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Flow at Work as a Moderator of the Self-Determination Model of Work Engagement

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Flow Experience

Abstract

This study extends the self-determination model of work engagement. Based on flow theory and self-determination theory, it was hypothesised that the extent to which workers experience flow at work would moderate the positive association between perceived managerial autonomy support and work engagement, in such a way that for employees with more flow the association would be weaker (H1), and the positive associations between autonomy support and satisfaction of intrinsic psychological needs, in such a way that for employees with more flow these associations would be weaker (H2). A sample of 177 workers completed the Work Climate Questionnaire, Basic Need Satisfaction at Work Scale, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and Flow Short Scale. Moderated mediation modelling supported hypothesis 1 and hypothesis 2 limitedly to the needs for competence and relatedness. The findings indicate that workers with more flow at work are more likely to engage in the job regardless of autonomy support.

This chapter was adapted from an undergraduate thesis written by the first author and supervised by the second author.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, London Metropolitan University, Room T6-20, Tower Building, 166-220 Holloway Road, London, N7 8DB, UK

    Daniela De Fraga & Giovanni B. Moneta

Authors
  1. Daniela De Fraga
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  2. Giovanni B. Moneta
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Correspondence to Giovanni B. Moneta .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    László Harmat

  2. Department of Education, University of Aarhus, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Frans Ørsted Andersen

  3. Department of Education, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark

    Fredrik Ullén

  4. School of Health Professionals, University of Brighton, Eastbourne, East Sussex, United Kingdom

    Jon Wright

  5. School of Health Sciences, University of Brighton, East Bourne, East Sussex, United Kingdom

    Gaynor Sadlo

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De Fraga, D., Moneta, G.B. (2016). Flow at Work as a Moderator of the Self-Determination Model of Work Engagement. In: Harmat, L., Ørsted Andersen, F., Ullén, F., Wright, J., Sadlo, G. (eds) Flow Experience. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28634-1_8

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