'Rock Band' unravels concentration secrets

 
Flow refers to a state of concentration so focussed that it amounts to absolute absorption in whatever one is doing.

The types of work that lead people to achieve flow have some common traits, including being goal directed, providing feedback and giving a sense of meaning to the worker.
Flow occurs only when the person feels in control of the process.

Clive Fullagar and Patrick Knight, professor and associate professor, respectively, at Kansas State University, found that most people achieve flow at work that is neither too easy nor too hard but just right.

“For those students who have a moderate level of skill at Rock Band, the song has to be moderately challenging and match his or her skill level for optimal enjoyment to occur,” Fullagar said.

“That has broad implications for teaching. It means that if we want students to enjoy or get a lot of satisfaction out of classes, we need to assign them challenging tasks but make sure that they have the skills necessary to meet the challenges of those tasks.” The findings appeared in the September issue of the Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology.