Abstract
Since the concept of flow was introduced to the sport science literature there has been constant debate over the operational significance of the term (Jackson, 2000). Is flow a state of optimal experience, optimal functioning, or both? In other words, does flow make you feel good, or does it help you to perform better in sport? Ten NCAA male tennis players rated themselves on various indicators of performance, emotion, and flow during competitive inter-squad matches. Forms were completed during each change of side. In total, 918 observations were obtained. Correlations were examined between flow and four valence-function categories of emotions (i.e., positive-functional, positive-dysfunctional, negative-functional, and negative-dysfunctional feelings). If flow is more indicative of optimal experience than performance, pleasant emotions should be more strongly related to flow than functional emotions. In particular, positive-dysfunctional states should correlate higher than negative-functional states. The following correlations were identified between flow and each feeling category: positive-functional (r = .71), positive-dysfunctional (r = -.03), negative-functional (r = .38), and negative-dysfunctional (r = -.23). Flow was more strongly correlated to functional feelings than it was to pleasant feelings. Flow and performance also correlated very strongly with one another (r = .81). The results from this study offer robust support for the notion that flow is more performance-oriented than it is a state of optimal experience.Acknowledgments: Thank you to my advisor, Dr. Dan R. Gould, for his assistance with my dissertation.