What is the term flow?
Q: What is the term flow?
A: Flow is a term used in psychology to describe the mental state of a person completely immersed in an activity. It is an altered state of consciousness where the person is fully focused, performing actively and successfully.
Q: Who coined the term flow?
A: The term flow was given to this experience by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. He said it was completely focused motivation.
Q: What are some phrases associated with flow?
A: Some phrases associated with flow include "in the zone," "in the bubble," "on the ball," "in the moment," and "wired in."
Q: How does one enter a flow state?
A: A flow state can be entered while performing any activity, although it is most likely to occur when one is wholeheartedly performing a task or activity for intrinsic purposes. Intrinsic activities involve anything that someone does merely because they want to, whereas extrinsic activities are anything that someone does because there is some other force causing them to do it. Passive activities like taking a bath or even watching TV usually do not elicit flow experiences as individuals have to actively do something to enter a flow state.
Q: What are some characteristics of being in a flow state?
A: Characteristics of being in a flow state include feeling spontaneous joy, even rapture, while performing a task, as well as deep focus on nothing but the activity – not even oneself or one's emotions.
Q: Does everyone experience similar feelings when entering into a flow state?
A: According to Csikszentmihályi, despite varying activities which induce it, people generally experience similar feelings when entering into aflowstate.
