Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Flow Within Everyday Emotions and Motivations: A Reversal Theory Perspective

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Flow Experience

Abstract

This chapter introduces reversal theory in relation to flow theory and explains why it could be helpful in exploring flow within everyday emotions and motivations. Reversal theory itself is described and the methods by which people are thought to move between metamotivational states are explained. It is argued that flow and reversal theory have similarities, but differ in how they propose people enter and leave optimal states and in the number and type of optimal state that are thought to be part of human experience. Reversal theory’s emphasis on the dynamic nature of people’s emotions and motivations, combined with the suggestion that there are eight different types of optimal state, appear compatible with findings from phenomenological research that explored the flow process. The rationale for undertaking phenomenological research exploring the flow process will be provided. The methodology of phenomenology will be justified and explored and clarification given to the method used within these phenomenological studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Apter, M. (2006). Danger: Our quest for excitement. Oxford: Oneworld Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Apter, M. (2007). Reversal theory: The dynamics of motivation, emotion and personality (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oneworld Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Apter International. (2003). Eight ways of being: Insights from the Apter motivational style profile. Loughborough: Apter International Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Apter, M. J., & Batler, R. (1997). Gratuitous risk: A study of parachuting. In S. Svebak & M. J. Apter (Eds.), Stress and health: A reversal theory perspective (pp. 119–130). Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Apter, M. J., & Carter, C. (2001). Management in organisations. In M. J. Apter (Ed.), Motivational styles in everyday life: A guide to reversal theory (pp. 251–262). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Apter, M. J., & Desselles, M. (2012). Disclosure humor and distortion humor: A reversal theory analysis. Humor, 25(4), 417–435.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Apter, M. J., & Heskin, K. (2001). Basic research on reversal theory. In M. J. Apter (Ed.), Motivational styles in everyday life: A guide to reversal theory (pp. 77–96). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Apter, M. J., & Spirn, N. (1997). Motives for donating blood. In S. Svebak & M. J. Apter (Eds.), Stress and health: A reversal theory perspective (pp. 145–156). Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Apter, M. J., Mallows, R., & Williams, S. (1998). The development of the motivational style profile. Personality and Individual Differences, 24, 7–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, C. (1992). Living & relating: An introduction to phenomenology. Newbury Park: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blaydon, M. J., Linder, K. J., & Kerr, J. H. (2004). Metamotivational characteristics of exercise dependence and eating disorders in highly active amateur sport participants. Personality and Individual Differences, 36, 1419–1432.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boddington, E. L., & McDermott, M. R. (2012). Predicting resistance to health education messages for cannabis use: The role of rebelliousness, autic mastery, health value and ethnicity. Journal of Health Psychology, 18(2), 157–166. doi:10.1177/1359105312438111.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, R. A. F. (2001). Addictions. In M. J. Apter (Ed.), Motivational styles in everyday life: A guide to reversal theory (pp. 155–166). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Burris, R. F., & O’Connell, K. A. (2003). Reversal theory states and cigarette availability predict lapses during smoking cessation among adolescents. Research in Nursing & Health, 26, 263–272.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carpentier, F. D., Knobloch, S., & Zillmann, D. (2003). Rock, rap and rebellion: Comparisons of traits predicting selective exposure to defiant music. Personality and Individual Differences, 35, 1643–1655.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Concise Oxford English Dictionary. (11th ed.). (2004). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1975). Beyond boredom and anxiety: The experience of play of play in work and games. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1993). Evolution and flow. In M. Csikszentmihalyi (Ed.), The evolving self (pp. 175–205). New York: Harper Collins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2002). Flow: The classic work on how to achieve happiness. London: Rider.

    Google Scholar 

  • Desselles, M. L., Murphy, S. L., & Theys, E. (2014). The development of the reversal theory state measure. Journal of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality, 2(1), 10–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donner, E. J., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1992). Transforming stress to flow. Executive Excellence, 9(2), 16–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emerson, H., Cook, J., Polatajko, H., & Segal, R. (1998). Enjoyment experiences as described by persons with schizophrenia. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65(1), 183–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Florenthal, B., & Shoham, A. (2001). The impact of persuasive information on changes in attitude and behavioural intentions towards risky sports for arousal-seeking versus arousal-avoidance individuals. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 10(2), 83–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fontana, D., & Valente, L. (1997). Stress in the workplace: Causes and treatments. In S. Svebak & M. J. Apter (Eds.), Stress and health: A reversal theory perspective (pp. 199–208). Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frith, J. J., Kerr, J. H., & Wilson, G. V. (2011). Immediate improvements in emotions and stress following participation in aerobics, circuit training and Tai Chi. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 4, 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fujiyama, H., Wilson, G. V., & Kerr, J. H. (2005). Motivational state and emotional tone in baseball: The reciprocity between reversal theory and field research. Revue Européenne de Psychologie Appliquée, 55, 71–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerhardsson, C., & Jonsson, H. (1996). Experience of therapeutic occupations in schizophrenic subjects: Clinical observations organized in terms of the flow theory. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 3, 149–155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerkovitch, M. M. (2001). Risk-taking. In M. J. Apter (Ed.), Motivational styles in everyday life: A guide to reversal theory (pp. 215–228). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Gielen, M., Van Leeuwen, L., & Westwood, D. (2011). Designing for the real child: Toy designers and psychologists in dialogue on reversal theory. In N. F. M. Roozenburg, L. L. Chen, P. J. Stappers (Eds.), Proceedings of the fourth world conference on design research. TUDelft.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giorgi, A. (2000). Concerning the application of phenomenology to caring research. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 14, 11–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Giraudeau, C., Chasseigne, G., Apter, M. J., & Mullet, E. (2007). Adults’ lay views about intelligence: A reversal theory approach. Personality and Individual Differences, 42, 169–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gotts, G. H., Kerr, J. H., & Wangeman, J. F. (2000). Towards an international scale of telic-paratelic dominance. Personality and Individual Differences, 28, 217–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grange, P., & Kerr, J. H. (2011). Do athletes renowned for their aggressive play transfer aggression to non-sport settings? An exploratory qualitative study. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, 20, 359–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houge Mackenzie, S., & Kerr, J. H. (2012). A (mis)guided adventure tourism experience: An autoethnographic analysis of mountaineering in Bolivia. Journal of Sport and Tourism, 17, 125–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houge Mackenzie, S., & Kerr, J. H. (2013). Stress and emotions at work: An adventure tour guide's experiences. Tourism Management, 36, 3–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houge Mackenzie, S., Hodge, K., & Boyes, M. (2011). Expanding the flow model in adventure activities: A reversal theory perspective. Journal of Leisure Research, 43(4), 519–544.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houge Mackenzie, S., Hodge, K., & Boyes, M. (2013). The multi-phasic and dynamic nature of flow in adventure experiences. Journal of Leisure Research, 45(2), 214–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howard, R., Yan, T. S., Ling, L. H., & Min, T. S. (2002). Risk taking and metamotivational state. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 155–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • James, O. (1998). Britain on the couch: Treating a low serotonin society. London: Arrow Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, B. L., & Vectis, R. N. (2004). Contexts of the flow experience of women with HIV/AIDS. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 24(3), 83–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, J. H., & Males, J. R. (2010). The experience of losing: Qualitative study of elite lacrosse athletes and team performance at a world championship. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 11, 394–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, J. H., & Males, J. R. (2011). Experiencing aggression in sport: Insights from a lacrosse world championship tournament. Sport and Exercise Psychology Review, 7, 26–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, J. H., & Vlaminkx, J. (1997). Gender differences in the experience of risk. Personality and Individual Differences, 22(2), 293–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, J. H., Kawaguchi, C., Oiwa, M., Terayama, Y., & Zukawa, A. (2000). Stress, anxiety and other emotions in Japanese modern dance performance. Pacific Journal of Psychology, 11(1), 16–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, J. H., Au, C. K. F., & Lindner, K. J. (2004). Motivation and level of risk in female and male recreational sport participation. Personality and Individual Differences, 37, 1245–1253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, J. H., Wilson, G. V., Bowling, A., & Sheahan, J. P. (2005a). Game outcome and elite Japanese women’s field hockey player’s experience of emotions and stress. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 6, 251–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, J. H., Wilson, G. V., Nakamura, I., & Sudo, Y. (2005b). Emotional dynamics of soccer fans at winning and losing games. Personality and Individual Differences, 38, 1855–1866.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, J. H., Fujiyama, H., Wilson, G. V., & Nakamori, K. (2006a). The experience of a modern dance group: Arousal, motivation and self-rated performance. Research in Dance Education, 7(2), 125–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, J. H., Wilson, G. V., Svebak, S., & Kirkaldy, B. D. (2006b). Matches and mismatches between telic dominance and type of sport: Changes in emotions and stress pre to post performance. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 1557–1567.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lafreniere, K. D. (1997). Paratelic dominance and the appraisal of stressful events. In S. Svebak & M. J. Apter (Eds.), Stress and health: A reversal theory perspective (pp. 35–43). Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lafreniere, K. D., & Cramer, K. M. (2006). Examining reversal theory measures in relation to NEO personality dimensions and consideration of future consequences. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 1387–1397.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lafreniere, K. D., Menna, R., & Cramer, K. M. (2013). Rebelliousness, effortful control, and risky behavior: Metamotivational and temperamental predictors of risk-taking in older adolescents. Journal of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality, 1, 17–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J. T., Smith, D. W., & Colwell, B. (2012). An exploration of transactional states and cessation-related social variables within adolescent smokers. Tobacco Induced Diseases, 10, 20.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Legrand, F., & LeScanff, C. (2003). Tension-stress, effort-stress and mood profiling with an elite javelin performer. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 4, 429–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, G. (2013). A portrait of disaffection with school mathematics: The case of Anna. Journal of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality, 1, 36–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindner, K. J., & Kerr, J. H. (2000). Metamotivational orientations in sport participants and non-participants. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 1, 7–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lindner, K. J., & Kerr, J. H. (2001). Predictability of sport participation motivation from metamotivational dominances and orientations. Personality and Individual Differences, 30, 759–773.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mallows, R. (2013). President’s column. Psychologist, 26, 668.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, R. A., & Svebak, S. (1997). The psychobiology of telic dominance and stress. In S. Svebak & M. J. Apter (Eds.), Stress and health: A reversal theory perspective (pp. 69–80). Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, R. A., & Svebak, S. (2001). Stress. In M. Apter (Ed.), Motivational styles in everyday life: A guide to reversal theory (pp. 119–138). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • McDermott, M. R. (2001). Rebelliousness. In M. Apter (Ed.), Motivational styles in everyday life: A guide to reversal theory (pp. 167–186). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Milne, D. (2007). An empirical definition of clinical supervision. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 46(4), 437–447.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moran, D. (2000). Introduction to phenomenology. Oxon: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • O’Connell, K. A., & Brooks, E. (1997). Resisting urges and adopting new behaviours. In S. Svebak & M. J. Apter (Eds.), Stress and health: A reversal theory perspective (pp. 157–171). Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Connell, K. A., & Calhoun, J. E. (2001). The telic/paratelic instrument (T/PSI): Validating a reversal theory measure. Personality and Individual Differences, 30, 193–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Neil, A. I., & Lafreniere, K. D. (2014). Metamotivational tendencies, sociocultural attitudes, and risky eating behaviors. Journal of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality, 2(1), 50–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piotrowski, P. (2011). Street robbery offenders: Shades of rationality and reversal theory perspective. Rationality and Society, 23(4), 427–451. doi:10.1177/1043463111414125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Portrell, M., & Mullet, E. (2014). Why do people enjoy watching natural disasters and human violence on television? A reversal theory perspective. Journal of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality, 2(1), 38–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rea, D. W. (1993). Reversal theory explanations of optimal experience. In M. J. Apter, D. Fontana, & S. Murgatroyd (Eds.), Advances in reversal theory (pp. 75–88). Amsterdam: Swets and Zeitlinger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Segatto, B. L., & Lafreniere, K. D. (2013). Motivational and personality predictors of body esteem in high-and low-frequency exercisers. Journal of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality, 1, 27–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sit, C. H. P., & Lindner, K. J. (2005). Motivational orientations in youth sport participation: Using achievement goal theory and reversal theory. Personality and Individual Differences, 38, 605–618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sit, C. H. P., Kerr, J. H., & Wong, I. T. F. (2008). Motives for and barriers to physical activity participation in middle-aged Chinese women. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 9, 266–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sit, C. H. P., Braman, O. R., Kerr, J. H., & Lindner, K. J. (2013). Motivational style and actual and perceived academic performance of secondary school students in Hong Kong. School Psychology International, 34, 17–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skakoon-Sparling, S., & Cramer, K. (2014). Paratelic/telic state, sexual arousal, and sexual risk-taking in university students. Journal of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality, 2(1), 32–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Svebak, S., & Martin, R. A. (1997). Humour as a form of coping. In S. Svebak & M. J. Apter (Eds.), Stress and health: A reversal theory perspective (pp. 173–184). Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trimpop, R. M., Kerr, J. H., & Kirkcaldy, B. (1999). Comparing personality constructs of risk taking behaviour. Personality and Individual Differences, 26, 237–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Manen, M. (1990). Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy. New York: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, L. R. (2012). Reversal theory: Understanding the motivational styles of espionage. International Journal of Intelligence Ethics, 3(1), 76–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, G. V., & Kerr, J. H. (1999). Affective responses to success and failure: A study of winning and losing in competitive rugby. Personality and Individual Differences, 27, 85–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, J. J., Sadlo, G., & Stew, G. (2006). Challenge-skills and mindfulness: An exploration of the conundrum of flow process. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 26(1), 25–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, J. J., Sadlo, G., & Stew, G. (2007). Further explorations of the conundrum of flow process. Journal of Occupational Science, 14(3), 136–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, J. J., Wright, S., Sadlo, G., & Stew, G. (2014a). Exploring optimal experiences: A reversal theory perspective of flow and occupational science. Journal of Occupational Science, 21(2), 188–201. doi:10.1080/14427591.2012.713312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, J. J., Wright, S., Sadlo, G., & Stew, G. (2014b). A reversal theory exploration of flow process and the flow channel. Journal of Occupational Science, 21(2), 173–187. doi:10.1080/14427591.2012.713313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health Sciences, University of Brighton, Eastbourne, East Sussex, UK

    Jon Wright

Authors
  1. Jon Wright
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jon Wright .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    László Harmat

  2. Department of Education, University of Aarhus, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Frans Ørsted Andersen

  3. Department of Education, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark

    Fredrik Ullén

  4. School of Health Professionals, University of Brighton, Eastbourne, East Sussex, United Kingdom

    Jon Wright

  5. School of Health Sciences, University of Brighton, East Bourne, East Sussex, United Kingdom

    Gaynor Sadlo

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Wright, J. (2016). Flow Within Everyday Emotions and Motivations: A Reversal Theory Perspective. In: Harmat, L., Ørsted Andersen, F., Ullén, F., Wright, J., Sadlo, G. (eds) Flow Experience. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28634-1_13

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation