Abstract
Previous work has demonstrated the role of group-based flow in group performance and experience, but the physiological correlates of these relations are largely unknown. We examined the relation between cardiovascular synchronization, self-reported flow, and performance in a three-person online gaming task. We included measures of Heart Rate (HR), Pre-Ejection Period (PEP), and Cardiac Output (CO) as indices of task engagement and challenge (vs. threat) motivation. Group members were identifiable (i.e., visible) or anonymous during the game. Results indicated that PEP (as a marker of task engagement) and within-group synchronization in PEP, predicted flow, and that synchronization in PEP mediated the relation between group performance and experienced flow. The anonymity vs. identifiability of group members did not play a role in these effects. Results are discussed in terms of implications for flow theory, group dynamics, and physiological synchrony.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e14227 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | Psychophysiology |
| Volume | 60 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Early online date | 2 Dec 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors would like to thank Hanna Bos, Mariia Nedoshivina, and Daan Postma for their help in designing and running the experiment and Tom Wilderjans for his advice regarding the statistical analyses.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. Psychophysiology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Psychophysiological Research.
Keywords
- cardiovascular synchronization
- challenge and threat
- group flow
- group performance
- social identity