Mental and perceptual feedback in the development of creative flow

Abstract

Sketching is considered by artists and designers to be a vital tool in the creative process. However, research shows that externalisation during the creative process (i.e., sketching) is not necessary to create effectively. This study examines whether sketching may play a more important role in the subjective experience of creativity by facilitating the deeply focused, optimal state of consciousness termed 'flow' (being 'in the zone'). The study additionally explored whether sketching affects flow by easing cognitive load or by providing a clearer sense of self-feedback. Participants carried out the creative mental synthesis task (combining sets of simple shapes into creative drawings), experimentally simulating the visual creative process. Ideas were generated either mentally before committing to a final drawing, or with external perceptual support through sketching, and cognitive load was varied by using either three-or five-shape sets. The sketching condition resulted in greater experience of flow and lower perceived task difficulty. However, cognitive load did not affect flow and there was no interaction between load and sketching conditions. These findings are the first to empirically demonstrate that sketching increases flow experience, and that this is not dependent on an associated reduction in overall working memory load.

A qualitative investigation of flow experience in group creativity

“…Studies in fine art found that artists who had intrinsic motivation and found their rewards in the making of art itself were more likely to maintain a creative practice in the long term (Carney 1986). Cseh, Phillips and Pearson (2015) suggested that flow provided a protective barrier against fatigue in task performance as they found that flow improved positive affect and maintained its level during the creative task. Moreover, they showed that flow was highly correlated with self-rated creativity but not with 3 rd person creativity ratings or objective external measures of productivity.…”

Conceptualizing group flow: A framework

“…This suggests that feedback can be given in contexts where there is not a clear answer, as in during creative processes, and could be even more influential in that type of process. Recent research has been done to explore various methods of feedback, including sketching (Cseh et al, 2016) and technologyfacilitated feedback (Muis et al, 2015).…”

Creative Flow as a Unique Cognitive Process

“…One artist told her, “You really don't know where you are going” (p. 274). In another interview study, Cseh ( 2017 ) concluded that clear goals, sense of control, and unambiguous feedback were not typically part of fine artists' flow experiences.…”