Editing Positive psychology (section)

===Flow===
{{Main|Flow (psychology)}}
{{See also|Peak experience}}
[[File:Challenge vs skill.svg|alt=A graph shows mental state in terms of challenge level and skill level, according to Csikszentmihalyi's flow model.|thumb|Mental state in terms of challenge level and skill level, according to [[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi|Csikszentmihalyi]]'s flow model.]]
In the 1970s, Csikszentmihalyi began studying ''flow'', a state of absorption in which one's abilities are well-matched to the demands at-hand. He often refers to it as "optimal experience".<ref>{{Cite book |first=Mihaly |last=Csikszentmihalyi |title=Flow: the psychology of optimal experience |date=2016 |publisher=Joosr Ltd |isbn=978-1-78567-230-9 |oclc=959933502}}</ref> Flow is characterized by intense [[Attention|concentration]], loss of self-awareness, a feeling of being perfectly challenged (neither bored nor overwhelmed), and a sense that "time is flying." Flow is intrinsically rewarding; it can also assist in the achievement of [[goal]]s (e.g., winning a game) or improving skills (e.g., becoming a better chess player).<ref name=Csikszentmihalyi1990>{{Cite book | last1 = Csikszentmihalyi | first1 = Mihaly | title = Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience | year = 1990 | publisher = Harper & Row | location = New York | isbn = 978-0-06-016253-5 }}</ref> Anyone can experience flow and it can be felt in different domains, such as play, [[creativity]], and work.

Flow is achieved when the challenge of the situation meets one's personal abilities. A mismatch of challenge for someone of low skills results in a state of anxiety and feeling overwhelmed; insufficient challenge for someone highly skilled results in [[boredom]].<ref name=Csikszentmihalyi1990/> A good example of this would be an adult reading a children's book. They would not feel challenged enough to be engaged or motivated in the reading. Csikszentmihalyi explained this using various combinations of challenge and skills to predict psychological states. These four states included the following:<ref name="Shernoff Csikszentmihalyi Flow in Schools"/>

; Apathy: low challenge and low skill(s)
; Relaxation: low challenge and high skill(s)
; Anxiety: high challenge and low skill(s)
; Flow: high challenge and high skill(s)

Accordingly, an adult reading a children's book would most likely be in the relaxation state. The adult has no need to worry that the task will be more than they can handle. Challenge is a well-founded explanation for how one enters the flow state and employs intense concentration. However, other factors contribute. For example, one must be intrinsically motivated to participate in the activity or challenge. If the person is not interested in the task, then there is no possibility of their being absorbed into the flow state.<ref name="Cambridge University Press">{{Cite book |title=Optimal experience: psychological studies of flow in consciousness |year=1988 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |first1=Mihaly|last1=Csikszentmihalyi|first2=Isabella Selega|last2=Csikszentmihalyi |isbn=0-521-34288-0 |location=Cambridge |oclc=16685308}}</ref>

==== Benefits ====
Flow can help in parenting children. When flow is enhanced {{clarify|reason=the definition of "flow" given thusfar does not suggest it to be something that exists "between" people|text=between|date=October 2023}} parents and children, the parents can better thrive in their roles as a parents. A parenting style that is positively oriented{{Definition needed|date=October 2023}} results in children who experience lower levels of stress and improved well-being.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pentti |first1=Selja |last2=Fagerlund |first2=Åse |last3=Nyström |first3=Pär |title=Flourishing families: Effects of a positive psychology intervention on parental flow, engagement, meaning and hope |journal=International Journal of Wellbeing |date=25 September 2019 |volume=9 |issue=4 |pages=79–96 |doi=10.5502/ijw.v9i4.1003 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Flow also has benefits in a school setting. When students are in a state of flow they are fully engaged, leading to better retention of information.<ref>{{cite book |doi=10.1007/978-94-017-9088-8_16 |chapter=The Concept of Flow |title=Flow and the Foundations of Positive Psychology |date=2014 |last1=Nakamura |first1=Jeanne |last2=Csikszentmihalyi |first2=Mihaly |pages=239–263 |isbn=978-94-017-9087-1 }}</ref> Students who experience flow have a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ariani |first1=Dorothea Wahyu |title=How achievement goals affect students' well-being and the relationship model between achievement goals, academic self-efficacy and affect at school |journal=Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education |date=27 January 2022 |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=111–134 |doi=10.1108/jarhe-08-2020-0273 }}</ref> This state can also reduce stress, which helps with students' mental health and well-being.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Asakawa |first1=Kiyoshi |title=Flow Experience and Autotelic Personality in Japanese College Students: How do they Experience Challenges in Daily Life? |journal=Journal of Happiness Studies |date=2004 |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=123–154 |doi=10.1023/b:johs.0000035915.97836.89 }}</ref> This increases resilience and helps students to overcome challenges or setbacks by teaching them a [[growth mindset]].<ref>{{multiref2
|1={{cite journal |last1=Duckworth |first1=Angela L. |last2=Peterson |first2=Christopher |last3=Matthews |first3=Michael D. |last4=Kelly |first4=Dennis R. |title=Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. |journal=Journal of Personality and Social Psychology |date=2007 |volume=92 |issue=6 |pages=1087–1101 |doi=10.1037/0022-3514.92.6.1087 |pmid=17547490 }}
|2={{Cite journal |last=Fredrickson |first=Barbara L. |year=2001 |title=The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions |journal=American Psychologist |volume=56 |issue=3 |pages=218–226 |doi=10.1037/0003-066x.56.3.218 |pmid=11315248 |pmc=3122271 }}
}}</ref>

Most teachers and parents want students become more engaged and interested in the classroom. The design of the education system was not able to account for such needs.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Spencer |first=John |title=Making Learning Flow: instruction and assessment strategies that empower students to love learning and reach new levels of achievement |year=2016 |publisher=Solution Tree Press |isbn=978-1-943874-19-4 |location=Bloomington, Indiana |oclc=965738894}}</ref> One school implemented a program called PASS. They acknowledged that students needed more challenge and individual advancement; they referred to this as sport culture. This PASS program integrated an elective class into which students could immerse themselves. Such activities included self-paced learning, mastery-based learning, performance learning, and so on.<ref name="Shernoff Csikszentmihalyi Flow in Schools">{{cite book|first1=David J.|last1=Shernoff|first2=Mihaly|last2=Csikszentmihalyi |chapter=Flow in Schools: Cultivating Engaged Learners and Optimal Learning Environments |year=2009 |title=Handbook of Positive Psychology in Schools|editor-first1=Rich|editor-last1=Gilman|editor-first2=E. Scott|editor-last2=Huebner|editor-first3=Michael|editor-last3=Furlong|pages=149–164|location=New York|publisher=Routledge |doi=10.4324/9780203884089-20 |isbn=978-0-203-88408-9}}</ref>

Flow benefits general well-being. It is a positive and intrinsically motivating experience. It is known to "produce intense feelings of enjoyment".<ref name="Cambridge University Press"/> It can improve our lives by making them happier and more meaningful. Csikszentmihalyi discovered that our personal growth and development generates happiness. Flow is positive experience because it promotes that opportunity for personal development.<ref>{{cite book |doi=10.1007/978-94-017-9088-8_6 |chapter=Happiness in Everyday Life: The Uses of Experience Sampling |title=Flow and the Foundations of Positive Psychology |date=2014 |last1=Csikszentmihalyi |first1=Mihaly |last2=Hunter |first2=Jeremy |pages=89–101 |isbn=978-94-017-9087-1 }}</ref>

====Negatives====

While flow can be beneficial to students, students who experience flow can become overly focused on a particular task. This can lead to students neglecting other important aspects of their learning.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Flourish: a visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being |journal=Choice Reviews Online |date=August 2011 |volume=48 |issue=12 |pages=48–7217–48-7217 |doi=10.5860/choice.48-7217 |doi-broken-date=1 February 2025 |ref={{sfnref|American Library Association|2011}} }}</ref>

In positive psychology there can be misunderstandings on what clinicians and people define as positive. In certain instances, positive qualities, such as optimism, can be detrimental to health, and therefore appear as a negative quality.<ref name=LomasIvtzan2016>{{cite journal |last1=Lomas |first1=Tim |last2=Ivtzan |first2=Itai |title=Second Wave Positive Psychology: Exploring the Positive–Negative Dialectics of Wellbeing |journal=Journal of Happiness Studies |date=August 2016 |volume=17 |issue=4 |pages=1753–1768 |doi=10.1007/s10902-015-9668-y |url=http://roar.uel.ac.uk/4383/1/Lomas%20and%20Ivtzan%20%282015%29%20-%20Second%20wave%20positive%20psychology%20%28uploadable%29.pdf }}</ref> Alternatively, negative processes, such as anxiety, can be conducive to health and stability and thus would appear as positive qualities.{{r|LomasIvtzan2016}} A second wave of positive psychology has further identified and characterized "positive" and "negative" complexes through the use of critical and dialectical thinking.{{r|LomasIvtzan2016}} Researchers in 2016 chose to identify these characteristics via two complexes: post-traumatic growth and love as well as optimism vs. pessimism.{{r|LomasIvtzan2016}}