Scientists Think They Finally Cracked the Flow State
This elusive yet powerful mental state has alluded scientists for decades, but they've recently made a breakthrough
Hiya!
If you’ve ever found yourself totally lost in an activity, especially a creative one, you’ve likely experienced what psychologists call the “flow state.” I’ve experienced it countless times during various mental and physical activities, including while writing these articles.
But what causes the flow state, and what happens in the brain when it’s engaged? Is it simply the result of being hyperfocused? Or does something else create the mindset? Such questions have been disputed yet unanswered for decades, but a new study claims to have answers that finally settle the long-held debate.
A Little History
In 1990, a pioneering psychological scientist at the University of Chicago named Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi earned the nickname “father of flow” after publishing an outline of his theory in Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.
His inspiration stemmed from his childhood while growing up in Europe during World War II. The pain and suffering he witnessed during that time motivated him to seek out what makes life worth living, a curiosity he pursued for the rest of his life.
During Csikszentmihalyi’s quest to better understand positive experiences and what causes them, he became intrigued with the way some artists get lost in their work. The artists became so immersed that they ignored bodily cues for basic survival activities like eating, hydrating, and sleeping.
In an obituary for Csikszentmihalyi, who passed away in 2021, the University of Chicago said several of Csikszentmihalyi’s interview subjects explained their experiences by saying they felt as if a water current was carrying them. According to the university, that metaphor inspired the term “flow state.” They also write that Csikszentmihalyi defined “the flow” as:
“[A] state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.”
I find his description highly relatable, but I’ll get into that at the end. You can no doubt relate to it, too, especially since the flow state appears to be a Universal Human trait. Yet, despite its seeming commonality, no one knew what was happening within the brain during the flow state.
In fact, experts have spent over four decades discussing possibilities but have mostly settled on two primary theories. Still, which one is correct, if either of them is, hasn’t been proven, so the debate continues.
But a recent neuroimaging study led by John Kounios, a professor in the College of Arts and Sciences and director of Drexel University’s Creativity Research Lab, and David Rosen, a recent graduate from the College and Johns Hopkins University postdoc, might finally settle the debate. Before I tell you about it, though, let’s discuss the two theories.
Theory One: Hyperfocus
Researchers theorized that two brain networks unlock the flow state, and considering their functions, it’s not difficult to see why.
The first is called the default mode network (DMN), a circuit of connected brain regions involved in things like daydreaming. DMN activity spikes the most when we’re not engaged in any tasks, hence why it’s literally called our “default mode.”
The second is the executive control network (ECN), which is most active during complex cognitive tasks such as tuning out distractions or problem-solving. ECN is especially active during the creative process.
Both networks can work independently, but they’ve also been seen to interact in dynamic ways and display intriguing levels of connectivity.
So, Theory One suggests the flow state occurs when increased ECN activity guides the DMN activity, keeping it focused on a task and helping generate related ideas. Kounios suggests thinking of it as if the ECN were a person “supervising” a TV (representing the DMN) by picking the media it streams.
Theory Two: Expertise + Letting Go
The alternative theory for how flow state develops suggests that as a person gains expertise through practicing an activity, their brain creates a new neural network dedicated to that activity — one that doesn’t require the ENC or DMN.
The idea is that over time, the brain creates a specialized network dedicated to producing specific ideas that align with any activity we practice intensely.
In this case, the ECN takes a break from its supervisory role so a person can “let go” during the activity and allow this other specialized network to perform without interruption.
The Drexel scientists said the key to this theory is the idea that anyone who doesn’t have extensive experience in a task or who struggles to release internal control should be less likely to experience a deep flow state. So, they decided to test it.
The Study
Kounios, Rosen, and their team designed a four-step study to determine which of the two theories is most accurate.
First, using high-density electroencephalogram (EEG) caps — fitted caps covered with electrodes that stick to the scalp and track the brain’s electrical activity — the researchers recorded the brain activity of 32 jazz guitarists as they improvised to six jazz tracks featuring piano, drums, and bass accompaniments.
Afterward, the musicians, who varied in skill level, rated the intensity of their flow state experiences for each improvisation. Next, the researchers played the resulting 192 songs or “takes” for four jazz experts, who rated them on things like creativity. Lastly, the researchers analyzed the EEG recordings to see which brain regions were most active during high-flow takes and compared them to activity during the low-flow takes.
The Results
The researchers discovered that experienced musicians had less ECN and DMN activity while in a flow state, suggesting they didn’t need to rely on either network to generate ideas.
Instead, the experienced guitarists had increased activity in sensory brain regions responsible for processing visual, auditory, and movement signals — all things involved in playing guitar. This suggests that the musicians “let go” or switched to “autopilot” during flow states and experienced less conscious control.
On the flip side, the more novice musicians showed minimal flow-related brain activity. This means their baseline brain activity —including their DMNs, ECNs, and other processing centers — didn’t change much when they improvised, regardless of whether they reported experiencing a high or low flow state.
This contrast in brain activity between more experienced and less experienced musicians suggests that a high-flow state requires expertise in a task and the ability to “let go” of internal control. In a statement by Drexel University about the research, Kounios explains:
“A practical implication of these results is that productive flow states can be attained by practice to build up expertise in a particular creative outlet coupled with training to withdraw conscious control when enough expertise has been achieved. This can be the basis for new techniques for instructing people to produce creative ideas.”
In the same statement, Kounios offers some advice based on the study’s results for anyone who wants to achieve a high-flow state. He says:
“If you want to be able to stream ideas fluently, then keep working on those musical scales, physics problems, or whatever else you want to do creatively — computer coding, fiction writing — you name it. But then, try letting go. As jazz great Charlie Parker said, ‘You’ve got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.’”
The Drexel team published their research in the journal Neuropsychologia on March 4, 2023.
Perspective Shift
The Charlie Parker quote Kounios references reminds me of a motto my high school dance team coaches used to say — “Practice makes permanent.” Their strategy was to have us dance a routine repeatedly until the moves became automatic.
The skills I learned then laid the foundation for me to easily “let go” and achieve the flow state. I went on to apply those lessons to other activities I spent years learning, including massage therapy, arts and crafts, reading, writing, meditation, exercise, gardening, and so much more.
Forgetting to eat is my biggest issue when I enter a deep flow state, and can easily go 12 hours or more without food.
Or maybe I do this because my mind is generally a pretty quiet place. This might sound strange, but most of my “thinking” is physical, in the form of feelings or intuition that I follow. More likely, it’s a combination of both.
Regardless, the study conducted by Drexel University is fascinating and offers compelling evidence that the flow state is not simply a state of hyperfocus, as Theory One suggests. Instead, it appears to be a combination of gaining expertise and learning to “let go,” as Theory Two proposes. Now, I’m curious whether muscle memory comes into play, but I guess we’ll have to wait to find out.
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I’ve always wondered about this. Well-written, informative, and interesting article. Thanks, Katrina.