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Applying the lens of experience, a good life is deemed to be characterized by full absorption in what one does (Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi, 2002). In addition, experiencing flow is linked with personal growth (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Therefore, it is not surprising that understanding the optimal experience of flow is considered important. Nonetheless, it is never easy to clearly explain this complex but positive subjective experience. Thus, the present investigation was conducted to provide a clearer conceptualization of flow based on theoretical and empirical grounds to foster understanding of this optimal experience. In order to pursue this primary purpose, the following 3 studies were conducted. The purpose of Study 1 was to develop multidimensional measurement instruments for use with Japanese adults to assess flow experience in physical activity. To this end, the Flow State Scale-2 and Dispositional Flow Scale-2 (FSS-2 and DFS-2) were adapted (translated) from English to Japanese, following the guidelines for test adaptation proposed by Duda and Hayashi (1998) and Tanzer and Sim (1999). Employing a 9-factor 1st-order model, the factorial validity of the Japanese versions of the FSS-2 and DFS-2 (JFSS-2 and JDFS-2) was tested and cross-validated with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Through a multi-staged approach, a series of CFAs were conducted on data from large Japanese samples (preliminary samples: n = 578; calibration samples: n = 975; validation samples: n = 970). In addition to internal consistency reliability for both scales, stability was assessed over a 4- week time period for the JDFS-2. Furthermore, measurement equivalence was examined across Japanese independent samples as well as 2 cultural samples. The findings from this study provided strong support for the validity and reliability of the JFSS-2 and JDFS-2 in assessing flow experiences in physical activity for Japanese adults, and indicated that the Japanese versions of the flow scales are useful instruments for cross-cultural research. The purpose of Study 2 was to examine the internal structure of flow as part of an ongoing process of construct validation of flow responses. A total of 4,175 respondents (Japanese: n = 2,041; English-speaking: n = 2,134) completed one of the Japanese and English versions of the FSS-2 or DFS-2. For the Japanese respondents, data from calibration and validation samples in Study 1 were used. Alternative representations of flow responses were cross-culturally examined by testing 11 alternative 1st- and higher-order CFA models. The CFA findings cross-culturally supported and extended Marsh and Jackson’s (1999) argument that the situational and dispositional flow responses were best represented by the multidimensional 1st-order representation rather than the higher-order representation. Confirming clear support for the 1st-order representation of flow, structural equation models (i.e., a priori and post hoc models) were tested to examine the hypothesis that flow experience is an attentional process of absorption in the task at hand, which generates intrinsically rewarding feelings. Results of both models clearly supported the hypothesis across the 2 large cultural samples. The purposes of Study 3 were to examine the utility of multi-group comparisons with the JFSS-2 and JDFS-2 and to further examine the construct validity of the Japanese flow responses. Data used in Study 3 were identical to the Japanese samples in Study 2 (N = 2,041). Factorial invariance in a 9-factor measurement model was tested for both flow scales for 5 key variables: the quality of physical activity experience, participation level, types of physical activity, gender, and age. Given an adequate level of measurement invariance, factor means were compared across groups for each variable. Furthermore, correlations between a continuous measure of the complexity of flow and the JFSS-2 factors were examined. Invariance of factor loadings and intercepts was achieved for all the key variables. Through factor mean comparisons for the quality of physical activity experience and participation level, the flow group consistently showed higher scores on most situational factors compared with the other groups (i.e., non-flow conditions), and the competitive groups had higher scores on most factors than the recreational groups for both the JFSS-2 and JDFS-2. Moreover, the continuous flow measure was most highly correlated with the situational Challenge-Skill Balance factor, and the pattern of the size of correlations between this continuous flow measure and other situational factors were similar to those between the Challenge-Skill Balance and other JFSS-2 factors. The findings from this study provided evidence that meaningful multi-group comparisons can be made for the key variables examined with the Japanese flow scales, and also further support for the construct validity of the Japanese flow responses. In conclusion, the general conceptualization of flow as an attentional process of absorption in the task at hand, which generates intrinsically rewarding feelings, fosters further understanding of flow experience in physical activity. Furthermore, systematic cross-cultural studies with different adapted versions of the flow scales aid understanding of cultural similarities and differences in flow experience and contribute to further development of flow theory and its application. |
