Mihály Csíkszentmihályi

Flow; optimal-experience framework curator.

Csíkszentmihályi was Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Claremont Graduate University and former chair of the University of Chicago psychology department. Over four decades he studied intrinsic motivation and well-being across cultures. His 1990 book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience introduced the channel model—optimal experience arises when skill and challenge are in balance—a concept now foundational in positive psychology, UX design, and performance science.