perceived fit between skills and demands), (b) basic personality traits, (c) activities from different contexts (e.g. work and leisure), and (d) ecologically valid measurements in everyday life. These findings will be further explored in the research program described below, which is designed to replicate our previous findings and to complement them with experimental and longitudinal studies to shed light on the causal role that perceived meaningfulness might possibly play for the emergence of flow experiences. In addition, we broaden the perspective on the dependent variable by including behavior-based indicators of intrinsic motivation in addition to self-report measures of flow. This project offers the chance to test a factor that is already considered in various motivational theories in the context of flow. In addition to a theoretical development of Csikszentmihalyi's (1975) flow model, which is now almost fifty years old, our research project also offers the opportunity to provide new starting points for interventions to enhance flow experience and well-being.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants