Flow and Clutch Performance Flashcards
state what it is meant by the key term - Flow
an intrinsically rewarding psychological state in which people feel in control of their actions, have a deep sense of exhilaration and enjoyment, and are so intensely involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter
state what it is meant by the key term - Clutch
the phenomenon of athletes under pressure, usually in the final moments of an event, summon the strength, concentration, and whatever else is necessary to succeed, perform well, or perhaps change the result of the event
what is ‘flow’ often referred to as being ?
the ‘optimum zone of functionning’
state the 4 benefits of ‘Flow’ in sport
- peak performance
- future motivation
- self-concept
- psychological well-being
state 2 benefits of ‘Flow’ in exercise
- exercise adherence
2. positive post-exercise feelings
state 2 facts about ‘Flow’ being ‘an exclusive experience’
- flow is regarded as rare, exclusive, mysterious, and unpredictable
- the majority (60-70%) of athletes studied have proposed flow to be controllable, at least to some degree
what is the framework used, and who brought it into play, for conceptualising flow ?
- the ‘nine dimensions framework’
2. Csikszentmihulyi, 2002
what are the two sub-titles in the ‘nine dimensions framework’ for conceptualising ‘flow’
- Proximal conditions of flow (must be in place for flow to occur)
- Characteristics of flow (‘the experience’)
state the 3 ‘Proximal conditions of flow’
- challenge-skill balance
- clear goals
- unambiguous feedback
state the 6 ‘characteristics of flow’
- action-awareness merging
- concentration on the task at hand
- sense of control
- loss of self-consciousness
- transformation of time
- autotelic response
explain ‘challenge-skill basis’
the ‘golden rule’ of flow
explain ‘clear goals’
knowing and understanding the goals of the activity
explain ‘unambiguous feedback’
feedback to the individual (from themselves) about how the performance is progressing
explain ‘action-awareness merging’
the person becomes ‘at one’ with the activity and it feels automatic
explain ‘concentration on the task at hand’
attention is fully invested and the person is completely focused, but appears to take less effort compared to normal
explain ‘sense of control’
athlete feels in control of their actions and of their performance
explain ‘loss of self-consciousness’
no concern over how they are being perceived by others
explain ‘transformation of time’
time either slows down or speeds up, depending on the activity
explain ‘autotelic experiences’ (3 points)
- auto = self, telos = goals
- the intrinsically rewarding aspect of flow
- during AND after
state 2/5 conceptual issues with the ‘nine dimensions framework’
- imprecise definitions of flow dimensions
- overlapping constructs
- missing concepts (bodily sensations, optimal arousal)
- low support for some dimensions
- uncertainty regarding the number of dimensions to constitute a flow experience
what are the 2 most common methods of measuring ‘flow’ in S+E ?
- interviews
2. questionnaires
state 2 other methods of measuring ‘flow’ in S+E
- experience sampling methods
2. physiological measurements
state the names of the 3 methodological issues with measuring ‘flow’
- deductive coding
- career-based interviews
- quantitative measures
explain how ‘deductive coding’ provides a methodological issue with measuring ‘flow’ (2 points)
- most research is categorised codes into the 9 dimensions framework
- several qualitative studies have reported characteristics of flow that do not fit into the model
explain how ‘career-based interviews’ provides a methodological issue with measuring ‘flow’ (4 points)
- used widely across sport
- potential for biased recall (limitation)
- difficult to understand the mechanisms underlying flow (limitation)
- potential merging of multiple states into the same experience (limitation)
explain how ‘quantitative measures’ provide a methodological issue with measuring ‘flow’ (2 points)
- the flow scales (based on model) are most common measure of flow in S+E settings
- concerns about validity of the measures as is an individual opinion
state 3 ‘psychological states’ of being in ‘flow’
- effortless attention
- positive feedback about progress
- absence of critical thoughts
- optimal arousal
- automatic/effortless experience
state 3 ‘physiological states’ about being in both ‘flow’ and ‘clutch’
- enjoyment
- increased motivation
- increased perceived control
- altered perceptions
- absorption
- confidence
state 3 ‘physiological states’ about being in ‘clutch’
- complete and deliberative focus
- heightened awareness
- intense effort
- absence of negative thoughts
- heightened arousal
- automaticity of the skill
state 3 outcomes of being in ‘flow’
- energising effect
- intrinsic rewards
- confidence
- sense of achievement
- intrinsic motivation
state 3 outcomes of ‘clutch performance’
- exhaustion
- pride
- satisfaction
- sense of achievement
state what it is meant by the key term - ‘telic flow’
occurs in challenging activities with clear outcome goals and is characterised by an achievement focus, intensity, immersion into the task, seriousness, trying to do what is planned, and having higher performance expectations
what is satisfaction derived from in ‘telic flow’
satisfaction is derived from the resist if successfully completing the task
state what it is meant by the key term - ‘paratelic flow’
undertaken without a clear outcome goal and a lack of importance attributed to performance outcomes and future concerns
state 2 additional facts about ‘paratelic flow’
- sensation orientated and a sense of immersion into the task
- less intense than ‘telic flow’ and satisfaction is derived from enjoyment and not successful completion of the task
state what it is meant by the key term - episodic memory
involves the retrieval of particular autobiographical moments in one’s life
state what it is meant by the key term - repisodic memory
is a sequence of related events that a single recollection merely represents. one is not remembering the gist of a particular episode, but the characteristics of a whole series of events
state what it is meant by the key term - peak performance
a state of accomplishment that comes as a consequence of sustained effort and concentration where athletes are able to perform at their optimal level and produce outstanding performance outcomes
