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Sustained attention and the experience of flow
Jeremy Marty-Dugas1, Laura Howes2, Daniel Smilek2
1University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada. jmartydu@uwaterloo.ca.
Psychological Research
|November 23, 2020
Summary
Experiencing flow, or being "in the zone," enhances sustained attention. Higher state flow during a task correlated with fewer errors, demonstrating a link between flow and improved cognitive performance.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Flow state, or being "in the zone," involves deep concentration.
- The link between flow and attention is often implied but empirically understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between flow experience and sustained attention.
- To examine how state and trait flow relate to performance on the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART).
Main Methods:
- Assessed state flow using thought-probes during the SART.
- Measured trait flow using questionnaires.
- Analyzed behavioral performance on the SART, focusing on commission errors.
Main Results:
- Higher state flow during the SART was associated with fewer commission errors, indicating better sustained attention.
- The correlation between flow and sustained attention strengthened in the latter half of the task.
- Trait flow predicted state flow but not direct SART performance.
Conclusions:
- State flow is empirically linked to enhanced sustained attention and reduced errors.
- Individual differences in trait flow may influence the capacity to achieve flow during demanding tasks.
- Future research could explore interventions to cultivate flow for improved cognitive performance.
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