Stewart I. Donaldson, Ph.D., is Distinguished University Professor and Executive Director of the Claremont Evaluation Center (CEC) and the Evaluators' Institute (TEI) at Claremont Graduate University (CGU). He is the co-founder of the first graduate and research-focused master's degree programs in positive psychology at CGU. Professor Donaldson serves on the Council of Advisors for the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) and is President of the Western Positive Psychology Association (WPPA). He has published hundreds of peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and evaluation reports, and more than 20 books on positive psychology and evaluation science topics.

Matthew Dubin, Ph.D., is an Organizational Psychologist and one of the leading practitioners on enabling flow at work. He is the co-founder of The Venn Collective, a culture and leadership development consultancy that utilizes flow-based principles to create peak-performing organizations. He works primarily with top-tier organizations in the media, sports, and entertainment industries, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, the National Women's Soccer League, the Toronto Blue Jays, FOX Sports, Hulu, and Paramount.

About the Authors viii

Preface x

1 The New Science and Practice of Positive Psychology: PERMA+4, Optimal Experience, and Beyond 1

The Evidence Base 2

PERMA and PERMA+4 Frameworks 4

Flow 2.0, Optimal Experience, and Beyond 5

References 7

Part I What Mihaly Taught Us About Flow 9

2 The Basics of Flow and Optimal Experience 11

Conditions of the Flow Experience 12

Clear Goals 12

Immediate Feedback 14

The Balance Between Challenge and Skill 15

Characteristics of the Flow Experience 17

Complete Concentration 18

Merging of Action and Awareness 19

Loss of Self- Consciousness 19

Sense of Control 21

Losing Track of Time 22

Intrinsic Motivation 23

Flow in Modern Society 24

References 27

3 Flowing Together: An Overview of Collective Flow 30

Terms to Describe Flow with Others 31

Ten Factors for Creating Collective Flow 32

Group's Goal 33

Close Listening 35

Complete Concentration 35

Being in Control 36

Blending Egos 37

Equal Participation 38

Familiarity 38

Communication 39

Keep it Moving Forward 40

The Potential for Failure 41

The Power of Collective Flow 43

References 44

Part II Flow 2.0 Across Life Contexts 47

4 Flow 2.0: New Digital and the Hybrid World of Work 49

Workplace as the Setting for Finding Flow 49

Positive Psychology Goes to Work 50

Positive Psychology in the Workplace 2.0 51

Work Engagement and Flow 53

Sustaining Focus at Work in the Age of Distraction 54

Facilitating Flow at Work 57

Conclusion 60

References 61

5 Finding Flow in Sports and Leisure Pursuits 64

Flow and Leisure 65

Going with the Flow 66

Flow, TV, and Video Games 69

Flow and Sports 72

Conclusion 78

References 79

6 The Future of Flow in the Digital Society 82

Flow and Artificial Intelligence 86

Overflow: Mitigating a Future of Digital Flow Addiction and Loneliness 88

Flow in the Future: The Balance of Social Interaction in the Digital and Physical Worlds 90

An Optimal Future for Optimal Experience 94

References 97

Part III Summing Up and Conclusions 101

7 What Mihaly's Insights Mean for Our Lives: Human Flourishing, Well- Being, and Positive Functioning in the Years Ahead 103

The Legacy He Wanted to Leave: Positive Psychology 103

Criticisms of Positive Psychology 109

He Wanted Us to Share with the World the Power Flow Theory and Flow 2.0 111

Conclusion 115

References 117

Selected Books by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi 119

Index 120