The neuroscientific basis of flow: Learning progress guides task engagement and cognitive control
People often strive for deep engagement in activities, a state typically associated with feelings of flow - full task absorption accompanied by a sense of control and enjoyment. The intrinsic factors driving such engagement and facilitating subjective feelings of flow remain unclear. Building on com...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | NeuroImage |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925000783 |
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| author | Hairong Lu Dimitri Van der Linden Arnold B. Bakker |
| author_facet | Hairong Lu Dimitri Van der Linden Arnold B. Bakker |
| author_sort | Hairong Lu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | People often strive for deep engagement in activities, a state typically associated with feelings of flow - full task absorption accompanied by a sense of control and enjoyment. The intrinsic factors driving such engagement and facilitating subjective feelings of flow remain unclear. Building on computational theories of intrinsic motivation, this study examines how learning progress predicts engagement and directs cognitive control. Results showed that task engagement, indicated by feelings of flow and low distractibility, is a function of learning progress. Electroencephalography data further revealed that learning progress is associated with enhanced proactive preparation (e.g., reduced pre-stimulus contingent negativity variance and parietal alpha desynchronization) and improved feedback processing (e.g., increased P3b amplitude and parietal alpha desynchronization). The impact of learning progress on cognitive control is observed at the task-block and goal-episode levels, but not at the trial level. This suggests that learning progress shapes cognitive control over extended periods as progress accumulates. These findings highlight the critical role of learning progress in sustaining engagement and cognitive control in goal-directed behavior. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ec56d5601bdb433f835c633a3eaebe6d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1095-9572 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeuroImage |
| spelling | doaj-art-ec56d5601bdb433f835c633a3eaebe6d2025-02-12T05:30:41ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722025-03-01308121076The neuroscientific basis of flow: Learning progress guides task engagement and cognitive controlHairong Lu0Dimitri Van der Linden1Arnold B. Bakker2Department of Psychology, Education, and Child studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Corresponding author.Department of Psychology, Education, and Child studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the NetherlandsDepartment of Psychology, Education, and Child studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South AfricaPeople often strive for deep engagement in activities, a state typically associated with feelings of flow - full task absorption accompanied by a sense of control and enjoyment. The intrinsic factors driving such engagement and facilitating subjective feelings of flow remain unclear. Building on computational theories of intrinsic motivation, this study examines how learning progress predicts engagement and directs cognitive control. Results showed that task engagement, indicated by feelings of flow and low distractibility, is a function of learning progress. Electroencephalography data further revealed that learning progress is associated with enhanced proactive preparation (e.g., reduced pre-stimulus contingent negativity variance and parietal alpha desynchronization) and improved feedback processing (e.g., increased P3b amplitude and parietal alpha desynchronization). The impact of learning progress on cognitive control is observed at the task-block and goal-episode levels, but not at the trial level. This suggests that learning progress shapes cognitive control over extended periods as progress accumulates. These findings highlight the critical role of learning progress in sustaining engagement and cognitive control in goal-directed behavior.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925000783Learning progressFlow experienceEngagementCognitive controlGoal-directed behavior |
| spellingShingle | Hairong Lu Dimitri Van der Linden Arnold B. Bakker The neuroscientific basis of flow: Learning progress guides task engagement and cognitive control NeuroImage Learning progress Flow experience Engagement Cognitive control Goal-directed behavior |
| title | The neuroscientific basis of flow: Learning progress guides task engagement and cognitive control |
| title_full | The neuroscientific basis of flow: Learning progress guides task engagement and cognitive control |
| title_fullStr | The neuroscientific basis of flow: Learning progress guides task engagement and cognitive control |
| title_full_unstemmed | The neuroscientific basis of flow: Learning progress guides task engagement and cognitive control |
| title_short | The neuroscientific basis of flow: Learning progress guides task engagement and cognitive control |
| title_sort | neuroscientific basis of flow learning progress guides task engagement and cognitive control |
| topic | Learning progress Flow experience Engagement Cognitive control Goal-directed behavior |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925000783 |
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