No Cover Image

Journal article 395 views 205 downloads

Where do people experience flow in the 21st century? Re-assessing activities and environments for flow

Amy Isham Orcid Logo, Megan Cumming, Sara Chikhi, Tim Jackson

Cogent Psychology, Volume: 12, Issue: 1

Swansea University Author: Amy Isham Orcid Logo

  • 70016.VoR.pdf

    PDF | Version of Record

    © 2025 The Author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.

    Download (3.19MB)

Check full text

DOI (Published version): 10.1080/23311908.2025.2538737

Abstract

Flow supports psychological wellbeing. But where do optimal experiences of flow occur? Existing studies of flow activities are increasingly outdated and don’t account for changing patterns of time use. Further, the physical environments where flow experiences happen have not been empirically examine...

Full description

Published in: Cogent Psychology
ISSN: 2331-1908
Published: Informa UK Limited 2025
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70016
first_indexed 2025-07-22T16:02:02Z
last_indexed 2025-08-08T08:51:01Z
id cronfa70016
recordtype SURis
fullrecord <?xml version="1.0"?><rfc1807><datestamp>2025-08-07T14:53:00.6945216</datestamp><bib-version>v2</bib-version><id>70016</id><entry>2025-07-22</entry><title>Where do people experience flow in the 21st century? Re-assessing activities and environments for flow</title><swanseaauthors><author><sid>5fce1ddf9df54207881ee2541a8e0074</sid><ORCID>0000-0001-6089-709X</ORCID><firstname>Amy</firstname><surname>Isham</surname><name>Amy Isham</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author></swanseaauthors><date>2025-07-22</date><deptcode>PSYS</deptcode><abstract>Flow supports psychological wellbeing. But where do optimal experiences of flow occur? Existing studies of flow activities are increasingly outdated and don&#x2019;t account for changing patterns of time use. Further, the physical environments where flow experiences happen have not been empirically examined. This research explores flow activities and environments within a UK-based (Study 1, n&#x2009;=&#x2009;4000) and international (Study 2, n&#x2009;=&#x2009;839) sample. Commonly reported flow activities were largely consistent with existing research, with activities such as work, sport, reading, arts, and contemplative practices being frequently mentioned. Flow environments were varied, but the home and nature were prominent themes. Whilst certain flow activities tended to be reported alongside certain flow environments (e.g. sports outdoors and computer in residential spaces), others (e.g. art, music, reading) were not associated with specific locations. Together, findings consolidate understandings of the common sites of flow and provide preliminary insights into the role physical environments might play in supporting flow.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>Cogent Psychology</journal><volume>12</volume><journalNumber>1</journalNumber><paginationStart/><paginationEnd/><publisher>Informa UK Limited</publisher><placeOfPublication/><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint/><issnElectronic>2331-1908</issnElectronic><keywords>Flow experiences; time use; activities; environments; wellbeing</keywords><publishedDay>31</publishedDay><publishedMonth>12</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2025</publishedYear><publishedDate>2025-12-31</publishedDate><doi>10.1080/23311908.2025.2538737</doi><url/><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Psychology School</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>PSYS</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm>SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal)</apcterm><funders>This research was supported by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (grant no: ES/M010163/1) which supports the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity and funded Study 1. Laudes Foundation (grant no: GR-076204) also provides financial support to the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity and funded Megan Cumming&#x2019;s PhD studentship. Sara Chikhi participated in this research through the Nuffield Research Placements scheme. Study 2 was run with financial support from a Natural Environment Research Council Discipline Hopping grant awarded to Amy Isham from Swansea University.</funders><projectreference/><lastEdited>2025-08-07T14:53:00.6945216</lastEdited><Created>2025-07-22T11:14:25.3631036</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences</level><level id="2">School of Psychology</level></path><authors><author><firstname>Amy</firstname><surname>Isham</surname><orcid>0000-0001-6089-709X</orcid><order>1</order></author><author><firstname>Megan</firstname><surname>Cumming</surname><order>2</order></author><author><firstname>Sara</firstname><surname>Chikhi</surname><order>3</order></author><author><firstname>Tim</firstname><surname>Jackson</surname><order>4</order></author></authors><documents><document><filename>70016__34927__bfbba436747b4e5c9632169c549235a5.pdf</filename><originalFilename>70016.VoR.pdf</originalFilename><uploaded>2025-08-07T14:51:14.0938282</uploaded><type>Output</type><contentLength>3344621</contentLength><contentType>application/pdf</contentType><version>Version of Record</version><cronfaStatus>true</cronfaStatus><documentNotes>&#xA9; 2025 The Author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.</documentNotes><copyrightCorrect>true</copyrightCorrect><language>eng</language><licence>http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</licence></document></documents><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2025-08-07T14:53:00.6945216 v2 70016 2025-07-22 Where do people experience flow in the 21st century? Re-assessing activities and environments for flow 5fce1ddf9df54207881ee2541a8e0074 0000-0001-6089-709X Amy Isham Amy Isham true false 2025-07-22 PSYS Flow supports psychological wellbeing. But where do optimal experiences of flow occur? Existing studies of flow activities are increasingly outdated and don’t account for changing patterns of time use. Further, the physical environments where flow experiences happen have not been empirically examined. This research explores flow activities and environments within a UK-based (Study 1, n = 4000) and international (Study 2, n = 839) sample. Commonly reported flow activities were largely consistent with existing research, with activities such as work, sport, reading, arts, and contemplative practices being frequently mentioned. Flow environments were varied, but the home and nature were prominent themes. Whilst certain flow activities tended to be reported alongside certain flow environments (e.g. sports outdoors and computer in residential spaces), others (e.g. art, music, reading) were not associated with specific locations. Together, findings consolidate understandings of the common sites of flow and provide preliminary insights into the role physical environments might play in supporting flow. Journal Article Cogent Psychology 12 1 Informa UK Limited 2331-1908 Flow experiences; time use; activities; environments; wellbeing 31 12 2025 2025-12-31 10.1080/23311908.2025.2538737 COLLEGE NANME Psychology School COLLEGE CODE PSYS Swansea University SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal) This research was supported by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (grant no: ES/M010163/1) which supports the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity and funded Study 1. Laudes Foundation (grant no: GR-076204) also provides financial support to the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity and funded Megan Cumming’s PhD studentship. Sara Chikhi participated in this research through the Nuffield Research Placements scheme. Study 2 was run with financial support from a Natural Environment Research Council Discipline Hopping grant awarded to Amy Isham from Swansea University. 2025-08-07T14:53:00.6945216 2025-07-22T11:14:25.3631036 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Psychology Amy Isham 0000-0001-6089-709X 1 Megan Cumming 2 Sara Chikhi 3 Tim Jackson 4 70016__34927__bfbba436747b4e5c9632169c549235a5.pdf 70016.VoR.pdf 2025-08-07T14:51:14.0938282 Output 3344621 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2025 The Author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Where do people experience flow in the 21st century? Re-assessing activities and environments for flow
spellingShingle Where do people experience flow in the 21st century? Re-assessing activities and environments for flow
Amy Isham
title_short Where do people experience flow in the 21st century? Re-assessing activities and environments for flow
title_full Where do people experience flow in the 21st century? Re-assessing activities and environments for flow
title_fullStr Where do people experience flow in the 21st century? Re-assessing activities and environments for flow
title_full_unstemmed Where do people experience flow in the 21st century? Re-assessing activities and environments for flow
title_sort Where do people experience flow in the 21st century? Re-assessing activities and environments for flow
author_id_str_mv 5fce1ddf9df54207881ee2541a8e0074
author_id_fullname_str_mv 5fce1ddf9df54207881ee2541a8e0074_***_Amy Isham
author Amy Isham
author2 Amy Isham
Megan Cumming
Sara Chikhi
Tim Jackson
format Journal article
container_title Cogent Psychology
container_volume 12
container_issue 1
publishDate 2025
institution Swansea University
issn 2331-1908
doi_str_mv 10.1080/23311908.2025.2538737
publisher Informa UK Limited
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str School of Psychology{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Psychology
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description Flow supports psychological wellbeing. But where do optimal experiences of flow occur? Existing studies of flow activities are increasingly outdated and don’t account for changing patterns of time use. Further, the physical environments where flow experiences happen have not been empirically examined. This research explores flow activities and environments within a UK-based (Study 1, n = 4000) and international (Study 2, n = 839) sample. Commonly reported flow activities were largely consistent with existing research, with activities such as work, sport, reading, arts, and contemplative practices being frequently mentioned. Flow environments were varied, but the home and nature were prominent themes. Whilst certain flow activities tended to be reported alongside certain flow environments (e.g. sports outdoors and computer in residential spaces), others (e.g. art, music, reading) were not associated with specific locations. Together, findings consolidate understandings of the common sites of flow and provide preliminary insights into the role physical environments might play in supporting flow.
published_date 2025-12-31T18:02:22Z
_version_ 1850692330247421952
score 11.08899

Similar Items