Abstract
Csikszentmihalyi describes optimal experience as a feeling that one’s own abilities are sufficient to face life’s challenges. Such experience consists of directed, goal-oriented activity, regulated by norms that provide feedback sufficient to know if things are being done well. This chapter describes different studies done in the Latin American country of Argentina about flow. The first study focused on (1) whether it was possible for children and adolescents to identify optimal experiences; and (2) to identify the types of activity associated with flow. The results demonstrate that approximately 85% of Argentinean adolescents identified flow experiences in their daily activities. Sports, study, artistic activities, computer use, meetings and social activities, TV and games, are the activities that most often allow Argentinean children and adolescents to experience flow. The second study, focused on examining flow experience of children while playing soccer. The results showed that high levels of ability and concentration were associated with higher levels of flow during the soccer. Children who experienced high anxiety and boredom levels tended to have low levels of flow experience. The third study intended to investigate whether it is possible for young people to identify flow while doing prosocial activities. The results showed that young people can experience flow while doing prosocial activities in different contexts: in family, community, educational and social relations. Finally, the last study relayed in this chapter presents research examining the internal (parental relationships and personality traits) and external (type of activity and way of doing the activity) conditions of flow. This is particularly important for determining which aspects help generate the optimal mental states that contribute to happiness and wellbeing.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Archetti, E. P. (2008). El potrero y el pibe. Territorio y pertenencia en el imaginario del fútbol Argentino [The pasture and the child. Territory and belonging in the imaginary of Argentinean soccer]. Horizontes Antropológicos, 14(30), 259–282.
Asakawa, K. (2004). Flow experience and autotelic personality in Japanese college students: How do they experience challenges in daily life? Journal of Happiness Studies, 5(2), 123–154. doi:10.1023/B:JOHS.0000035915.97836.89.
Asakawa, K. (2010). Flow experience, culture, and well-being: How do autotelic Japanese college students feel, behave, and think in their daily lives? Journal of Happiness Studies, 11(2), 205–223. doi:10.1007/s10902-008-9132-3.
Bassi, M., & Delle-Fave, A. (2004). Adolescence and the changing context of optimal experience in time: Italy 1986–2000. Journal of Happiness Studies, 5, 155–179. doi:10.1023/B:JOHS.0000035914.66037.b5.
Bassi, M., & Delle-Fave, A. (2011). Optimal experience and self-determination al school: Joining perspectives. Motivation and Emotion. doi:10.1007/s11031-011-9268-z.
Bassi, M., & Delle-Fave, A. (2012). Optimal experience among teachers: New insights into the work paradox. Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 146(5), 533–557. doi:10.1080/00223980.2012.656156.
Carlo, G., Hausmann, A., Christiansen, S., & Randall, B. A. (2003). Sociocognitive and behavioral correlates of a measure of prosocial tendencies for adolescents. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 23(1), 107–134. doi:10.1177/0272431602239132.
Conde, M., & Rodriguez, M. G. (2002). Mujeres en el futbol Argentino: Sobre prácticas y representaciones [Women in Argentinean soccer: practices and representations]. Alteridades, 12(23), 93–106.
Contini, E. N., Lacunza, A. B., Medina, S. E., Álbarez, M., González, M., & Corina, V. (2012). Una problemática a resolver: Soledad y aislamiento adolescente [A problem to resolve: Teenage loneliness and isolation]. Revista Electrónica de Psicología Iztacala, 15(1), 127–149.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1975). Beyond boredom and anxiety. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1982). Toward a psychology of optimal experience. In L. Wheeler (Ed.), Review of personality and social psychology (pp. 13–36). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention. New York: Harper Perennial.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Finding flow: The psychology of engagement with every life. New York: Basic Books.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1999). Flow. In A. E. Kazdin (Ed.), Encyclopedia of psychology (Vol. 3, pp. 381–382). New York: Oxford University Press.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2003). Materialism and the evolution of consciousness. In T. Kasser & A. D. Kanner (Eds.), Psychology and consumer culture: The struggle for a good life in a materialistic world (pp. 91–106). Washington, DC: The APA Press.
Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Csikszentmihalyi, I. (1988). Optimal experience: Psychological studies of flow in consciousness. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Hunter, J. (2003). Happiness in everyday life: The uses of experience sampling. Journal of Happiness Studies, 4, 185–199.
Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Larson, R. (1978). Intrinsic rewards in school crime. Crime & Delinquency, 24, 322–335. doi:10.1177/001112877802400306.
Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Larson, R. W. (1984). Being adolescent: Conflict and growth in the teenager years. New York: Basic Books.
Csikszentmihalyi, M., & LeFevre, J. (1989). Optimal experience in work and leisure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(5), 815–822. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.56.5.815.
Delle-Fave, A., & Bassi, M. (2000). The quality of experience in adolescents’ daily life: Developmental perspectives. Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs, 126, 347–367.
Delle-Fave, A., & Bassi, M. (2003). Italian adolescents and leisure: The role of engagement and optimal experience. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 99, 79–94. doi:10.1002/cd.68.
Delle-Fave, A., & Massimini, F. (2004). The cross-cultural investigation of optimal experience. Ricerche di Psicologia, 27, 79–102.
Delle-Fave, A., Massimini, F., & Bassi, M. (2011). Psychological selection and optimal experience across cultures. Social empowerment through personal growth (Vol. II). Heidelberg/London/New York: Springer.
Eisenberg, N., & Fabes, R. A. (1998). Prosocial development. In W. Doman (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 3, pp. 701–778). New York: Wiley.
Facio, A., & Batistuta, M. (1998). Latins, Catholics and from the far south: Argentinean adolescents and their parents. Journal of Adolescence, 21(1), 49–67. doi:10.1006/jado.1997.0129.
Facio, A., & Resett, S. (2006). Argentina. In J. J. Arnett (Ed.), International encyclopedia of adolescence. New York/London: Routledge.
Facio, A., & Resett, S. (2007). Desarrollo de las relaciones con padres y hermanos en adolescentes argentinos [Development of relationships with parents and siblings among Argentinean adolescents]. Apuntes de Psicología, 25(3), 255–266.
Facio, A., & Resett, S. (2011). Argentina. In J. J. Arnett (Ed.), Adolescent psychology around the world. New York/London: Taylor & Francis.
Froh, J. J., Bono, G., & Emmons, R. (2010). Being grateful is beyond good manners: Gratitude and motivation to contribute to society among early adolescents. Motivation and Emotion, 34, 144–157. doi:10.1007/s11031-010-9163-z.
Hektner, J. M., Schmidt, J. A., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2007). Experience sampling method: Measuring the quality of everyday life. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Jackson, S., & Eklund, R. C. (2002). Assessing flow in physical activity: The flow state scale-2 and dispositional flow scale-2. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 24, 133–150.
Jackson, S., Kimiecik, J. C., Ford, S. K., & Marsh, H. W. (1998). Psychological correlates of flow in sport. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 20, 358–378.
Keller, J., Bless, H., Blomann, F., & Kleinböhl, D. (2011). Physiological aspects of flow experiences: Skills-demand-compatibility effects on heart rate variability and salivary cortisol. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 47, 849–852. doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2011.02.004.
Kleiber, D. A. (1983). Sport and human development: A dialectical interpretation. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 23, 76–95. doi:10.1177/0022167883234005.
Kleiber, D., Larson, R., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1986). The experience of leisure in adolescence. Journal of Leisure Research, 18(3), 169–176.
Larson, R., & Kleiber, D. (1993). Daily experience of adolescents. In P. Tolan & B. Cohler (Eds.), Handbook of clinical research and practice with adolescents. New York: Wiley.
Larson, R. W. (1983). Adolescents’ daily experience with family and friends: Contrasting opportunity systems. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 15(4), 739–750.
Larson, R. W., & Richards, M. H. (1991). Boredom in the middle school years: Blaming schools versus blaming students. American Journal of Education, 99(4), 418–443.
Lewis, J. A. (1996). Flow. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 4, 337–338.
Martin, A. J., & Jackson, S. A. (2008). Brief approaches to assessing task absorption and enhanced subjective experience: Examining ‘short’ and ‘core’ flow in diverse performance domains. Motivation and Emotion, 32, 141–157. doi:10.1007/s11031-008-9094-0.
Massimini, F., & Carli, M. (1988). The systematic assessment of flow in daily experience. In M. Csikszentmihalyi & I. Csikszentmihalyi (Eds.), Optimal experience: Psychological studies of flow in consciousness (pp. 266–287). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Massimini, F., & Delle-Fave, A. (2000). Individual development in a bio-cultural perspective. American Psychologist, 55, 24–33. doi:10.1037//0003-066X.55.1.24.
Mesurado, B. (2008). Validez factorial y fiabilidad del cuestionario de experiencia óptima (Flow) para niños y adolescentes [Factorial validity and reliability of the optimal experience (flow) questionnaire for children and teenagers]. Revista Iberoamericana de Diagnóstico y Evaluación Psicológica, 25(1), 159–178.
Mesurado, B. (2009a). Actividad estructurada vs. actividad desestructurada, realizadas en solitario vs. en compañía de otros y la experiencia óptima [Structured vs. unstructured activity, carried out alone vs. in the company of others, and optimal experience]. Anales de Psicología Universidad de Murcia, 25(2), 308–315.
Mesurado, B. (2009b). Comparación de tres modelos teóricos explicativos del constructo experiencia óptima o flow [The comparison of three theoretical models which explain optimal experience or flow construct]. Interdisciplinaria, 26(1), 121–137.
Mesurado, B., & Richaud de Minzi, M. C. (2012). Child’s personality and perception of parental relationship as correlates of optimal experience. Journal of Happiness Studies. doi:10.1007/s10902-012-9324-8.
Moreno Murcia, J. A., Cervelló Gimeno, E., & González-Cutre Coll, D. (2006). Motivación autodeterminada y flujo disposicional en el deporte [Self-determination, motivation and dispositional flow in sport]. Anales de Psicología, 22(2), 310–317.
Moreno Murcia, J. A., Cervelló Gimeno, E., & González-Cutre Coll, D. (2008). Relationships among goal orientations, motivational climate and flow in adolescent athletes: Differences by gender. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 11(1), 181–191.
Nakamura, J. (1988). Optimal experience and the uses of talent. In M. Csikszentmihalyi & I. Csikszentmihalyi (Eds.), Optimal experience: Psychological studies of flow in consciousness (pp. 319–326). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Rathunde, K. (1988). Optimal experience and the family context. In M. Csikszentmihalyi & I. Csikszentmihalyi (Eds.), Optimal experience: Psychological studies of flow in consciousness (pp. 342–363). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Rathunde, K. (1996). Family context and talented adolescents’ optimal experience in school-related activities. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 6(4), 605–628.
Rathunde, K. (2001). Family context and the development of undivided interest: A longitudinal study of family support and challenge and adolescents’ quality of experience. Applied Developmental Science, 5, 158–171. doi:10.1207/S1532480XADS0503_4.
Rathunde, K., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2005). Middle school students’ motivation and quality of experience: A comparison of Montessori and Traditional school environments. American Journal of Education, 111(3), 341–371. doi:10.1086/428885.
Rheinberg, F., Manig, Y., Kliegl, R., Engeser, S., & Vollmeyer, R. (2007). Flow bei der Arbeit, doch Glück in der Freizeit. Zielausrichtung, Flow und Glücksgefühle [Flow during work but happiness during spare time. Goals, flow-experience and happiness]. Zeitschrift für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie, 51(3), 105–115.
Schaefer, E. S. (1965). Children’s reports of parental behavior: An inventory. Child Development, 36(2), 413–424. doi:10.2307/1126465.
Schwartz, C. E., Keyl, P., Marcum, J., & Bode, R. (2009). Helping others shows differential benefits on health and well-being for male and female teens. Journal of Happiness Studies, 10(4), 431–448. doi:10.1007/s10902-008-9098-1.
Seligman, M., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5–14. doi:10.1037//0003-066X.55.1.5.
Steca, P., Bassi, M., Caprara, G. V., & Delle-Fave, A. (2011). Parents’ self-efficacy beliefs and their children’s psychosocial adaptation during adolescence. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 40(3), 320–331.
Stein, G. L., Kimiecik, J. C., Daniels, J., & Jackson, S. A. (1995). Psychological antecedents of flow in recreational sport. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21, 125–135. doi:10.1177/0146167295212003.
Stoner, J. A. F., Freeman, R. E., & Gilbert, D. R., Jr. (1996). Administración. México City, Mexico: Pearson Educación.
Tapia, M. L., Fiorentino, M. T., & Chorreché, M. S. (2003). Soledad y tendencia al aislamiento en estudiantes adolescentes. Su relación con el autoconcepto. Fundamentos en Humanidades, 4(7–8), 163–172.
Weinstein, N., Dehaan, C., & Ryan, R. M. (2010). Attributing autonomous versus introjected motivation to helpers and the recipient experience: Effects on gratitude, attitudes, and well-being. Motivation and Emotion, 34(4), 418–431. doi:10.1007/s11031-010-9183-8.
Weinstein, N., & Ryan, R. M. (2010). When helping helps: Autonomous motivation for prosocial behavior and its influence on well-being for the helper and recipient. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(2), 222–244. doi:10.1037/a0016984.
Whalen, S. P. (1998). Flow and the engagement of talent: Implications for secondary schooling. NASSP Bulletin, 82, 22–37. doi:10.1177/019263659808259505.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mesurado, B., Richaud de Minzi, M.C. (2014). Optimal Experience in Argentinean Children and Adolescents. In: Castro Solano, A. (eds) Positive Psychology in Latin America. Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology, vol 10. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9035-2_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9035-2_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-017-9034-5
Online ISBN: 978-94-017-9035-2
eBook Packages: Behavioral ScienceBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)