IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v18y2017i1d10.1007_s10902-016-9726-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Inverted U-Shaped Function Between Flow and Cortisol Release During Chess Play

Author

Listed:
  • Tahmine Tozman

    (Goethe University Frankfurt)

  • Yichelle Y. Zhang

    (The University of Sydney)

  • Regina Vollmeyer

    (Goethe University Frankfurt)

Abstract

This study focused on the salivary cortisol level and its relation to the two components of flow (flow absorption and flow fluency) in tournament chess players exposed to one of the skill-demand-level manipulations (underload, fit, and overload). The aims of this study were to investigate how skill-demand-level manipulations affect cortisol release and how flow and cortisol release are related in the context of an engaging task. Specifically, the task involved fifty-seven tournament chess players playing chess against a software in one of the experimental groups. We assessed flow after chess playing for 25 min via questionnaire and collected saliva before chess playing (T1), right after chess playing (T2), and 10 min after T2 (T3). Our findings show that cortisol levels were affected by the skill-demand-level manipulations. At T3, participants in the overload group showed higher cortisol levels than participants in the fit and underload groups. There were no differences in cortisol release between the experimental groups at T2. In addition, we found the expected inverted U-shaped relation between cortisol release and flow absorption at T2. A moderate level of cortisol was associated with a higher level of flow absorption. In contrast, a higher level of cortisol was associated with a lower level of flow absorption. Against our expectations, flow fluency was not related to cortisol release. We discuss practical and theoretical implications of our results as well as potential for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Tahmine Tozman & Yichelle Y. Zhang & Regina Vollmeyer, 2017. "Inverted U-Shaped Function Between Flow and Cortisol Release During Chess Play," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 247-268, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:18:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s10902-016-9726-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-016-9726-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-016-9726-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-016-9726-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thais Rogatko, 2009. "The Influence of Flow on Positive Affect in College Students," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 133-148, April.
    2. Lucia Ceja & José Navarro, 2009. "Dynamics of Flow: A Nonlinear Perspective," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(6), pages 665-684, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Guillermo Mendoza & Manuel Jiménez & Jerónimo García-Romero & Jorge García-Bastida & Iván Rivilla & Margarita Carrillo de Albornoz-Gil & Francisco Javier Baron-Lopez & Javier Benítez-Porres & José Ram, 2020. "Challenging the Top Player: A Preliminary Study on Testosterone Response to An Official Chess Tournament," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-11, February.
    2. Corinna Peifer & Christine Syrek & Vivian Ostwald & Eva Schuh & Conny H. Antoni, 2020. "Thieves of Flow: How Unfinished Tasks at Work are Related to Flow Experience and Wellbeing," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(5), pages 1641-1660, June.
    3. Fabienne Aust & Theresa Beneke & Corinna Peifer & Magdalena Wekenborg, 2022. "The Relationship between Flow Experience and Burnout Symptoms: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-30, March.
    4. Camille Tordet & Séverine Erhel & Eric Wodey & Eric Jamet & Nicolas Nardi & Corentin Gonthier, 2021. "The Flow Observational Grid: an Observation-Based Solution to Assess Flow States," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(7), pages 3069-3089, October.
    5. Jacob M. Marszalek & Patricia L. Hager & Jacquelyn N. Anderson & Jack T. Waddell, 2021. "Interrelationships Among Dimensions of Flow and Reactance," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(8), pages 3385-3412, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Amy Isham & Birgitta Gatersleben & Tim Jackson, 2021. "Materialism and the Experience of Flow," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1745-1768, April.
    2. Jacob M. Marszalek & Patricia L. Hager & Jacquelyn N. Anderson & Jack T. Waddell, 2021. "Interrelationships Among Dimensions of Flow and Reactance," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(8), pages 3385-3412, December.
    3. Block, Eryn Piper & Wong, Mitchell David & Kataoka, Sheryl Harumi & Zimmerman, Frederick J., 2022. "A symphony within: Frequent participation in performing arts predicts higher positive mental health in young adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    4. Nadine Richter & Marcel Hunecke, 2021. "The Mindful Hedonist? Relationships between Well-Being Orientations, Mindfulness and Well-Being Experiences," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(7), pages 3111-3135, October.
    5. Kate Sweeny & Kyla Rankin & Xiaorong Cheng & Lulu Hou & Fangfang Long & Yao Meng & Lilian Azer & Renlai Zhou & Weiwei Zhang, 2020. "Flow in the time of COVID-19: Findings from China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-12, November.
    6. Cedomir Ignjatovic & Margaret L. Kern & Lindsay G. Oades, 2022. "Flow Support at Work: Examining the Relationship Between Strengths Use and Flow at Work Among School Staff over a Three-Year Period," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 455-475, February.
    7. HÉDER-RIMA Mária, 2020. "How Can Work Be An Experience?," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(1), pages 356-366, July.
    8. Fabienne Aust & Theresa Beneke & Corinna Peifer & Magdalena Wekenborg, 2022. "The Relationship between Flow Experience and Burnout Symptoms: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-30, March.
    9. Högberg, Johan & Ramberg, Marcus Olsson & Gustafsson, Anders & Wästlund, Erik, 2019. "Creating brand engagement through in-store gamified customer experiences," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 122-130.
    10. Marta Bassi & Patrizia Steca & Dario Monzani & Andrea Greco & Antonella Delle Fave, 2014. "Personality and Optimal Experience in Adolescence: Implications for Well-Being and Development," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 829-843, August.
    11. Amy Isham & Caroline Verfuerth & Alison Armstrong & Patrick Elf & Birgitta Gatersleben & Tim Jackson, 2022. "The Problematic Role of Materialistic Values in the Pursuit of Sustainable Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-20, March.
    12. Camille Tordet & Séverine Erhel & Eric Wodey & Eric Jamet & Nicolas Nardi & Corentin Gonthier, 2021. "The Flow Observational Grid: an Observation-Based Solution to Assess Flow States," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(7), pages 3069-3089, October.
    13. Helga Løvoll & Joar Vittersø, 2014. "Can Balance be Boring? A Critique of the “Challenges Should Match Skills” Hypotheses in Flow Theory," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 115(1), pages 117-136, January.
    14. John Coffey & Laura Wray-Lake & Debra Mashek & Brittany Branand, 2016. "A Multi-Study Examination of Well-Being Theory in College and Community Samples," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 187-211, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:18:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s10902-016-9726-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.