Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Flow in Sports and Exercise: A Historical Overview

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Advances in Flow Research

Abstract

Originally, Csikszentmihalyi studied activities such as rock climbing, playing chess, composing music, modern dancing, playing basketball or conducting a surgery. Csikszentmihalyi’s interest was to determine, why people pursue these activities even though they might offer little, if any extrinsic rewards. He claimed that if we better understood, what makes us put a lot of effort into something that is seemingly lacking an extrinsic reward, then it may help us be less dependent on extrinsic rewards (cf. Engeser, Schiepe-Tiska & Peifer, Chap. 1). Competitive sports, as well as physical exercise (in terms of prevention) are often linked to extrinsic rewards (e.g. performance & money in competitive sports, or gaining and stabilizing health in prevention settings). Nevertheless, there are a lot of sports activities, which can’t be explained with extrinsic rewards, such as marathon-running as a hobby. Since the early 1990s, flow-experiences were often in the focus of sports- and exercise psychology. The aim of this chapter is to describe the historical development of flow research in sports and exercise settings and furthermore methodological as well as theoretical advances (e.g. neuro-cognitive aspects) related to sports and exercise will be reported and discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Aellig, S. (2004). Über den Sinn des Unsinns: Flow-Erleben und Wohlbefinden als Anreize für autotelische Tatigkeiten [From the sense of nonsense: Flow-experiences and well-being as incentive of autotelic actions]. Münster: Waxmann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aherne, C., Moran, A. P., & Lonsdale, C. (2011). The effect of mindfulness training on athletes’ flow: An initial investigation. The Sport Psychologist, 25, 177–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernier, M., Thienot, E., Codron, R., & Fournier, J. (2009). Mindfulness and acceptance approaches in sport performance. Journal of Clinical Sports Psychology, 4, 320–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brewer, B. W., Van Raalte, J. L., Darwyn, E., & Van Raalte, N. S. (1991). Peak performance and the perils of retrospective introspection. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 13, 227–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Canham, M., & Wiley, J. (2003). When time flies: A comparison of flow states in expert and novice rock climbers. Cognitive Technology, 8, 24–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Catley, D., & Duda, J. (1997). Psychological antecedents of the frequency and intensity of flow in golfers. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 28, 309–322.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chavez, E. J. (2008). Flow in sport: A study of college athletes. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 28, 69–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, E. E. A., Ejsmond-Frey, R., Knight, N., & Dunbar, R. I. M. (2010). Rowers’ high: Behavioural synchrony is correlated with elevated pain thresholds. Biology Letters, 6, 106–108. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2009.0670.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cosma, J. B. (1999). Flow in teams. PhD-Thesis. School of Professional Psychology, Chicago: Dissertational Abstracts International, 60(6), 1901-A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crust, L., & Swann, C. (2013). The relationship between mental toughness and dispositional flow. European Journal of Sport Science, 13, 215–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1975). Beyond boredom and anxiety. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2002). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience (2nd ed.). New York: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Larson, R. (1987). Validity and reliability of the experience sampling method. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases, 175, 526–536.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M., Larson, R., & Prescott, S. (1977). The ecology of adolescent activity and experience. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 6, 281–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Manzano, Ö., Theorell, T., Harmat, L., & Ullén, F. (2010). The psychophysiology of flow during piano playing. Emotion, 10, 301–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delle Farve, A., Bassi, M., & Massimini, F. (2003). Quality of experience and risk perception in high-altitude rock climbing. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 15, 82–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deutsch, W., Debus, M., Henk, F., Schulz, N., & Thoma, E. (2009). Flow erleben und flow erforschen [Experiencing flow and flow research]. In R. Schumacher (Ed.), Pauken mit Trompeten (pp. 71–87). Bonn: BMBF.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dietrich, A. (2004). Neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the experience of flow. Consciousness and Cognition, 13(4), 746–761.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dietrich, A., & Stoll, O. (2010). Effortless attention in sports performance. In B. Bruya (Ed.), Effortless attention: A new perspective in the cognitive science of attention and action (pp. 159–178). Massachusetts: MIT Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Eklund, R. C. (1994). A season long investigation of competitive cognition in collegiate wrestlers. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 65, 169–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eklund, R. C. (1996). Preparing to compete: A season-long investigation with collegiate wrestlers. The Sport Psychologist, 10, 111–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elbe, A. M., Strahler, K., Krustrup, P., Wikman, J., & Stelter, R. (2010). Experiencing flow in different types of physical activity intervention programs: Three randomized studies. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 20(Suppl. 1), 111–117. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2010.01112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emerson, H. (1998). Flow and occupation: A review of the literature. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 52, 37–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engeser, S., & Rheinberg, F. (2008). Flow, performance, and moderators of challenge-skill balance. Motivation and Emotion, 32, 158–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engeser, S., & Schiepe-Tiska, A. (2012). Historical lines and an overview of current research on flow. In S. Engeser (Ed.), Advances in flow research (pp. 1–22). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Fournier, J., Gaudreau, P., Demontrond-Behr, P., Visioli, J., Forest, J., & Jackson, S. (2007). French translation of the flow state scale-2: Factor structure, cross-cultural invariance, and associations with goal attainment. Psychology of Sport and Exericse, 8, 897–916.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanin, Y. (1997). Emotions and athletic performance: Individual zones of optimal functioning model. European Yearbook of Sport Psychology, 1, 29–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harmat, L., de Manzano, Ö., Theorell, T., Högman, L., Fischer, H., & Ullén, F. (2015). Physiological correlates of the flow experience during computer game playing. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 97, 1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, D. J., Vine, S. J., & Wilson, M. R. (2017). Neurocognitive mechanisms of the flow state. In M. R. Wilson, V. Walsh, & B. Parkin (Eds.), Progress in brain research (pp. 221–243). Amsterdam: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hatfield, E., Cacioppo, J. T., & Rapson, R. L. (1994). Emotional contagion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haworth, J. (1993). Skills-challenge relationships and psychological well-being in everyday life. Society and Leisure, 16, 115–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henk, F. (2014). Auf der Suche nach der Wissenschaft von Flow. Eine Darstellung von Problemen der Flow-Forschung und möglichen Lösungsansätzen anhand einer Re-Modellierung von Flow unter Einbezug einer Befragung von leistungsorientierten Kanurennsportler/innen. PhD-thesis, University of Braunschweig, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackman, P. C., Crust, L., & Swann, C. (2017). Systematically comparing methods used to study flow in sport: A longitudinal multiple-case study. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 32, 113–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackman, P., Van Hout, M. C., Lane, A., & Fitzpatrick, G. (2015). Experiences of flow in jockeys during flat-race conditions. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 13, 205–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. (1992). Athletes in flow: A qualitative investigation of flow states in elite figure skaters. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 4, 161–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. A. (1995). Factors influencing the occurence of flow state in elite athletes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 7, 138–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. A. (1996). Toward a conceptual understanding of the flow experience in elite athletes. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 67, 76–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. A. (2000). Joy, fun, and flow state in sport. In Y. L. Hanin (Ed.), Emotions in sport (pp. 135–156). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1999). Flow in sports: The keys to optimal experiences and performances. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. A., & Eklund, R. C. (2002). Assessing flow in physical activity: The flow state scale-2 and dispositional flow scale-2. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 24, 133–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. A., & Eklund, R. C. (2004). The flow scales manual. Morgantown: Fitness Information Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. A., & Kimiecik, J. C. (2008). Optimal experience in sport and exercise. In T. Horn (Ed.), Advances in sport psychology (3rd ed., pp. 377–399). Champaign: Human Kinetics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. A., & Marsh, H. W. (1996). Development and validation of a scale to measure optimal experience: The flow state scale. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 18, 17–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. A., Martin, A. J., & Eklund, R. C. (2008). Long and short measures of flow: The construct validity of the FSS-2, DFS-2, and new brief counterparts. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 30, 561–587.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. A., & Roberts, G. C. (1992). Positive performance states of athletes: Toward a conceptual understanding of peak performance. The Sport Psychologist, 6, 156–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. A., Thomas, P. R., Marsh, H. W., & Smethurst, C. J. (2001). Relationships between flow, self-concept, psychological skills, and performance. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 13, 129–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jonson, S. C., Baxter, J. C., & Wilder, L. S. (2002). Neural correlates of self-reflecion. Brain, 125, 1814–1818.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawabata, M., & Evans, R. (2016). How to classify who experienced flow from those who did not based on the flow state Scale-2: A pilot study of latent class factor analysis. The Sport Psychologist, 30, 267–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kawabata, M., Mallett, C., & Jackson, S. (2007). The flow state scale-2 and dispositional flow scale-2: Examination of factorial validity and reliability for Japanese adults. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 9, 465–485.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keller, J. (2016). The flow experience revisited: The influence of skills-demands-compatibility on experiential and physiological indicators (pp. 351–374). In L. Harmat, F. Ø. Andersen, F. Ullén, J. Wright, & G. Sadlo (Eds.), Flow experience (pp. 65–75). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kimiecik, J., & Stein, G. (1992). Examining flow experiences in sport contexts: Conceptual issues and methodological concerns. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 4, 144–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lazarovitz, S. M. (2003). Team and individual flow in female ice hockey players: The relationships between flow, group cohesion, and athletic performance. Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, 65, 1-B.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ley, C., Krammer, J., Lippert, D., & Barrio, M. R. (2017). Exploring flow in sport and exercise therapy with war and torture survivors. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 12, 83–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2017.03.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lindsay, P., Maynard, I., & Thomas, O. (2005). Effects of hypnosis on flow states and cycling performance. The Sport Psychologist, 19, 164–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2013). New developments in goal setting and task performance. New York, NY: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Lou, H. (2015). Editorial: Self-awareness – An emerging field in neurology. Acta Paediatrica, 104, 121–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maitland, A., & Gervis, M. (2010). Goal-setting in youth football. Are coaches missing an opportunity? Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 15, 323–343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moneta, G. B. (2012). On the measurement and conceptualization of flow. In S. Engeser (Ed.), Advances in flow research (pp. 23–50). Springer: New York.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura, J., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2002). Positive psychology. In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 89–105). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholls, A., Polman, R., & Holt, N. (2005). The effects of individualized imagery interventions on golf performance and flow states. Athletic Insight, 7, 43–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nisbett, R. E., & Wilson, T. D. (1977). Telling more than we can know: Verbal reports on mental processes. Psychological Review, 84, 231–259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Otten, M. (2009). Choking vs. clutch performance: A study of sport performance under pressure. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 31, 583–601.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pain, M., Harwood, C., & Anderson, R. (2011). Pre-competition imagery and music: The impact on flow and performance in competitive soccer. The Sport Psychologist, 25, 212–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peifer, C. (2012). Psychophysiological correlates of flow-experience. In S. Engeser (Ed.), Advances in flow research (pp. 139–164). Springer: New York.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Peifer, C., Schulz, A., Schächinger, H., Baumann, N., & Antoni, C. H. (2014). The relation of flow-experience and physiological arousal under stress - can u shape it? Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 53, 62–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2014.01.009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Persson, D. (1996). Play and flow in an activity group—A case study of creative occupations with chronic Pain patients. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 3, 33–42. https://doi.org/10.3109/11038129609106680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Privette, G. (1981). The phenomenology of peak performance in sports. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 12, 51–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinhardt, C. (2017) Flow-Erleben im Sport – empirische Untersuchungen eines motovationsbezogenen Phänoemens [Flow-experience in sports – Empirical studies of a motivational phenomenon]. PhD Thesis, Halle (Saale). Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinhardt, C., Wiener, S., Heimbeck, A., Stoll, O., Lau, A., & Schliermann, R. (2008). Flow in der Sporttherapie der Depression – ein beanspruchungsorientierter Ansatz [Flow in sports therapy – a workload-oriented approach]. Bewegungstherapie und Gesundheitssport, 24, 147–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rheinberg, F. (2004). Motivationsdiagnostik [Diagnostics of motivation]. Göttingen: Hogrefe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rheinberg, F. (2015). Die Flow-Kurzskala (FKS) übersetzt in verschiedene Sprachen. The Flow-Short-Scale (FSS) translated into various languages. www.researchgate.com, downloaded on January, 29th 2018. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283348840_Die_Flow-Kurzskala_FKS_ubersetzt_in_verschiedene_Sprachen_The_Flow-Short-Scale_FSS_translated_into_various_languages

  • Rheinberg, F., & Engeser, S. (2018). Intrinsic motivation and flow. In J. Heckhausen & H. Heckhausen (Eds.), Motivation and action (3rd ed., pp. 579–622). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rheinberg, F., Vollmeyer, R., & Engeser, S. (2003). Die Erfassung des Flow-Erlebens. In J. Stiensmeier-Pelster & F. Rheinberg (Eds.), Diagnostik von Motivation und Selbstkonzept (pp. 261–279). Gottingen: Hogrefe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riva, G., Castelnuovo, G., & Mantovani, F. (2006). Transformation of flow in rehabilitation: The role of advanced communication technologies. Behavior Research Methods, 38, 237–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryu, H., & Parsons, D. (2012). Risky business or sharing the load? – Social flow in collaborative mobile learning. Computers Camp; Education, 58, 707–720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2011.09.019.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sawyer, R. K. (2006). Group creativity: Musical performance and collaboration. Psychology of Music, 34, 148–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoenewolf, G. (1990). Emotional contagion: Behavioral induction in individuals and groups. Modern Psychoanalysis, 15(1), 49–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schüler, J., & Brunner, S. (2009). The rewarding effect of flow experience on performance in a marathon race. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10, 168–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schweickle, M., Groves, S., Vella, S. A., & Swann, C. (2017). The effects of open vs. specific goals on flow and clutch states in a cognitive task. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 33, 45–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seifert, T., & Hedderson, C. (2010). Intrinsic motivation and flow in skateboarding: An ethnographic study. Journal of Happiness Studies, 11, 277–292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singer, R. (2002). Preperformance state, routines and automaticity: What does it take to realise expertise in self-paced events? Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 24, 359–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stavrou, N. A., Jackson, S. A., Zervas, Y., & Karterliotis, K. (2007). Flow experience and athletes’ performance with reference to the orthogonal model of flow. The Sport Psychologist, 21, 438–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stavrou, N., & Zervas, Y. (2004). Confirmatory factor analysis of flow state scale in sports. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2, 161–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stein, G. L., Kimiecik, J. C., Daniels, J., & Jackson, S. A. (1995). Psychological antecedents of flow in recreational sports. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21, 125–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoll, O., & Lau, A. (2005). Flow-Erleben beim Marathonlauf [Flow-experiences in marathon running]. Zeitschrift für Sportpsychologie, 12, 75–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoner, J. A. F. (1961). A comparison of individual and group decision involving risk. Master’s Thesis, M.I.T. School of Industrial Management.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoner, J. A. F. (1968). Risky and cautious shifts in group decisions: The influence of widely held values. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 4, 442–459.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sugiyama, T., & Inomata, K. (2005). Qualitative examination of flow experience among top Japanese athletes. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 100, 969–982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swann, C. (2016). Flow in sport. In L. Harmat, F. Ørsted Andersen, F. Ullén, J. Wright, & G. Sadlo (Eds.), Flow experience (pp. 51–64). Basel: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Swann, C., Crust, L., Jackman, P., Vella, S. A., Allen, M. S., & Keegan, R. (2017a). Performing under pressure: Exploring the psychological state underlying clutch performance in sport. Journal of Sports Sciences, 35, 2272–2280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swann, C., Crust, L., Jackman, P., Vella, S. A., Allen, M. S., & Keegan, R. (2017b). Psychological states underlying excellent performance in sport: Toward an integrated model of flow and clutch states. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 1–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swann, C., Crust, L., Keegan, R., Piggott, D., & Hemmings, B. (2015). An inductive exploration into the flow experiences of European tour golfers. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 7(2), 210–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swann, C., Crust, L., & Vella, S. (2017). New directions in the psychology of optimal performance in sport: Flow and clutch states. Current Opinion in Psychology, 16, 48–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swann, C., Keegan, R., Piggott, D., Crust, L., Smith, M. F., et al. (2012). Exploring flow occurrence in elite golf. Athletic Insight, 4(2), 171–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swann, C., Piggott, D., Crust, L., Keegan, R., & Hemmings, B. (2015). Exploring the interactions underlying flow states: A connecting analysis of flow occurrence in European Tour golfers. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 16, 60–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ufer, M. (2017). Flow-Erleben, Anforderungsfähigkeitspassung und Leistung in extremen Ultramarathon-Wettkämpfen [Flow-experiences, demand-fit-ability and performance in extreme ultramarathon-races]. Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovač.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, M., Keller, J., & Grön, G. (2016). Neural signatures of experimentally induced flow experiences identified in a typical fMRI block design with BOLD imaging. Social Cognition Affect and Neurosciences, 11, 496–507.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, M., Keller, J., Hoenig, K., Waller, C., & Grön, G. (2014). Neural correlates of experimentally induced flow experiences. NeuroImage, 86, 194–202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vurgun, N., Ozsaker, M., & Uludag, S. (2016). Flow experience and performance: A study of elite Turkish handball players. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 16, 562–568.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiggins, M. S., & Freeman, P. (2000). Anxiety and flow: An examination of anxiety direction and the flow experience. International Sports Journal, 42, 78–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, J. M., & Krane, V. (1997). Psychological characteristics of peak performance. In J. M. Williams (Ed.), Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (Vol. 3, pp. 158–170). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wollseiffen, P., Schneider, S., Martin, L. A., Kerhervé, H. A., Klein, T., & Solomon, C. (2016). The effect of 6 h of running on brain activity, mood, and cognitive performance. Experimental Brain Research, 234, 1829–1836.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young, J. A. (2000). Professional tennis players in the zone. In S. J. Haake & A. Coe (Eds.), Tennis science and technology. Malden, MA: Blackwell Science.

    Google Scholar 

  • Youssef, H. S. A. (2013). Transient hypofrontality hypothesis and flow experience. Doctoral dissertation, Halle (Saale), Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek. Sachsen-Anhalt.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Sports Science, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany

    Oliver Stoll & Michele Ufer

Authors
  1. Oliver Stoll
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michele Ufer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Oliver Stoll .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany

    Corinna Peifer

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany

    Stefan Engeser

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Stoll, O., Ufer, M. (2021). Flow in Sports and Exercise: A Historical Overview. In: Peifer, C., Engeser, S. (eds) Advances in Flow Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53468-4_13

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation