The Game/flow Connection

As noted above, games are intrinsically enjoyable. They are self-contained activities in which the experience is the reward rather than other future benefits. This type of pursuit is termed “autotelic,” derived from two Greek words: auto, meaning self, and telos meaning goal. Csíkszentmihályi hypothesized that people with autotelic personality traits (that is, someone actively disposed to seek challenges) may be better able to achieve flow than the average person. Autotelic traits include curiosity, persistence, low egotism, and a high propensity to perform activities for intrinsic reasons. This closely describes the personality of a board gamer who plays for enjoyment rather than solely for competition. For these gamers, while winning is the object of an individual game, it is not the point of playing. The chance to experience the game is the overarching goal.

Studies have found that people with an autotelic personality have a greater preference for “high-action-opportunity, high-skills situations that stimulate them and encourage growth.” Experimental evidence shows that a balance between individual skills and the demands of the task elicits the flow experience. Several correlational studies have found that subjects’ need for achievement is a personal characteristic that fosters flow experiences. This makes sense; to do well at something, one must on some level desire to do well. The flow state creates a positive feedback loop. As a player hits the sweet spot of matching difficulty level and skill level, achievement — and confidence — steadily increase, and the cycle continues.