What is it about?
Professional musicians are more likely to get into flow state than amateur musicians. Not only do professional musicians get into flow more during music making, but also during their daily life, leading to questions around the influence of flow on becoming an expert or what it means to follow your passion. Instrument and genre did not predict flow, but artists were more flow prone than record producers, suggesting there are environmental contributions at play.
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Why is it important?
Even though causation couldn't be established, identifying that professionals are more likely to get into flow in daily life as well as during music-making suggests there could be a cross-over effect of pursuing a passion into a career, where personal fulfilment contributes to the quality of life outside one's career. Conversely, it could mean that naturally flow prone people are more likely to become expert in their skill.
Perspectives
The experiences of musicians who identify as professional differ in many ways to amateurs, often negatively, as the instability and irregularity of work causes anxiety and stress. This is something I have personal experience with. However, we found that there are positives to pursuing music professionally. Flow experiences may outweigh the industry stresses, boosting wellbeing and encouraging musicians to continue following their dreams.
Amy Rakei
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Professional status matters: Differences in flow proneness between professional and amateur contemporary musicians., Psychology of Aesthetics Creativity and the Arts, April 2024, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/aca0000674.
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