The Effects of the Flow State on Social Orientation Within and Beyond Group Boundaries (2016)

Undergraduate: Stephanie Tepper

Faculty Advisor: Barbara Fredrickson
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience

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Research on flow, a positive emotional experience characterized by full absorption, involvement, and enjoyment during an activity, has primarily focused on the individual benefits of this mental state. In the present study, we investigate the mechanisms by which flow may produce changes in social orientation such that the boundaries between the self and other are diminished. In a 2x2 study, 106 UNC undergraduates were assigned to a flow or no-flow condition; half of the participants were also randomly assigned to have a mirror in the cubicle during the study to manipulate self-consciousness. Primary analyses demonstrated significant results for specific measures of social orientation such that participants in the flow and mirror conditions reported the highest feelings of closeness with others on individual measures from the Inclusion of Other in the Self scale, a measure of interpersonal closeness (Aron, Aron, & Smollan, 1992). Further, participants in the flow and mirror condition also exhibited higher levels of mindfulness. This work implies that the flow state should be conceptualized and researched in terms of the potential social benefits of decreasing boundaries between individuals.