At the Heart of Optimal Reading Experiences: Cardiovascular Activity and Flow Experiences in Fiction Reading

Fiction reading is a popular leisure activity associated with variety of pleasurable experiences, including suspense, narrative transportation, and—as indicated by recent empirical studies—also flow. In the context fiction reading, flow—generally defined as state mind experienced during an optimally stimulating activity—is specifically related to optimal balance between text-driven challenges and reader’s capabilities in constructing mental story model. The experimental study reported here focused on psychophysiological underpinnings flow context. Cardiovascular data were collected from 84 participants both relaxation baseline prior reading. Participants randomly assigned read one three versions chapter Homer’s Odyssey. According statistical readability indices, these low, intermediate, or high readability, hence cognitive challenge. Flow was measured immediately after self-report scale that tailored assess reading-specific experiences. Regression analyses revealed cardiovascular activation patterns before are reflective parasympathetic dominance—that is, inner fluency—moderated experiences line stipulations theory regard matching challenge levels being key determinant for flow, this pattern supported subsequent only response text but not low Differences cardiac vagal tone were, however, sensitive our modifications predictive