حالة التدفق عند استخدام منصة الواتساب : دراسة نوعية على الشابات السعوديات

Abstract EN

This study aims to reveal the factors that stimulate the flow state when communicating and interacting via WhatsApp.

It expands the current knowledge of flow theory by exploring the flow on WhatsApp where qualitative studies are scarce on this platform.

It also highlights challenges faced by females on WhatsApp.

The study is based on four focus groups by conducting in-depth interviews with (32) Saudi women, aged between (18 and 24) years, and are WhatsApp users.

The study was informed by the flow theory posits by Csikszentmihalyi (1975).

The findings reveal that the activity on WhatsApp can be high in flow associated with positive and negative effects.

The study identified that young women are challenged on the platform; it showed a degree of skill and control to face those challenges without requiring much effort by utilizing WhatsApp features.

Women were found to be focused on the activities and feeling the unconsciousness, isolation, and time distortion that stems from an internal stimulus.

The study found that curiosity appears in different situations and in the form of monitoring and tracking, and that the interaction via WhatsApp is intrinsically interesting, as it brought pleasure.

The results and limitations of the study were discussed as well as recommendations for future studies.