Serious leisure and successful aging among elderly air volleyball players: examining the mediating role of social support and flow experience.

Introduction: Previous literature has demonstrated that engagement in serious leisure (SL) is associated with subjective well-being among older adults, while the relationship between successful aging (SA) and SL remains unexplored. This study aims to investigated the association between SL, social support (SS), flow experience (FE), and SA. Methods: A total of 435 older adults participating in air volleyball events were included in this study. Results: The findings revealed that: (i) SL directly and positively influences on SS, FE, and SA; (ii) SS is positively related to FE, and FE is positively associated with older adults'SA; (iii) Both SS and FE fully mediate the relationship between SL and SA, with SS partially explaining this mediation through FE. Discussion: This study builds upon prior research in this field and highlights the significance of SL for the SA among older adults. Future studies should further explore the underlying mechanisms linking serious sport experiences to successful elderly life.

Trajectories of mindfulness, flow experience, and stress during an online-based MBSR program: the moderating role of emotional exhaustion.

Introduction: Despite numerous papers focusing on mindfulness at work, our knowledge about how flow experience and stress as indicators of optimal functioning and wellbeing at work evolve over time during the common mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program remains limited. Drawing from the transactional model of flow and stress, we argue that a build-up of mindfulness over the training duration not only leads to a decrease in stress but also an increase in flow experience. Thereby, we examine the moderating role of emotional exhaustion amplifying the beneficial effects of mindfulness. Methods: In a quasi-experimental study, 91 participants completed weekly questionnaires over the course of 8 weeks. Forty six participants in the experimental group took part in the MBSR program, while 45 participants were part of an inactive control group. Results: Mindfulness and flow showed a significant linear increase over time, whereas stress exhibited a linear decrease. Those who participated in the MBSR training reported an increase in mindfulness that positively and negatively predicted the trajectories of flow and stress, respectively. Emotional exhaustion amplified the effects of the trajectory of mindfulness on the trajectories of flow and stress. Discussion: These findings suggest that mindfulness can not only reduce stress but can also foster the autotelic experience of flow, especially for chronically depleted individuals. However, more research is necessary to replicate these results and address the limitations of the current study, including the quasi-experimental design, the use of self-report measures, as well as the dropout during the study period.

Flow and performance: a quantitative study of elicitation modeling in a piano performance perspective.

Introduction: Flow, defined as a heightened state of consciousness characterized by intense concentration during an activity, is influenced primarily by the perceived challenge and the dynamic equilibrium of skills. This investigation focuses on the patterns of flow state attainment and its elicitation mechanisms within the context of piano performance among Chinese music college students. Methods: Our study establishes a framework for accessing flow, utilizing quantitative data from music ontology to gauge the level of challenge and the level of music acquisition to assess skills. Additionally, we integrate external factors such as music culture heterogeneity and demographic variables to elucidate the causes and moderating effects of flow on piano performance. Results: The findings reveal a positive correlation between flow and performance, with the model of challenge and skill induction partially explaining these results. Notably, melodic Shannon Entropy emerges as a potential indicator of challenge, suggesting its relevance in future studies on flow. Discussion: This research provides multidimensional insights into the interplay between performance and flow in piano performance, guiding future investigations to explore the musical quantitative perspective more deeply.

Longevity as a Responsibility: Constructing Healthy Aging by Enacting within Contexts over the Entire Lifespan.

Studying aging now requires going beyond the bio-psycho-social model and incorporating a broader multidisciplinary view capable of capturing the ultimate complexity of being human that is expressed as individuals age. Current demographic trends and the lengthening of life expectancies allow the observation of long-lived individuals in full health. These super-agers are no longer an exception. Indeed, individuals can have a good quality of life even over age 70 and living with chronic or neurodegenerative diseases. This change is driven in part by the cohort effect observed in people who are about to age today (e.g., better schooling, more advanced health conditions, and technologization) but more so by the gradual overcoming of ageist views. An aged person is no longer seen as a quitter but rather as one empowered to direct their own trajectory of potentially healthy longevity. According to this vision, this article proposes a situated lifespan perspective for the study of aging that integrates pedagogical models of developmental ecology with psychological theories of optimal experience to understand the individual motivational perspective on aging. At the same time, it does not disregard analyzing the daily and cultural contexts in which everyone situates and that guide aging trajectories. Nor does it forget that aging people are body-mind (embodied) organisms that, with contexts and through motivations, seize opportunities for action (affordances) to evolve in an optimal way during their lifespan. This theoretical reflection sheds new light on the aging process and on future trends in healthy longevity research.

Nature relatedness, flow experience, and environmental behaviors in nature-based leisure activities.

Introduction: Through nature-based leisure activities, spending time in nature offers opportunities to reduce stress, relax the mind, and enhance feelings of well-being. Being aware of the benefits provided by these activities increases the nature relatedness, and during the time spent in nature, it enables experiencing positive and satisfying moments by entering into a state of flow. The concepts of nature-relatedness and flow experience represent psychological experiences and characteristics that play an important role in enhancing psychological well-being and life quality. Methods: Based on structural equation models, the relationships among nature-relatedness, flow experience, and environmental behaviors were investigated. Data were collected from 379 individuals (212 male, 167 female) who regularly engage in nature-based leisure activities such as cycling, hiking, and fishing. The participants were predominantly male (55.9%) and aged 45 years and over (53.3%). Results: The nature-relatedness significantly influences flow experience (R 2 = 0.505, p < 0.01), environmental behavior (R 2 = 0.108, p < 0.01), environmental sensitivity (R 2 = 0.137, p < 0.01), and communication with nature (R 2 = 0.200, p < 0.01). Specifically, nature-relatedness directly enhanced environmental sensitivity (0.494 total effect), environmental behavior (0.604 total effect), and communication with nature (0.599 total effect) and did so both directly and indirectly through the mediation of flow experience. Discussion: A higher level of nature-relatedness can lead to a stronger flow experience, which in turn can increase positive. environmental behavior, environmental sensitivity, and communication with nature.

An empirical study on the relationship between rider recreational specialization, individual-environment fit, and heart flow experience.

The aim of the study is to create and validate a model of the relationship between specialization in leisure activities, the individual's adaptation to the environment and the heart flow experience. In order to clarify the role of the individual's adaptation to the environment in the relationship between specialization in leisure activities and the heart flow experience. The study utilized purposive sampling, cluster sampling, and random sampling. Using questionnaires and interviews to survey 525 cycling enthusiasts. Descriptive analysis, model construction and testing of the constructed path relationships were conducted using SPSS 20.0 and Amos 20.0. The results indicate that the model of the relationship between recovery specialization, individual-environment fit and heart flow experience has a good overall fit. The model shows good reliability and validity. Cyclists' recreational specialization has a statistically significant effect on individual-environment fit (ß = 0.38, P < 0.001). The fit between individual and environment has a statistically significant influence on the heart flow experience (ß = 0.39, P < 0.001). The fit between individual and environment serves as a mediating variable between recreational specialization and the heart flow experience, with the path showing statistical significance (ß = 0.15, P < 0.001). Recreational specialization has a statistically significant effect on the heart flow experience (ß = 0.30, P < 0.001). And the overall path of the effects of recreational specialization of cyclists on the fit between individual and environment is (ß = 0.45, P < 0.001), with the path showing statistical significance. Conclusion: The stronger the recreational specialization of cyclists and the greater the fit between individual and environment, the stronger their heart flow experience. The fit between individual and environment plays a partially mediating role.

The influence of leader-subordinate emotional intelligence congruence on the flow experience: evidence from the liquor manufacturing industry.

Previous research has provided evidence supporting a positive correlation between emotional intelligence (EI) and flow. However, intriguing findings in the liquor manufacturing industry prompt me to consider the necessity of examining the effects of leader-subordinate EI congruence on flow. Therefore, this article begins with two questions: First, what is the impact of leader-subordinate EI congruence on flow? Second, do two distinct congruent scenarios (i.e., high-high and low-low) exhibit significant nuances that differentially influence flow? To answer these questions, this study utilizes polynomial regression and three-dimensional response surface analysis methods. A multi-source and three-phase investigation method was used to collect data from 279 subordinates and 56 leaders in the liquor manufacturing industry. Based on the person-environment (PE) fit theory, this study investigates the influence of leader-subordinate EI congruence on flow while considering leader-member exchange (LMX) as a mediator in these processes. The current study not only demonstrates a positive relationship between leader-subordinate EI congruence and LMX, but also reveals that a high-high EI matching pattern can enhance the favorable dynamics of congruence and yield higher LMX compared to a low-low matching pattern. Furthermore, this study identifies LMX as a mediator in the positive relationship between leader-subordinate EI congruence and flow. Additionally, although the incongruent scenarios are beyond the scope of this study, the findings demonstrate that a high EI subordinate paired with a low EI leader has a more detrimental impact on the LMX than a low EI subordinate paired with a high EI leader. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Alone but flowing: The effects of autotelic personality and extraversion on solitary flow.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Flow, a psychological state of intense engagement in and enjoyment of an activity, can arise during both solitary and socially interactive experiences. In the literature, whereas people high in extraversion have difficulty achieving flow in solitude, those with an autotelic personality-a combination of traits that make people prone to flow-readily experience flow in both solitary and interactive conditions. In this pre-registered experiment, we investigated whether autotelic personality mitigates the negative association between solitary flow and extraversion. METHOD: Participants and their romantic partners (final N = 368) played the game Perfection™ in three conditions (order was counterbalanced): alone (solitary condition), in the presence of their partner without interaction (mere-presence condition), and collaboratively (interactive condition). RESULTS: There were independent, positive main effects of extraversion and autotelic personality on flow experience in mere-presence and interactive conditions. However, the positive effect of extraversion on solitary flow was only significant among participants with high (vs. low) autotelic personality. In all conditions, flow experience was associated with greater low-arousal positive affect and lesser high-arousal negative affect. CONCLUSIONS: The findings shed light on the role of personality in promoting solitary flow experiences, and particularly how traits might interact to determine optimal and non-optimal conditions for achieving flow.

The Relationship Between Trait Mindfulness and Depression in Elementary Pre-Service Teachers: The Sequential Mediating Role of Flow Experience and Learning Engagement.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between trait mindfulness, flow experience, learning engagement, and depression among elementary pre-service teachers. Methods: We employed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, Flow Experience Scale, Learning Engagement Scale, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to assess 614 elementary pre-service teachers. Results: Trait mindfulness in elementary pre-service teachers negatively predicts depression. Trait mindfulness indirectly impacts depression through flow experience and learning engagement. Furthermore, flow experience and learning engagement serve as mediating factors in the relationship between trait mindfulness and depression among elementary pre-service teachers. Conclusion: Flow experience and learning engagement play a mediating role in the relationship between trait mindfulness and depression among elementary pre-service teachers. This study enriches our understanding of depression cognitive theory, emphasizing the positive influence of internal resources on depression prevention. Additionally, it provides a deeper explanation of the mechanism through which trait mindfulness affects depression, offering valuable insights for future depression intervention programs.

The effects of live streamer's expertise and entertainment on the viewers' purchase and follow intentions.

This study explores the impact of two characteristics of streamers-expertise and entertainment-on viewers' purchase intention and follow intention in live-streaming e-commerce, with a specific focus on viewers' trust and flow experience as two mediators and viewers' optimal stimulation level as a moderator. We implemented a methodological approach where participants were randomly directed to enter a live broadcast room and watch a 10-min live session before engaging in a structured questionnaire. 399 valid questionnaires were collected from the participants. These 399 valid questionnaires were subsequently utilized to validate the research model using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results suggest that streamer expertise and entertainment enhance viewers' trust and flow experience, which then leads to an increase in their intention to make a purchase and continue following the streamer. Furthermore, the viewers' optimal stimulation level acts as a moderator in the connections between streamer characteristics and viewers' trust and flow experience, suggesting that individual differences among consumers affect how they respond to streamer characteristics. From the dual perspectives of the streamer and the viewer, this study provides a more comprehensive theoretical perspective on customer behavior in live streaming commerce by not only focusing on consumers' short-term, transactional behavior inclinations but also long-term, relational behavior intentions.

An Exploration of People Living with Parkinson's Experience of Cardio-Drumming; Parkinson's Beats: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study.

Research has shown that physical activity has a range of benefits for people living with Parkinson's (PLwP), improving muscle strength, balance, flexibility, and walking, as well as non-motor symptoms such as mood. Parkinson's Beats is a form of cardio-drumming, specifically adapted for PLwP, and requires no previous experience nor skills. Nineteen PLwP (aged between 55 and 80) took part in the regular Parkinson's Beats sessions in-person or online. Focus group discussions took place after twelve weeks to understand the impacts of Parkinson's Beats. Through the framework analysis, six themes and fifteen subthemes were generated. Participants reported a range of benefits of cardio-drumming, including improved fitness and movement, positive mood, the flow experience, and enhanced social wellbeing. A few barriers to participation were also reported. Future research is justified, and best practice guidelines are needed to inform healthcare professionals, PLwP and their care givers.

Decoding Gen Z: AI's influence on brand trust and purchasing behavior.

This study focuses on the role of AI in shaping Generation Z's consumer behaviors across fashion, technology, beauty, and education sectors. Analyzing responses from 224 participants, our findings reveal that AI exposure, attitude toward AI, and AI accuracy perception significantly enhance brand trust, which in turn positively impacts purchasing decisions. Notably, flow experience acts as a mediator between brand trust and purchasing decisions. These insights underscore the critical role of AI in developing brand trust and influencing purchasing choices among Generation Z, offering valuable implications for marketers in an increasingly digital landscape.

The Effect of Mindfulness on the Promotion of Graduate Students' Scientific Research Creativity: The Chain Mediating Role of Flow Experience and Creative Self-Efficacy.

Creativity is a universal core higher-order cognitive ability in the 21st century, which reflects a country's core competitiveness and soft power. Mindfulness, as an important concept in positive psychology, has also received attention for its potential effect on research creativity. Using structural equation modeling and bootstrap methods, this study investigated the relationship between mindfulness and research creativity among 1210 Chinese graduate students. Additionally, we explored the mediating effect of flow experience and creative self-efficacy in this relationship. The research results showed that mindfulness had a direct positive effect on graduate students' scientific research creativity. The mediating effect of flow experience and creative self-efficacy, as well as the chain mediating effect, were established, with the mediating ratio being 13.1% and 30.0%, respectively, and the indirect effect of chain mediating accounting for 34.1%. Interestingly, the effect mechanism at the gender level was various, with the mediating effect of mindfulness on scientific research creativity being higher among male graduate students. The results of this study revealed the mechanism of mindfulness on graduate students' scientific research creativity, offering valuable insights for enhancing their creative capabilities in the realm of scientific research.

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Flow Experience with Multifaceted Tasks and a Single-Channel Prefrontal EEG Recording.

Flow experience, characterized by deep immersion and complete engagement in a task, is highly recognized for its positive psychological impacts. However, previous studies have been restricted to using a single type of task, and the exploration of its neural correlates has been limited. This study aimed to explore the neural correlates of flow experience with the employment of multifaceted flow-induction tasks. Six tasks spanning mindfulness, artistic tasks, free recall, and varying levels of Tetris complexity (easy, flow, and hard conditions) were employed to have relatively complete coverage of the known flow-induction tasks for a better induction of individualized flow experience. Twenty-eight participants were recruited to perform these six tasks with a single-channel prefrontal EEG recording. Significant positive correlations were observed between the subjective flow scores of the individual's best-flow-experience task and the EEG activities at the delta, gamma, and theta bands, peaking at latencies around 2 min after task onset. The outcomes of regression analysis yield a maximum R2 of 0.163. Our findings report the EEG correlates of flow experience in naturalistic settings and highlight the potential of portable and unobtrusive EEG technology for an objective measurement of flow experience.

Thriving on novelty: Chinese students' journey to creative travel in Thailand.

This study explores the intersection of creative travel and flow experiences among foreign students, a topic not extensively explored in tourism research. Specifically, it examines the mediating role of flow experiences in the relationship between students' novelty-seeking behaviors and their intention to engage in creative travel. Additionally, the research investigates how familiarity with a destination moderates this relationship. Employing structural equation modeling, the study analyzes data from 704 Chinese students in Thailand. The findings reveal that flow experiences positively mediate the link between the students' pursuit of novelty and their creative travel intentions. Moreover, the extent of familiarity with the destination was found to modify the relationship between novelty seeking and flow experiences. This research contributes to the theoretical understanding of these dynamics and offers practical insights for stakeholders in creative travel marketing and management.

The effect of music tempo on movement flow.

There has been much controversy over the effects of music tempo on movement flow. In this study, a single-factor repeated-measurement design was used to explore the effect of music tempo (fast, slow, and no music control) on movement flow by measuring both subjective experiences and objective electroencephalographic (EEG) characteristics during brisk walking. In the experiment, 20 college students walked briskly on a treadmill using EEG equipment. Each participant walked for 10 min on three different days. Their brain waves were recorded during brisk walking on a treadmill. After each walk, the participants completed a form of short flow state scale-2 (S FSS-2), which covered nine major aspects of flow. The results showed that music tempo had a significant effect on subjective experiences and objective physiological characteristics; that is, a higher subjective flow level for fast-tempo music in brisk walking and a significant enhancement of mean power values in the subconscious brain waves of the delta, theta, alpha, and beta bands for fast tempo music were observed. A fast tempo facilitated the movement flow. The findings of this study can be instructive for the use of music in exercises to improve sports training outcomes.

Flow experience fosters university students' well-being through psychological resilience: A longitudinal design with cross-lagged analysis.

BACKGROUND: Existing research has linked individuals' flow experience - a positive affective and cognitive state of deep immersion and engagement in daily activities - and their well-being, particularly among university students. A growing number of longitudinal studies have further contributed to this understanding. However, limited attention has been given to exploring the dynamic interplay between these two variables and their underlying mechanisms (i.e., the mediator) of psychological resilience, specifically among university students in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. AIMS: To address this research gap, the present study draws on self-determination, flow and broaden-and-build theories. It examines the temporal dynamics and relationships between flow experience and well-being, and the mediating role of psychological resilience among Chinese university students. SAMPLE: The study adopts a three-wave longitudinal design with a sample of 474 university students in Southwest China. METHODS: Participants' flow experience, well-being and psychological resilience were measured across three time waves. RESULTS: The findings of this study reveal that flow experience predicts well-being across the three waves and that psychological resilience mediates this prediction. This empirical evidence emphasizes the significance of both flow experience and psychological resilience in contributing to the well-being of university students over time amid COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: These findings enrich our understanding of the factors contributing to well-being in educational settings and provide highly relevant and timely insights for developing strategies to foster well-being among university students, especially in the transition into the post-pandemic era; findings also offer valuable insights not only for researchers but also for educators and policymakers.

A study on participatory experiences in cultural and tourism commercial spaces.

Due to the uniqueness and interactivity of its scenario, the cultural and tourism commercial space consistently enriches and enhances the user experience while satisfying users' consumption and shopping. However, there is limited research on the participatory aspect of cultural tourism business spaces from the perspective of users. To this end, the present study investigates the participatory experience of cultural tourism commercial spaces by selecting 305 tourists who visited Huaihai Street in Suzhou for consumption and entertainment and quantifies the relationship between the public's flow experience, aesthetic judgments, and behavioral outcomes using a structural equation modeling approach. The results of the study confirm that aesthetic judgments and flow experiences positively impact behavioral outcomes and that flow experiences also affect aesthetic judgments and behavioral outcomes. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the significance of user participation in cultural tourism business spaces.

The effect of an escape room game on college nursing students' learning attitude and game flow experiences in teaching safe medication care for the elderly: an intervention educational study.

BACKGROUND: In the context of an aging population, the Gerontological Nursing course is becoming more and more important. Escape room games have been shown to have a positive effect on nursing education, but they have not been applied in the Gerontological Nursing course. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of adding an escape room game-based learning activity at the end of classroom teaching in a Gerontological Nursing course on nursing students' learning attitude and game flow experience. METHODS: In April 2023, a total of 84 nursing students from two classes at a medical school in Northeast China were selected for the study, and the classes were divided into a test group (n = 41) and a control group (n = 43). Both groups received regular classroom teaching on "Safe Medication Care for the Elderly", and the test group participated in an escape room game at the end of the classroom teaching. General information about the nursing students in both groups was collected prior to participation; learning attitude were measured before and after participation; and game flow experience was measured before and after participation in the test group. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests and paired samples t-tests. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the general information and learning attitude of nursing students between the two groups before participation. After participation, the total learning attitude score of nursing students in the test group was (73.17 ± 1.67) and that of the control group was (61.63 ± 2.66), and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 5.196). The game flow experience of nursing students in the test group before and after participation was (63.27 ± 2.48) and (81.29 ± 2.49), respectively, and the difference between before and after was statistically significant (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 5.253). CONCLUSIONS: During the teaching process of the Gerontological Nursing course, an escape room game added at the end of classroom teaching can improve nursing students' learning attitude and also help them to have a good game flow experience. These findings suggest that teaching activities based on the escape room game have considerable practical application value.

Workout with a Smartwatch: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Effects of Smartwatch Attributes on Flow Experience and Exercise Intentions Depending on Exercise Involvement.

Smartwatches are emerging as effective tools to promote exercise and physical activities in the healthcare industry. However, little is known about how smartwatch attributes facilitate exercise and for whom such attributes are more effective for exercise. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to explore the structural relationship between smartwatch attributes, flow experience, and continued exercise intentions and to examine the moderating role of exercise involvement in the structural relationship. For this, a total of 600 participants were recruited via a professional survey firm in South Korea based on a multi-stage random sampling method and used for data analyses, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modeling (SEM), and multi-group SEM. All survey items were adopted from the existing literature on healthcare, flow experience, and wearable device technologies. The results revealed that smartwatch attributes, including interactivity (γ = 0.234, p < 0.001/γ = 0.235, p < 0.001), autonomy (γ = 0.225, p < 0.001/γ = 0.172, p < 0.001), wearability (γ = 0.104, p < 0.05/γ = 0.106, p < 0.05), convenience (γ = 0.209, p < 0.001/γ = 0.214, p < 0.001), and experiential novelty (γ = 0.221, p < 0.001/γ = 0.281, p < 0.001) enhanced flow experience (absorption/enjoyment) during exercise. Furthermore, flow experience (absorption/enjoyment) was found to positively influence exercise intention (ß = 0.511, p < 0.001/ß = 0.239, p < 0.001). Lastly, exercise involvement was found to modulate the structural relationships among smartwatch attributes, flow experience, and exercise intention (∆χ2 = 23.231, ∆df = 12, p < 0.05). By investigating these dynamics, this study contributes to shared knowledge not only in the healthcare literature but also in the wearable-technology literature. The results of the current study also provide useful guidelines for practitioners in the wearable-device and healthcare industries to develop optimal features of smartwatches for exercise and physical activities.