Flow Experience in Gameful Approaches: A Systematic Literature Review, Scientometric Analysis, and Research Agenda

Abstract

The flow experience is a central focus in the design of game-like environments. However, the current state of research in this area remains unclear. We conducted a systematic literature review to answer the following questions: How has the flow experience been analyzed in gameful environments? In what types of gameful environments has the flow experience been analyzed? and What types of technology have been utilized to present gameful environments? In addition, we performed a scientometric analysis. We identified 601 authors who contributed to the field, primarily through quantitative studies published as journal articles in education. Self-report scales are the predominant method for assessing the user flow experience. Games and gamified environments are the most commonly used approaches, with websites as the primary technology for delivering gameful experiences. Based on these findings, we propose an agenda for future research to guide further studies in this domain.