A brief explanation of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s ‘flow’ theory in the context of teaching fashion design.

By Jo Cramer 2007

1000 wds.

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is responsible for the theory of “flow”, which is the term he gives to the concept of “optimal experience”, or, “a particular kind of experience that is so engrossing and enjoyable that it becomes...worth doing for its own sake even though it may have no consequence outside itself.”(Csikszentmihalyi 1990, p.4) Whilst not originally studied in the context of learning theory, education was the first application for his findings, and it is especially relevant to teaching in creative fields like fashion design.

Csikszentmihalyi is currently the Professor of Psychology and Management and the Director of The Quality of Life Research Center at the Drucker School, Claremont Graduate University, California. The research school studies "positive psychology"; which considers “human strengths such as optimism, creativity, intrinsic motivation, and responsibility.”(The Drucker School n.d.)

After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago in 1960, he went on to complete a Ph.D. there in 1965 (The Drucker School n.d.). The concept of “flow” arose from his doctoral paper, in which he had observed the creative process of painters, hoping to better understand how new ideas are conceived (Csikszentmihalyi 1993, p.xi.). The question that remained was why did painters put so much time and effort into something, which once completed, they barely look at again? Further research provided the answer: for these painters it was the process rather than the product that motivated them to paint (Csikszentmihalyi 1988 p.4). Rather than painting to earn money or gain recognition, the artists painted because of the feeling they got from the act of painting itself: that of being engrossed in something that is challenging but ultimately provides a rewarding sense of accomplishment. In short, they painted for the sheer joy of it (Csikszentmihalyi 1993, p.xii.).

Enjoyment, Csikszentmihalyi found, was crucial to optimal experience. He defined enjoyable activities as distinctly different from pleasurable ones. Enjoyment was derived from a sense of achievement, rather than from a purely pleasurable experience (Csikszentmihalyi 1990, p.46). He cites several examples to illustrate this point, drawing from all manner of human pursuits: rock climbing, reading, playing an instrument or a sport, even to work. A simple example is a game of tennis in which the player is pushed to their limits, but from which they find a sense of real enjoyment. In contrast, a pleasurable experience might be something as simple as a watching television or taking a hot bath, neither of which involve such a sense of achievement, or advance the capabilities of the self (Csikszentmihalyi 1990, p.46). What the tennis player experiences is an autotelic experience; an experience for which the reward is the process itself. Once the tennis player ceases to play for the intrinsic reasons of self improvement (i.e. being the best player they can be), and begins to focus on extrinsic goals like beating their opponent and winning the trophy, playing tennis is no longer an autotelic experience and ceases to be truly enjoyable. However, Csikszentmihalyi makes the point that a challenge too great for the player's skill level will create anxiety, while a challenge beneath their skill level results in boredom. It is only when challenge is balanced by skill that flow is achieved (Csikszentmihalyi 1988, p.30). So the tennis player must be evenly matched to enjoy the game.

The importance of intrinsic motivation to optimal experience puts flow theory firmly within the broader category of motivation theory alongside behavior theory, expectancy value theory, attribution theory, goal theory and self-determination theory, all of which describe ways that optimal motivation can be achieved. Much of Csikszentmihalyi's initial research was informed by early motivation theory, especially that of his contemporary, Abraham Maslow (see for example Maslow 1968). In education, it has been widely proven that a motivated student is a “better” student i.e. they will challenge themselves more, learn more and retain more of that learning (see for example Larson in Csikszentmihalyi 1988, pp.150-171).

Creating the opportunity for students to experience flow within the classroom is one method that might be employed to encourage intrinsic motivation. Csikszentmihalyi determined a specific set of requirements for optimal experience to be realised.

These are:

1. Clear goals and immediate feedback

2. Equilibrium between the level of challenge and personal skill

3. Merging of action and awareness

4. Focused concentration

5. Sense of potential control

6. Loss of self-consciousness

7. Time distortion

8. Autotelic or self-rewarding experience

(Csikszentmihalyi 1993: 178-9)

Taking a class of fashion students as an example, flow could be achieved by setting an assignment towards the end of the semester, for which the student must design and make a garment.

The eight points of flow might be addressed as follows:

1. The teacher defines the brief: a garment of any design, to be made from the fabric supplied. The initial design is discussed with the teacher as is the subsequent pattern, toiles (samples) and corrective feedback is supplied. This gives the students direction, but allows them to choose their own path.

2. Following several classes of pattern making and garment construction, the student feels confident in their abilities to make their design. Feedback from the teacher encourages them to challenge themselves.

3. The student becomes so engrossed in their task that their classmates and even the teacher's presence ceases to distract them from their work.

4. All of their attention is devoted to the task at hand, they stop worrying about other assignments that they need to work on, other personal worries, and even basic bodily functions like hunger.

5. While they feel challenged by the project, they also feel capable, since the classes thus far have given them the skills required to realise their design.

6. They stop comparing their work to their classmates', and do not doubt themselves. This aspect of flow is crucial in subjects that cultivate creative skills, particularly amongst young students who are especially susceptible to peer group pressure.

7. Class passes quickly and their level of attention drives them to continue working through their lunch break, or beyond the end of the day.

8. At the end of the project, students feel a sense of reward for their efforts. They see the value of their work, feel satisfaction at having met the challenge, and recognise the self-improvement gained.

For the teacher to provide such an environment requires them to assume the role of facilitator. They must support each student in the pursuit of their own interests, whilst maintaining a standard against which all the students can be fairly assessed. It is a complex role, requiring great flexibility in the delivery of information to best address each individual's needs and learning style. Even then, there are those students who will resist the opportunity for flow, and in pursuing tasks of low skill level, fail to find motivation. More research is needed to find a way of motivating these reticent students. However, when optimal experience is achieved, even the teacher is able to experience flow, becoming as engrossed and satisfied in helping the students realise their outcomes as the students do themselves.

References cited in text

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1975), Beyond Boredom and Anxiety, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1988). Optimal Experience: psychological studies of flow in consciousness, Cambridge, CUP.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, New York: Harper & Row

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1993). The Evolving Self: A Psychology for the Third Millennium, New York, Harper Collins

Drucker School, The (n.d.). Faculty Profile: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Claremont Graduate University. Retrieved [15^th September 2007] from http://www.cgu.edu/pages/1871.asp

Maslow, A. (1968). Towards a Psychology of Being. New York: Van Nostrand.

Bibliography

Brain Channels, (2000). Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: "Flow Theory" Retrieved [15^th September 2007] from http://www.brainchannels.com/thinker/mihaly.html

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1991). Thoughts about Education. New Horizons for Learning. Retrieved [15^th September 2007], from http://www.newhorizons.org/future/Creating_the_Future/crfut_csikszent.html

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1999). “If We Are So Rich, Why Aren't We Happy?” in American Psychologist, Volume 54(10) pp. 821–827, October, American Psychological Association, Inc.

Debold, E. (2002). “Flow with Soul: An interview with Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi” in What Is Enlightenment? Magazine Issue No. 21. Spring/Summer Retrieved [12^th September 2007], from http://www.wie.org/j21/csiksz.asp

Farmer, D. (1999), "Flow" & Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Austega Information Services. Retrieved [15^th September 2007], from http://www.austega.com/education/articles/flow.htm

Huitt, W. (2001). Motivation to learn: An overview. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved [15^th September 2007], from http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/motivation/motivate.html

James Cook University Library. (2002). Learning Styles and Theories. Retrieved [10^th September 2007] from http://www.library.jcu.edu.au/Educ/learn.html

Rozycki , E.G.& Goldfarb, M. F. (2000). The Educational Theory of Lev Semenovich Vygotsky Retrieved [10^th September 2007], from http://www.newfoundations.com/GALLERY/Vygotsky.html