Flow in gaming: literature synthesis and framework development

Abstract

Flow, a state of optimal experience where one is completely absorbed and immersed in an activity, is an important phenomenon for studying and designing games. In this article, we synthesise the literature on flow in gaming to discern existing research streams, and identify the antecedents, dimensions, and outcomes of flow which are then integrated into a framework. Based on the findings, we provide suggestions for game design elements that practitioners, such as game designers, may find useful for creating or inducing flow in gaming. We also discuss implications for research and practice as well as provide suggestions for future research.

How do presence, flow, and character identification affect players’ empathy and interest in learning from a serious computer game?

“…Flow is a significant predictor of game experiences and outcomes (Nah, Eschenbrenner, Zeng, Telaprolu, & Sepehr, 2014).…”

Exploring the relationship between information satisfaction and flow in the context of consumers’ online search

“…-Perceived Control: The subjective feeling that the individual thinks s/he owns his/her actions and the environment defines the degree of perceived control (Csikszentmihalyi, 1988;Jackson, 1992;Jackson & Eklund, 2004;Webster, Trevino, & Ryan, 1994). Once a person is in flow, he or she develops a belief of being in complete control of his or her own actions (Nah, Eschenbrenner, Zeng, Telaprolu, & Sepehr, 2014). When flow is conceptualized in marketing, it is observed that the perceived control in Internet usage forms one of the dimensions of flow (Deng et al, 2010;Drengner, Gaus, & Jahn, 2008;Hsu & Lu, 2004;Nel et al, 1999;Wang et al, 2007) -Concentration: Concentration is the state of focusing completely on the work conducted while interacting with technology; the mind is completely occupied with the thing being done and can easily focus on something while ignoring other interesting elements (Usluel & Vural, 2009).…”

Gamification of Education: A Review of Literature

“…The more frequent and immediate the feedback is, the greater the learning effectiveness and learner engagement. Clear and immediate feedback has been shown to be important for attaining the flow state, which is a state of engagement and immersion in an activity [2], [21], [22]. Hence, feedback is an important criterion for performance and engagement.…”

“…Various elements have been used in gamification to increase user engagement. Examples of these elements include points, badges, leaderboards, and storyline [2]. Educational institutions are interested in gamification of education, where educators create gamified learning environments to enhance learner engagement and improve learning outcomes [3][4][5].…”