Re-thinking flow : a cognitive science model and applications to video game design

Flow is a concept that takes a prominent place in video game design theory and practice, as well as in other fields, but the phenomenon and its cognitive components are poorly understood scientifically. In this paper I present a cognitive science-based theory of the experience of flow. For this, I identify key theories and concepts from the literature and formulate two hypotheses about the cognitive processes underlying flow’s phenomenology. Based on these hypotheses, I develop a model which I then use to propose a number of design heuristics for eliciting flow in video games. Finally, I consider implications for the currently prevalent interpretation of the phenomenon and discuss the need to test my theory and design heuristics with empirical studies.