Psychological states underlying excellent performance in sport: toward an integrated model of flow and clutch states
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This study investigated the psychological states underlying excellent performance in 26 athletes (Mage = 29 years, SD = 7.7) across a range of sports (team, net/wall, sprint, endurance, adventure) and standards (world class to recreational). Participants were primarily interviewed on average 4 days after excellent performances. The data were analyzed thematically. Distinct states of flow and clutch were reported, each of which occurred through separate contexts and processes, while athletes also transitioned between states during performance. These findings extend current knowledge of the psychology of excellent performance and are discussed in terms of implications for future research and applied practice.
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Flow enhances sports performance.
“Swann et al. (2017) describe the pathways through which flow enhances sports performance as clutch or making it happen.”
From Mindfulness and self-rated performance among novice athletes in China: a sequential mediating role of flow and cognitive anxiety (2025) · cites this paper as Swann et al., 2017
The Flow section (page unavailable) reports that flow occurred within excellent sporting performances, supporting an association with strong performance but not establishing that flow enhances it. The Processes of Occurrence and Subjective Experience of Flow and Clutch States sections (pages unavailable) describe clutch or “making it happen” as a distinct state, not a pathway through which flow improves performance. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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Defining open goals for the promotion of health behaviours: a critical conceptual review
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Self-citationFlow in Sports and Exercise: A Historical Overview
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Self-citationFlow State as an Existential Tool to Increase Optimal Experience and Life Enjoyment
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Towards an ecological dynamics theory of flow in sport
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EFFECTS OF FLOW STATES ON ELITE ATHLETES IN TEAM SPORTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
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“Swann et al. (2017) describe the pathways through which flow enhances sports performance as clutch or making it happen.”
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Sacred Games: Nietzsche and Huizinga in dialogue – an inquiry into the Olympic and Paralympic Games
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- Authors
- Swann, C., Crust, L., Jackman, P., Vella, S. A., Allen, M. S., & Keegan, R.
- Affiliations
- University of Wollongong (AU)
- University of Lincoln (GB)
- University of Canberra (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Swann, Christian
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Sport Psychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2017-01-24
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 375-401
- ISSN
- 1041-3200 (ISSN-L)
- 1533-1571
- OpenAlex
- W2580965628
- Cited by
- 165
- References
- 63
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 24.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-nd
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Sport Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Lincoln Repository (University of Lincoln) (acceptedVersion)
- Cross Connect (Southern Cross University) (submittedVersion)
- Research Online (University of Wollongong) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Figshare (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Flow Experience in Various Fields
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Keywords
- flow experience, clutch performance, psychological state, elite athletes, performance under pressure, state transitions, sport psychology
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