Neural correlates of flow using auditory evoked potential suppression

Flow, the hyper-engaged state often called 'being in the zone' in athletics, can be objectively measured using a non-disruptive EEG probe. By suppressing auditory evoked potentials while participants played a first-person shooter game, researchers tracked immersion depth continuously. Comparing this record with overall EEG data revealed neural correlates in the anterior cingulate cortex and temporal pole, which showed increased beta band activity, mutual connectivity, and feedback connectivity with primary motor cortex. These findings indicate that flow is a quantifiable state of consciousness identifiable across subjective, behavioral, and neural measures.

Study at a glance

Abstract

"Flow" is a hyper-engaged state of consciousness most commonly described in athletics, popularly termed "being in the zone." Quantitative research into flow has been hampered by the disruptive nature of gathering subjective reports. Here we show that a passive probe (suppression of Auditory Evoked Potential in EEG) that allowed our participants to remain engaged in a first-person shooting game while we continually tracked the depth of their immersion corresponded with the participants' subjective experiences, and with their objective performance levels. Comparing this time-varying record of flow against the overall EEG record, we identified neural correlates of flow in the anterior cingulate cortex and the temporal pole. These areas displayed increased beta band activity, mutual connectivity, and feedback connectivity with primary motor cortex. These results corroborate the notion that the flow state is an objective and quantifiable state of consciousness, which we identify and characterize across subjective, behavioral and neural measures.