In the Zone: Flow State and Cognition in Older Adults

The current study investigated the nature of the flow state among older adults. Flow is a pleasurable experiential state that occurs during full-capacity engagement in which an individual is performing at a level that is matched with the demands of the task. Each participant completed a scale assess...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychology and aging 2011-09, Vol.26 (3), p.738-743
Main Authors: Payne, Brennan R., Jackson, Joshua J., Noh, Soo Rim, Stine-Morrow, Elizabeth A. L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult. Elderly
Adulthood
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging
Biological and medical sciences
Cognition
Cognition & reasoning
Daily Activities
Developmental psychology
Elderly people
Factor Analysis, Statistical
Female
Flow (Consciousness State)
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human
Humans
Male
Memory, Short-Term
Middle Aged
Motivation
Neuropsychological Tests
Older people
Optimization
Participation
Pleasure
Psychological Tests
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Thinking
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Summary:The current study investigated the nature of the flow state among older adults. Flow is a pleasurable experiential state that occurs during full-capacity engagement in which an individual is performing at a level that is matched with the demands of the task. Each participant completed a scale assessing dimensions of flow in a particular activity selected by the participant. More cognitively demanding activities elicited higher levels of flow for those with higher fluid ability, but lower levels of flow for those with lower fluid ability. This pattern was reversed for activities that were low in demand. Our data highlight the potential importance of considering motivational states such as flow in understanding cognitive optimization in adulthood.
ISSN:0882-7974
1939-1498
DOI:10.1037/a0022359