IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v22y2021i7d10.1007_s10902-021-00356-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Flow Observational Grid: an Observation-Based Solution to Assess Flow States

Author

Listed:
  • Camille Tordet

    (Univ Rennes, LP3C (Laboratoire de Psychologie: Cognition, Comportement, Communication))

  • Séverine Erhel

    (Univ Rennes, LP3C (Laboratoire de Psychologie: Cognition, Comportement, Communication))

  • Eric Wodey

    (Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, LTSI – UMR 1099)

  • Eric Jamet

    (Univ Rennes, LP3C (Laboratoire de Psychologie: Cognition, Comportement, Communication))

  • Nicolas Nardi

    (Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, LTSI – UMR 1099)

  • Corentin Gonthier

    (Univ Rennes, LP3C (Laboratoire de Psychologie: Cognition, Comportement, Communication))

Abstract

The flow experience is a state in which people are completely concentrated and immersed in an activity. This positive psychology concept is relevant to both performance and subjective well-being in a range of activities, but it is difficult to measure: the usual methods of questionnaires and physiological measurements are inappropriate for many applied settings and may interfere with the flow state itself. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the feasibility of a third approach, observation-based flow measurement, by developing and validating the Flow Observational Grid (FOG). The FOG is composed of three dimensions scored by an independent observer: concentration, joy and frustration. The psychometric properties of the grid were assessed in a sample of 50 participants each playing nine short video game sessions. Recordings of the 450 video game sessions were coded by two observers with the FOG, and the convergence between FOG scores and a flow questionnaire was assessed. The FOG demonstrated very good inter-rater reliability, as well as convergent validity with the short version of the FSS. Our results show that it is possible to assess flow using observation-based methods as an alternative to more accurate measures, which may be useful in many contexts where physiological and self-reported measures are not practical.

Suggested Citation

  • Camille Tordet & Séverine Erhel & Eric Wodey & Eric Jamet & Nicolas Nardi & Corentin Gonthier, 2021. "The Flow Observational Grid: an Observation-Based Solution to Assess Flow States," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(7), pages 3069-3089, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:22:y:2021:i:7:d:10.1007_s10902-021-00356-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-021-00356-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-021-00356-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-021-00356-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thais Rogatko, 2009. "The Influence of Flow on Positive Affect in College Students," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 133-148, April.
    2. Kiyoshi Asakawa, 2004. "Flow Experience and Autotelic Personality in Japanese College Students: How do they Experience Challenges in Daily Life?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 123-154, June.
    3. Bates, Douglas & Mächler, Martin & Bolker, Ben & Walker, Steve, 2015. "Fitting Linear Mixed-Effects Models Using lme4," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 67(i01).
    4. Michael T. Knierim & Raphael Rissler & Verena Dorner & Alexander Maedche & Christof Weinhardt, 2018. "The Psychophysiology of Flow: A Systematic Review of Peripheral Nervous System Features," Lecture Notes in Information Systems and Organization, in: Fred D. Davis & René Riedl & Jan vom Brocke & Pierre-Majorique Léger & Adriane B. Randolph (ed.), Information Systems and Neuroscience, pages 109-120, Springer.
    5. George Ferguson, 1949. "On the theory of test discrimination," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 14(1), pages 61-68, March.
    6. Tahmine Tozman & Yichelle Y. Zhang & Regina Vollmeyer, 2017. "Inverted U-Shaped Function Between Flow and Cortisol Release During Chess Play," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 247-268, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Marta Bassi & Patrizia Steca & Dario Monzani & Andrea Greco & Antonella Delle Fave, 2014. "Personality and Optimal Experience in Adolescence: Implications for Well-Being and Development," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 829-843, August.
    2. Amy Isham & Birgitta Gatersleben & Tim Jackson, 2021. "Materialism and the Experience of Flow," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1745-1768, April.
    3. Jacob M. Marszalek & Patricia L. Hager & Jacquelyn N. Anderson & Jack T. Waddell, 2021. "Interrelationships Among Dimensions of Flow and Reactance," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(8), pages 3385-3412, December.
    4. Kate Sweeny & Kyla Rankin & Xiaorong Cheng & Lulu Hou & Fangfang Long & Yao Meng & Lilian Azer & Renlai Zhou & Weiwei Zhang, 2020. "Flow in the time of COVID-19: Findings from China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-12, November.
    5. Fabienne Aust & Theresa Beneke & Corinna Peifer & Magdalena Wekenborg, 2022. "The Relationship between Flow Experience and Burnout Symptoms: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-30, March.
    6. Guillermo Mendoza & Manuel Jiménez & Jerónimo García-Romero & Jorge García-Bastida & Iván Rivilla & Margarita Carrillo de Albornoz-Gil & Francisco Javier Baron-Lopez & Javier Benítez-Porres & José Ram, 2020. "Challenging the Top Player: A Preliminary Study on Testosterone Response to An Official Chess Tournament," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-11, February.
    7. JANSSENS, Jochen & DE CORTE, Annelies & SÖRENSEN, Kenneth, 2016. "Water distribution network design optimisation with respect to reliability," Working Papers 2016007, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    8. Raymond Hernandez & Elizabeth A. Pyatak & Cheryl L. P. Vigen & Haomiao Jin & Stefan Schneider & Donna Spruijt-Metz & Shawn C. Roll, 2021. "Understanding Worker Well-Being Relative to High-Workload and Recovery Activities across a Whole Day: Pilot Testing an Ecological Momentary Assessment Technique," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-17, October.
    9. Elisabeth Beckmann & Lukas Olbrich & Joseph Sakshaug, 2024. "Multivariate assessment of interviewer-related errors in a cross-national economic survey (Lukas Olbrich, Elisabeth Beckmann, Joseph W. Sakshaug)," Working Papers 253, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank).
    10. Valentina Krenz & Arjen Alink & Tobias Sommer & Benno Roozendaal & Lars Schwabe, 2023. "Time-dependent memory transformation in hippocampus and neocortex is semantic in nature," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-17, December.
    11. Morán-Ordóñez, Alejandra & Ameztegui, Aitor & De Cáceres, Miquel & de-Miguel, Sergio & Lefèvre, François & Brotons, Lluís & Coll, Lluís, 2020. "Future trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services in Mediterranean forests under global change scenarios," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    12. Damian M. Herz & Manuel Bange & Gabriel Gonzalez-Escamilla & Miriam Auer & Keyoumars Ashkan & Petra Fischer & Huiling Tan & Rafal Bogacz & Muthuraman Muthuraman & Sergiu Groppa & Peter Brown, 2022. "Dynamic control of decision and movement speed in the human basal ganglia," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    13. Dongyan Liu & Chongran Zhou & John K. Keesing & Oscar Serrano & Axel Werner & Yin Fang & Yingjun Chen & Pere Masque & Janine Kinloch & Aleksey Sadekov & Yan Du, 2022. "Wildfires enhance phytoplankton production in tropical oceans," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    14. Zhaogeng Yang & Yanhui Li & Peijin Hu & Jun Ma & Yi Song, 2020. "Prevalence of Anemia and its Associated Factors among Chinese 9-, 12-, and 14-Year-Old Children: Results from 2014 Chinese National Survey on Students Constitution and Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-10, February.
    15. Marco Lopez-Cruz & Fernando M. Aguate & Jacob D. Washburn & Natalia Leon & Shawn M. Kaeppler & Dayane Cristina Lima & Ruijuan Tan & Addie Thompson & Laurence Willard Bretonne & Gustavo los Campos, 2023. "Leveraging data from the Genomes-to-Fields Initiative to investigate genotype-by-environment interactions in maize in North America," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    16. Baumann, Elias & Kern, Jana & Lessmann, Stefan, 2019. "Usage Continuance in Software-as-a-Service," IRTG 1792 Discussion Papers 2019-005, Humboldt University of Berlin, International Research Training Group 1792 "High Dimensional Nonstationary Time Series".
    17. repec:cup:judgdm:v:16:y:2021:i:1:p:201-237 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. C. Gabriel Hidalgo Pizango & Eurídice N. Honorio Coronado & Jhon del Águila-Pasquel & Gerardo Flores Llampazo & Johan de Jong & César J. Córdova Oroche & José M. Reyna Huaymacari & Steve J. Carver & D, 2022. "Sustainable palm fruit harvesting as a pathway to conserve Amazon peatland forests," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(6), pages 479-487, June.
    19. Lin-Lin Wang & Zachary Y. Huang & Wen-Fei Dai & Yong-Ping Yang & Yuan-Wen Duan, 2024. "Mixed effects of honey bees on pollination function in the Tibetan alpine grasslands," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    20. Szefer Elena & Lu Donghuan & Nathoo Farouk & Beg Mirza Faisal & Graham Jinko, 2017. "Multivariate association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms in Alzgene linkage regions and structural changes in the brain: discovery, refinement and validation," Statistical Applications in Genetics and Molecular Biology, De Gruyter, vol. 16(5-6), pages 367-386, December.
    21. Julien Collet & Samantha C Patrick & Henri Weimerskirch, 2017. "A comparative analysis of the behavioral response to fishing boats in two albatross species," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 28(5), pages 1337-1347.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:22:y:2021:i:7:d:10.1007_s10902-021-00356-7. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.