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Relationship between mindfulness and the propensity of individuals to experience flow
Abstract
The study examines the relationships between mindfulness and flow dispositions, through the investigation of differences in flow dispositions between groups of university athletes of distinctive mindfulness characteristics. Hollander's model of personality depicting psychological core, typical response and role-related behaviour is adopted as the theoretical framework (Hollander, 1967). 164 university athletes (69 women and 95 men, mean age = 22.4 years old, SD = 1.84) were clustered into three distinctive mindfulness groups based on their responses on the Mindfulness/Mindlessness Scale (MMS; Bodner & Langer, 2001). Three distinctive clusters formed using Ward's method (Ward, 1963) were as follows : High Mindfulness Group (n = 40), Moderate Mindfulness Group (n = 63), and Low Mindfulness Group (n = 61). High Mindfulness Group is characterised by higher novelty seeking, novelty producing, flexibility, and moderate engagement. Members of the Moderate Mindfulness Group displays moderate novelty seeking, novelty producing, flexibility, and high engagement. Low Mindfulness Group exudes lower in all the four mindfulness characteristics. Significant differences between the High Mindfulness Group and Low Mindfulness Group were found for six out of nine flow dispositions (p < .05) assessed using Flow Disposition Scale -2 (DFS-2, Jackson & Eklund, 2004). Those in the High Mindfulness Group scored significantly higher in balance of skill/challenge, merging of action and awareness, goals, concentration, loss of self-consciousness, and autotelic experience scores compared to the Low Mindfulness Group. The findings suggest that mindfulness characteristics is related to flow dispositions.
Date Issued
2006
Call Number
GV706.4 Kee
Date Submitted
2006