{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T10:00:28Z","timestamp":1790762428435,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]],"date-time":"2026-05-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778112000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Understanding how motivational orientations shape flow experience is central to sport and performance psychology, particularly in competitive contexts characterized by high task demands and environmental uncertainty. Although motivation has long been regarded as a key antecedent of flow, limited empirical research has examined how different motivational orientations differentially influence flow experience in sailing regattas.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study investigated the relationships between participation motivations and flow experience among competitive sailing regatta participants. Flow experience was operationalized through three core experiential dimensions: concentration, perceived control, and time distortion. Data were collected from 192 sailors with recent regatta experience and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The results reveal that competition motivation and novelty\u2013exploration motivation exert significant positive effects on all three dimensions of flow experience. In contrast, relaxation motivation demonstrates a consistent and significant negative association with concentration, perceived control, and time distortion. Challenge motivation does not show a significant direct effect on any flow dimension, suggesting that perceived challenge may be normalized within highly competitive sailing environments. Environmental experience and social interaction motivations exhibit selective positive effects on specific flow dimensions.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>These findings highlight the context-dependent nature of motivational influences on flow experience in competitive sailing. While achievement-oriented and novelty-driven motivations facilitate deep immersion and optimal engagement, relaxation-oriented motives appear psychologically incompatible with the heightened attentional and control demands of competition. The study contributes to sport psychology by clarifying how distinct motivational orientations differentially shape flow experience in competitive maritime sport settings, offering practical implications for event design, participant segmentation, and performance-oriented sport management.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1784085","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]],"date-time":"2026-05-07T04:57:08Z","timestamp":1778129828000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Differential motivational pathways to flow experience in competitive sailing"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Cheng-Yu","family":"Hsu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Recreational Sport, National Taiwan University of Sport","place":["Taichung, Taiwan"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"440","DOI":"10.20448\/journal.522.2019.53.440.446","article-title":"The relationship between motivation and flow states in sports faculty students.","volume":"5","author":"Akyol","year":"2019","journal-title":"Asian J. Educ. Train."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"457","DOI":"10.1080\/19407963.2019.1695346","article-title":"The event experience, hedonic and eudaimonic satisfaction and subjective well-being among sport event participants.","volume":"12","author":"Armbrecht","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Policy Res. Tour. Leis. Events"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-64069-3_8","article-title":"Mediation analyses in partial least squares structural equation modeling: guidelines and empirical examples","volume-title":"Partial Least Squares Path Modeling","author":"Carri\u00f3n","year":"2017"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100762","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jort.2024.100762","article-title":"Testing the moderated mediation effect of recreation safety climate on the interrelationship of serious leisure, recreation involvement, and flow experience.","volume":"46","author":"Cheng","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Outdoor Recreat. Tour."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1486","DOI":"10.1080\/10941665.2014.999099","article-title":"The causal relationships among recreational involvement, flow experience, and well-being for surfing activities.","volume":"20","author":"Cheng","year":"2015","journal-title":"Asia Pac. J. Tour. Res."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203771587","volume-title":"Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences.","author":"Cohen","year":"2013"},{"key":"B7","volume-title":"Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience","author":"Csikszentmihalyi","year":"1990"},{"key":"B8","first-page":"335","article-title":"Sailing the blue economy in Asia: the role of maritime and shipping industry in tourism and economic development.","volume":"1","author":"Fazil","year":"2025","journal-title":"GRWS Int. J. Appl. Commerce Strategic Manage."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.1080\/01490400.2012.669690","article-title":"Recreation specialization among New Zealand river recreation users: a multiactivity study of motivation and site preference.","volume":"34","author":"Galloway","year":"2012","journal-title":"Leisure Sci."},{"key":"B10","volume-title":"A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).","author":"Hair","year":"2014"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1108\/EBR-11-2018-0203","article-title":"When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM.","volume":"31","author":"Hair","year":"2019","journal-title":"Eur. Bus. Rev."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"693","DOI":"10.1080\/1750984X.2021.1929402","article-title":"A systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between flow states and performance.","volume":"16","author":"Harris","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. Rev. Sport Exerc. Psychol."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1007\/s11747-014-0403-8","article-title":"A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling","volume":"43","author":"Henseler","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Acad. Market. Sci."},{"key":"B14","volume-title":"Flow in Sports: The Keys to Optimal Experiences and Performances","author":"Jackson","year":"1999"},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1123\/jsep.18.1.17","article-title":"Development and validation of a scale to measure optimal experience: the Flow State Scale.","volume":"18","author":"Jackson","year":"1996","journal-title":"J. Sport Exerc. Psychol."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1080\/104132001753149865","article-title":"Relationships between flow, self-concept, psychological skills, and performance.","volume":"13","author":"Jackson","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Appl. Sport Psychol."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"993","DOI":"10.3727\/152599523X16847420514818","article-title":"Applying the model of event portfolio tourism leverage: a study of the Volvo Ocean Race in Cardiff, UK.","volume":"27","author":"Jaimangal-Jones","year":"2023","journal-title":"Event Manage."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"204","DOI":"10.1108\/IJEFM-09-2017-0055","article-title":"Events and the blue economy: sailing events as alternative pathways for tourism futures\u2013the case of Malta.","volume":"9","author":"Jones","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Event Festival Manage."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.4018\/ijec.2015100101","article-title":"Common method bias in PLS-SEM: a full collinearity assessment approach.","volume":"11","author":"Kock","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. e-Collaboration"},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100333","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jort.2020.100333","article-title":"Motives for shelter camping. A survey-study on motivational differences across group composition and experience level.","volume":"33","author":"Kristensen","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Outdoor Recreat. Tour."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"355","DOI":"10.1080\/01490400701394873","article-title":"The effects of specialization and gender on motivations and preferences for site attributes in paddling.","volume":"29","author":"Lee","year":"2007","journal-title":"Leisure Sci."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"417","DOI":"10.3727\/152599524X17265263360395","article-title":"How do festivalscapes impact visitors\u2019 flow experience and life satisfaction? The moderating role of social media.","volume":"29","author":"Li","year":"2025","journal-title":"Event Manage."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.47263\/JASEM.1(1)01","article-title":"A review of the methodological misconceptions and guidelines related to the application of structural equation modeling: a Malaysian scenario.","volume":"1","author":"Memon","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Appl. Struct. Equat. Model."},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1080\/14729671003669289","article-title":"The effects of age, gender and level of experience on motivation to sea kayak.","volume":"10","author":"O\u2019Connell","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Advent. Educ. Outdoor Learn."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"62","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jesp.2014.01.009","article-title":"The relation of flow experience and physiological arousal under stress\u2014Can u shape it?","volume":"53","author":"Peifer","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Exp. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"196","DOI":"10.1057\/s41270-019-00058-3","article-title":"Partial least squares structural equation modeling using SmartPLS: a software review.","volume":"7","author":"Sarstedt","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Market. Anal."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-57413-4_15","article-title":"Partial least squares structural equation modeling.","volume":"26","author":"Sarstedt","year":"2017","journal-title":"Handb. Mark. Res."},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"204","DOI":"10.1037\/1076-8998.12.3.204","article-title":"The Recovery Experience Questionnaire: development and validation of a measure for assessing recuperation and unwinding from work.","volume":"12","author":"Sonnentag","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Occup. Health Psychol."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"807","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychsport.2012.05.006","article-title":"A systematic review of the experience, occurrence, and controllability of flow states in elite sport.","volume":"13","author":"Swann","year":"2012","journal-title":"Psychol. Sport Exerc."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychsport.2014.09.007","article-title":"Exploring the interactions underlying flow states: a connecting analysis of flow occurrence in European Tour golfers.","volume":"16","author":"Swann","year":"2015","journal-title":"Psychol. Sport Exerc."},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.1080\/10413209908402956","article-title":"An integrative analysis of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in sport","volume":"11","author":"Vallerand","year":"1999","journal-title":"J. Appl. Sport Psychol."},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jort.2017.02.001","article-title":"Outdoor recreation motivation and site preferences across diverse racial\/ethnic groups: a case study of Georgia state parks.","volume":"18","author":"Whiting","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Outdoor Recreat. Tour."},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"317","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tourman.2010.03.001","article-title":"The relationship between white-water rafting experience formation and customer reaction: a flow theory perspective.","volume":"32","author":"Wu","year":"2011","journal-title":"Tour. Manage."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1784085\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]],"date-time":"2026-05-07T04:57:10Z","timestamp":1778129830000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1784085\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]]},"references-count":33,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1784085"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1784085","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]]},"article-number":"1784085"}}