Instruments and Methods in Flow Research

A great number of instruments and methodologies are currently available to the flow researcher, the majority of which are based on individuals’ self-reports of the content of their consciousness. Additionally, methods vary according to the level of control exerted on the flow construct: They include observation and interview techniques, psychological surveys, and experimental studies. This variety in measurement can be related to the many ways flow can be empirically operationalized and analyzed. This chapter focuses on the main techniques and instruments available, identifying their strengths and weaknesses. Among the self-reported measures, attention will be paid to single-administration questionnaires (Flow Questionnaire, Flow Short Scale, Flow State Scale-2 and Flow State Dispositional Scale-2, Work-Related Flow Inventory, and Optimal Experience Survey) and online repeated procedures such as the Experience Sampling Method (ESM). The Experience Fluctuation Model in ESM data analysis is presented, as well as the most recent approaches to the study of flow based on nonlinear dynamics and psychophysiological evaluations.

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