Flow
Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi • 1990
In Short
A psychologist explores when people feel most happy and how we can use that knowledge to become happier.
In Depth
Who's the author?
Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi is a psychologist who is best known for his study of happiness and creativity, in particular his theory on “flow,” a state of optimal experience. He has served as faculty at the University of Chicago, Lake Forest College, and Claremont Graduate University.
What's the intention?
Csikszentmihayli has dedicated his life’s research on the idea of “flow,” a psychological state of being fully involved with an activity of situation. The book presents a model for this phenomenon and intends to convince the reader of its importance to a person’s everyday well-being and happiness, primarily through a large body of studies and examples from the author’s work over the years.
Who's it for?
The work is written in such a way to be accessible by a general reader and has found a broad audience over the years. The ideas in the book have found particular relevance for people in fields that are concerned with engaging experiences, including design, education, and work.
So what?
The concept of flow is today a familiar idea for many in the interaction design field, so it’s worth getting familiar with the source material. The model that Csikszentmihayli presents is a compelling framework for designing experiences that are trying to immerse, transport, or otherwise fully involve people. It also is a good argument for the value of experiences that offer appropriate challenges and opportunities for mastery, rather than purely comfortable pleasures.
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More
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On What Makes an Enjoyable Experience
Usability • Psychology
Enjoyable experiences carry a common set of attributes, including a challenge matched against a person’s skill, clear goals and feedback, a sense of control, and a complete absorption of attention.
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On Flow and Cultivating Complexity
Psychology
Flow activities are desirable because they draw us through a cycle of developing higher levels of skill and attempting more challenging tasks, which pushes us to develop a more complex sense of self.