Flow has been described in psychological literature as a state of energized focus where an individual becomes so engrossed in their doings that they experience an almost effortless, spontaneous and intuitive, yet highly focused state of optimal and autotelic experience. However neurophysiological research on flow is severely underdeveloped, while real-time research on flow within the context of musical creativity is surprisingly scarce considering how often optimal performance is reported in this context.
An exploratory investigation was launched in order to assess the physiological underpinning of such flow experiences in the larger context of musical improvisation through the study of heart and brain wave activity in five professional jazz musicians. Using wireless electroencephalographic and electrocardiographic devices, subjects could improvise unhindered, and did so continuously while various brain and heart parameters were recorded in real-time.
Through spectral analysis, power values for the different electroencephalographic frequency bands were quantified for the various stages of performance, and subsequently the shifts and trends in the data were described. Additionally, heart rate variability was calculated in order to assess the synergistic actions of the autonomic nervous system on the heart and the interplay between heart and brain during such high performance states of musical creativity.
The research revealed the prominence of elevated theta activity persisting through performance and showed strong associations with subjective experiences of flow. Such high theta activity has been linked to high performance states in past and further evidence suggest the primary involvement of the right frontotemporal regions during improvisation. Furthermore, heart rate variability data suggested the growing presence of parasympathetic influence during such flow states, and together with the lower band dominance suggest trance-like behaviour and activation patterns within the brain. The study serves as basis for future research and the development of neurofeedback, music therapy and musical creativity protocols.
Flow is al deeglik beskryf in sielkundige literatuur as 'n toestand van hoë fokus waar 'n individu so verdiep in hulle handelinge dat hulle 'n byna moeiteloos, spontaan en intuïtief, maar hoogs gefokusde toestand van optimale en autotelic ervaring beleef. Ongelukkig is neurofisiologiese navorsing oor flow baie onderontwikkel, terwyl ware-tyd navorsing oor vloei binne die konteks van musikale kreatiwiteit verbasend skaars is wanneer in ag geneem word hoe dikwels optimale prestasie gerapporteer word in hierdie konteks.
'n Verkennende ondersoek is van stapel gestuur om die onderliggende fisiologiese prosesse van die flow ervaring in die groter konteks van musikale improvisasie te evalueer deur die studie van hart en brein golf aktiwiteit in vyf professionele jazz-musikante te ondersoek. Deur die gebruik van koördlose elektroënsefalografie en elektrokardiografiese toestelle, kon deelnemers ongehinderd improviseer en het so gedoen voortdurend, terwyl verskeie brein en hart parameters in ware-tyd aangeteken is.
Deur spectraalanalise, was krag waardes vir die verskillende frekwensiebande van die elektroënsefalografie gekwantifiseer vir die verskillende stadiums van elke opvoering, en daarna is die verskuiwings en tendense in die data beskryf. Daarbenewens, is hartklop veranderlikheid bereken ten ondersoek van die sinergistiese optrede van die outonome senuweestelsel op die hart en die wisselwerking tussen hart en brein tydens so 'n hoë prestasie toestand van musikale kreatiwiteit.
Die navorsing het aan die lig gebring die prominensie van verhoogde theta aktiwiteit wat volhard het deur optredes en het sterk assosiasies met subjektiewe ervarings van flow gewys. Sulke hoë theta aktiwiteit was voornemend gekoppel aan hoë werkverrigting toestande in die verlede en verdere getuienis dui die primêre betrokkenheid van die regter frontale en temporale streke tydens improvisasie. Verder het die hartklop veranderlikheid data aan die lig gebring die groeiende teenwoordigheid van parasimpatiese invloed gedurende sodanige flow state wat saam met die laer krag band oorheersing voorstel dat beswyming-agtige gedrag en aktivering patrone binne die brein plassvind tydens flow . Die studie dien as basis vir toekomstige navorsing en die ontwikkeling van neuro-terugvoering, musiekterapie en musikale kreatiwiteit protokolle.
