I am a 2005 graduate from the University of Pennsylvania. My undergraduate degree was in Psychology. As part of my senior year thesis, I had the incredible opportunity to be an assistant researcher for a study led by renowned psychologist Dr. Martin Seligman and PhD candidate Acacia Parks. The study explored the link between mood and flow, that optimal state of immersion and focus we often call “being in the zone.”
In the study, we invited participants to a university lab. They first watched a short video designed to elicit specific emotions, such as sadness, happiness, or anger. After confirming we’d induced the desired mood, we presented them with a series of tasks. Finally, participants completed a survey gauging their experience of flow during the tasks. This data allowed us to analyse the relationship between mood and flow state.
The data suggested a positive correlation between positive moods and achieving flow. However, I’d be honest – I can’t definitively say whether statistical significance was reached. The intricacies of research sometimes require longer involvement than a student thesis allows.
Regardless of the specific results, the experience was invaluable. It demystified the research process, revealing the meticulous work behind those scientific headlines we see in the media. When we hear about scientific studies in the mainstream media, what we get is a condensed and digestible version of the study and the results. We also get a version of the results that the media thinks will sell, even if it means using headlines and excerpts that misrepresent the full the scope of the study. Witnessing firsthand how the proverbial “sausage” is made has made me a more discerning consumer of research news. Now, I approach every study I see in mainstream media with a curiosity about how the research was really done.
Though I didn’t pursue psychology beyond undergrad, my fascination with the human mind and decision-making persists. Books by Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Ariely, Barry Schwartz, and Seth Stephens-Davidowitz continue to fuel my curiosity. I’ve taken this curiosity about how people make decisions into my career as a marketer and it’s a major part of why I enjoying direct response marketing and data it produces.
