Speaker
Description
Flow describes a state of deep absorption during skilled performance that is linked to intrinsic enjoyment and achievement, yet its neural basis remains poorly understood. Because musical performance reliably elicits flow, we used piano playing as a model to investigate associations between subjective flow and neurophysiology. EEG was recorded while 30 pianists performed a self-selected, flow-inducing piece across five trials. In trial 4, the mapping between keypress and volume was manipulated to disrupt flow. Participants completed a flow questionnaire after each trial. Flow showed the expected pattern: scores increased across the first three trials, dropped during the perturbation trial, and rebounded in trial five. Preliminary EEG spectral analyses further indicate a positive association between flow alpha power. Additional analyses and results will be presented and discussed.