Building creative momentum: Social and psychological factors associated with flow in Chinese artists

Flow is a deeply immersive psychological state characterized by intense concentration, intrinsic motivation, and a perceived balance between challenge and skill. Although prior research has examined flow in contexts such as sports, education, and workplace performance, limited attention has been paid to how social, cognitive, and motivational factors are associated with flow experiences among practicing artists. This study examined the relationships among perceived social support, the positive mindset dimension, creative process, expected self/life, and flow among practicing artists in China. Drawing on a sample of 962 artists, the study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess theoretically informed associations among social support from friends, family, and significant others, internal psychological factors, and flow experiences. The findings showed that creative process and expected self/life were positively associated with flow-related experiences, whereas the positive mindset dimension was not directly associated with flow. Social support was also associated with internal psychological factors relevant to creative engagement. Mediation analyses indicated that creative process and expected self/life were significant indirect pathways linking the positive mindset dimension and flow. The model demonstrated satisfactory explanatory and predictive relevance, supporting the integration of social and psychological correlates in understanding flow among artistic populations. These findings highlight the relevance of supportive social environments and internal psychological resources in relation to creative engagement and flow, while acknowledging that the cross-sectional and self-report design does not permit causal or temporal conclusions.