A legendary psychologist known for his research on creativity, happiness, and positive psychology, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is most widely known for his theory of “flow” — a play state that involves intense absorption in a challenging and enjoyable activity. His 1990 book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, theorized that the flow state is the key to true happiness, and delved deeply into the defining characteristics, triggers, and effects of flow. Professor emeritus at Claremont Graduate University, he has PhDs in positive development psychology and human development from the University of Chicago and is regarded by some as the world’s leading researcher into positive psychology.
Most Influential Work:
- Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (New York: Harper Collins, 2008) explores the profound positive effects of flow states and explains how flow is activated.
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