Using mental contrasting to promote flow experiences at work: A just-in-time adaptive intervention

Using repeated measurements in everyday life, we assessed whether a smartphone-based just-in-time adaptive intervention prompting use of metacognitive strategies enhances flow at work. Assuming that setting clear goals and disengaging from unattainable or undesirable goals enables individuals to eng...

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Main Authors: Karen Bartholomeyczik, Michael T. Knierim, Christof Weinhardt, Gabriele Oettingen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Computers in Human Behavior Reports
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958824001210
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author Karen Bartholomeyczik
Michael T. Knierim
Christof Weinhardt
Gabriele Oettingen
author_facet Karen Bartholomeyczik
Michael T. Knierim
Christof Weinhardt
Gabriele Oettingen
author_sort Karen Bartholomeyczik
collection DOAJ
description Using repeated measurements in everyday life, we assessed whether a smartphone-based just-in-time adaptive intervention prompting use of metacognitive strategies enhances flow at work. Assuming that setting clear goals and disengaging from unattainable or undesirable goals enables individuals to engage in tasks aligned with their skills, we expected that mentally contrasting positive outcomes of a wish with an inner obstacle to the realization of this wish increases flow compared to a simple goal-setting strategy. We reminded participants (N = 59 knowledge workers) either adaptively or statically to use mental contrasting or the control goal-setting strategy. Repeated strategy use increased the likelihood of experiencing flow regardless of the specific strategy employed. However, results show that flow increases more over time when applying mental contrasting than the control strategy. Our findings fail to confirm the superiority of the prompt using an adaptive decision rule for when the person receives support compared to the static prompt. We discuss the necessity of assessing extended periods to examine differences between adaptive and static support in terms of habit formation and intervention fatigue. Our study contributes to the development of smartphone-based, adaptive interventions for knowledge workers which enable them to autonomously increase their flow in everyday life.
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spelling doaj-art-86e47634427c4a42b21716ef019161292025-08-20T02:49:41ZengElsevierComputers in Human Behavior Reports2451-95882024-12-011610048810.1016/j.chbr.2024.100488Using mental contrasting to promote flow experiences at work: A just-in-time adaptive interventionKaren Bartholomeyczik0Michael T. Knierim1Christof Weinhardt2Gabriele Oettingen3Institute of Information Systems and Marketing, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 89-93, Karlsruhe, Germany; Department of Psychology, New York University, United States; Corresponding author. Institute of Information Systems and Marketing, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 89-93, Karlsruhe, Germany.Institute of Information Systems and Marketing, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 89-93, Karlsruhe, GermanyInstitute of Information Systems and Marketing, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 89-93, Karlsruhe, GermanyDepartment of Psychology, New York University, United States; Department of Political and Social Sciences, Zeppelin University, Friedrichshafen, GermanyUsing repeated measurements in everyday life, we assessed whether a smartphone-based just-in-time adaptive intervention prompting use of metacognitive strategies enhances flow at work. Assuming that setting clear goals and disengaging from unattainable or undesirable goals enables individuals to engage in tasks aligned with their skills, we expected that mentally contrasting positive outcomes of a wish with an inner obstacle to the realization of this wish increases flow compared to a simple goal-setting strategy. We reminded participants (N = 59 knowledge workers) either adaptively or statically to use mental contrasting or the control goal-setting strategy. Repeated strategy use increased the likelihood of experiencing flow regardless of the specific strategy employed. However, results show that flow increases more over time when applying mental contrasting than the control strategy. Our findings fail to confirm the superiority of the prompt using an adaptive decision rule for when the person receives support compared to the static prompt. We discuss the necessity of assessing extended periods to examine differences between adaptive and static support in terms of habit formation and intervention fatigue. Our study contributes to the development of smartphone-based, adaptive interventions for knowledge workers which enable them to autonomously increase their flow in everyday life.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958824001210FlowAmbulatory assessmentInterventionMental contrastingKnowledge workAdaption
spellingShingle Karen Bartholomeyczik
Michael T. Knierim
Christof Weinhardt
Gabriele Oettingen
Using mental contrasting to promote flow experiences at work: A just-in-time adaptive intervention
Computers in Human Behavior Reports
Flow
Ambulatory assessment
Intervention
Mental contrasting
Knowledge work
Adaption
title Using mental contrasting to promote flow experiences at work: A just-in-time adaptive intervention
title_full Using mental contrasting to promote flow experiences at work: A just-in-time adaptive intervention
title_fullStr Using mental contrasting to promote flow experiences at work: A just-in-time adaptive intervention
title_full_unstemmed Using mental contrasting to promote flow experiences at work: A just-in-time adaptive intervention
title_short Using mental contrasting to promote flow experiences at work: A just-in-time adaptive intervention
title_sort using mental contrasting to promote flow experiences at work a just in time adaptive intervention
topic Flow
Ambulatory assessment
Intervention
Mental contrasting
Knowledge work
Adaption
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958824001210
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