ARC: Research: Theories: The Psychology of Optimal Experiences
Overview
Flow is an optimal state of balance between the challenges faced and skills possessed by the consumer. It is enhanced by symbolic elements, concrete goals and immediate feedback. It frequently leads to intense concentration, time distortion, and a sense of play and fun.
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Key Citations
Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly (1990), Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Harper Perennial, ISBN: 0060920432
Hoffman, Donna L. and Thomas P. Novak (1996), "Marketing in Hypermedia Computer-Mediated Environments: Conceptual Foundations," Journal of Marketing, 60 (July), 50-68.
PowerPoint Slides for This Theory - AMA Members Only.
Trevino, L. K., & Webster, J. (1992), "Flow in computer-mediated communication," Communication Research, 19 (5), 539-574.
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Application Areas
ecommerce
Other Literature
Goldsmith, Ronald E., Eileen Bridges, and Jon B. Freiden (2001), "Characterizing Online Buyers: Who Goes with the Flow?," Quarterly Journal of Electronic Commerce, 2 (3), 189-197.
Novak, Thomas P., Donna L. Hoffman, and Yiu-Fai Yung (2000), "Measuring the Customer Experience in Online Environments: A Structural Modeling Approach," Marketing Science, 19 (1), 22-42.
Klein, Lisa R. (2003), "Creating Virtual Product Experiences: The Role of Telepresence," Journal of Interactive Marketing, 17 (1), 41-55.
Koufaris, Marios (2002), "Applying the Technology Acceptance Model and Flow Theory to Online Consumer Behavior," Information Systems Research, 13 (2), 205-223
Mathwick, Charla and Edward E. Rigdon (2004), "Play, Flow, and the Online Search Experience," Journal of Consumer Research, 31 (2), 324-332.
Shoham, Aviv (2004), "Flow Experiences and Image Making: An On-Line Chat Rooms Ethnography," Psychology & Marketing, 21(10), 855-882.
Smith, Donnavieve N. and K. Sivakumar (2004), "Flow and Internet Shopping Behavior. A Conceptual Model and Research Propositions," Journal of Business Research, 57 (10), 1199-1208.
Suggest other literature by sending email to arc@ama.org.