A Diffuse Archipelago of Constructs

The field of flow research is now expansive and still expanding, with multiple concepts and models seeking to account for what it is, how it unfolds and the function it serves, but such multiplicity and diversity are problematic when those concepts and models do not speak to each other but remain discrete and stand in competition with each other. Part I addresses this issue directly, by considering, critiquing and integrating different concepts and models of flow, attending first to the componential model and subsequently to channel and process models. Analysis is anchored on the foundational relationship between challenge and skill, which is also associated with clarity of goals and feedback and the role and significance of control or mastery in flow. Discussion prioritises the role of flow in skill development, emphasises its transcendental significance, reformulates the relationship between control and flow, distinguishes between activity, challenge and flow processes, and provides for clearer delineation between flow and related phenomena, such as peak experiences. Ultimately, Part I progressively develops an interstitial model of flow that accommodates divergent constructs and facilitates both more nuanced interrogation of flow-in-practice and more cohesive, collaborative research.