Perspectives on Personality: Exploring Optimal Experiences

In this video you watched Sarah, Dennis, Kendra, and Taylor talk about an optimal experience, one in which they felt particularly <satisfied= or <fulfilled.= Consider Csikszentmihalyi’s eight characteristics that make up the flow experience and see how many of them you can identify in each of the experiences that are described. The 8 components are:

The Activity is Challenging and Requires Skill. It is sufficiently challenging to require full attention, but not so difficult that it denies a sense of accomplishment or fulfillment.

One’s Attention is Completely Absorbed by the Activity. People stop being aware of themselves as separate from their actions, which seem to become automatic or spontaneous.

The Activity has Clear Goals. There is a direction or a movement towards something.

There is Clear Feedback. We need to know if we have succeeded in reaching our goal, even if it is only self-confirmation.

One can Concentrate Only on the Task at Hand. During flow, we pay no attention to anything beyond the experience at hand.

One Achieves a Sense of Personal Control or Mastery. People in flow enjoy the experience with a sense of effortlessness.

One loses Self-Consciousness. With attention focused on the activity, there is little opportunity to think about oneself, almost as if the person is <absorbed= in the activity or experience.

One loses a Sense of Time. Hours can pass by in what seems like minutes, but time may slow down, too, so that a moment seems to last forever.

I. Describe any elements of the Flow Experience that you saw in the experience of each of the individuals below:

Sarah: This one was difficult to say, but I think the Flow of experience I saw was number six and seven. She was able to enjoy her time on the mountain just taking in the view and it was maybe as though she was <absorbed= into the experience.

Dennis: I saw 1, 3, and 4. Dennis went through high school which is challenging, it was a goal, and he succeeded.

Kendra: For this experience, I saw 1, 3, and 4 because it was a difficult time and she was able to say it moved towards something and it was a big achievement.

Taylor: For this experience, I would say numbers 1 and 5 because getting married and changing your life that way is a difficult task and it should have been his main focus.

II. Now describe a moment, experience, or event in which you felt deeply satisfied, fulfilled, or happy. Which of the 8 elements of the Flow Experience can you identify in your experience, and what are they?

From my experience, I would say in middle school I played the cello and performed a solo in front of judges. It was a new and scary experience for me. I would say numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Playing this piece took time and effort... it was not easy and playing it in front of others was not easy. While playing, it came to me automatically, I was completely absorbed in the music and could only focus on it. Also, while playing, I lost sense of time as and when I finished, I felt as though I had accomplished a goal because it was my first time playing a solo and I was nervous.

Perspectives on Personality: Exploring Optimal Experiences

In this video you watched Sarah, Dennis, Kendra, and Taylor talk about an optimal experience,

one in which they felt particularly <satisfied= or <fulfilled.= Consider Csikszentmihalyi’s eight

characteristics that make up the flow experience and see how many of them you can identify in

each of the experiences that are described. The 8 components are:

1. The Activity is Challenging and Requires Skill. It is sufficiently challenging to require

full attention, but not so difficult that it denies a sense of accomplishment or fulfillment.

2. One’s Attention is Completely Absorbed by the Activity. People stop being aware of

themselves as separate from their actions, which seem to become automatic or

spontaneous.

3. The Activity has Clear Goals. There is a direction or a movement towards something.

4. There is Clear Feedback. We need to know if we have succeeded in reaching our goal,

even if it is only self-confirmation.

5. One can Concentrate Only on the Task at Hand. During flow, we pay no attention to

anything beyond the experience at hand.

6. One Achieves a Sense of Personal Control or Mastery. People in flow enjoy the

experience with a sense of effortlessness.

7. One loses Self-Consciousness. With attention focused on the activity, there is little

opportunity to think about oneself, almost as if the person is <absorbed= in the activity or

experience.

8. One loses a Sense of Time. Hours can pass by in what seems like minutes, but time may

slow down, too, so that a moment seems to last forever.

I. Describe any elements of the Flow Experience that you saw in the experience of each of the

individuals below:

Sarah: This one was difficult to say, but I think the Flow of experience I saw was number six and

seven. She was able to enjoy her time on the mountain just taking in the view and it was maybe

as though she was <absorbed= into the experience.

Dennis: I saw 1, 3, and 4. Dennis went through high school which is challenging, it was a goal,

and he succeeded.

Kendra: For this experience, I saw 1, 3, and 4 because it was a difficult time and she was able to

say it moved towards something and it was a big achievement.

Taylor: For this experience, I would say numbers 1 and 5 because getting married and changing

your life that way is a difficult task and it should have been his main focus.

Perspectives 8-Pointer

Theories Of Personality (PPE 4003)

University of West Florida

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Perspectives on Personality: Exploring Optimal Experiences