Flow is a state of deep absorption in an activity, characterized by enjoyment, focus, and involvement to the extent that awareness of self and surroundings fades. When Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi first introduced the concept of flow, he observed artists who were completely immersed in their creative process. Over time, most studies on flow have shifted toward athletes, gamers, and other domains, while research focusing on artists remains limited. To better understand this concept, the present study explores the determinants of flow in relation to self-efficacy, mindfulness, creativity, and cognitive flexibility. Flow is often linked to intrinsic motivation; however, this study investigates whether extrinsic factors, such as financial rewards from one’s art, also shape the flow experience. For this study, we have taken 64 participants — 20 were hobbyists and 44 were commercial artists. Art forms that were included were visual arts (painting, crochet, embroidery, etc.) and performing arts (dance and music). A multiple linear regression was conducted to understand if self-efficacy, mindfulness, creativity, and cognitive flexibility predicted flow. The results showed that mindfulness (β = 0.72, p < .001) and creativity (β = 0.52, p = .049) were significant positive predictors of flow, while self-efficacy and cognitive flexibility were not significant predictors for the groups being studied. Also, both groups reported almost similar levels of flow, with only a slight increase among those who earn through art.

Authors:
Aryavani Arya, Guru Nanak Dev University, India

About the Presenter(s)
Aryavani is currently practicing as a counseling psychologist in India. With her immense interest in academics and teaching, she runs Training Programs for psychology students to better able to navigate their professional careers.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aryavani-a-355853213/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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