Abstract: Work immersing is a positive work state characterized by absorption, enjoyment and intrinsic motivation, which can significantly improve the creativity of innovative employees. The mainstream researches believe that work immersion is realized through a condition of challenge-skill balance, but how can challenge-skill balance be actively achieved by an individual remains unclear. Based on self-determination theory, this paper tries to explore the fundamental reason that leads to challenge-skill balance and work immersing through the cognitive duality. Meanwhile it also investigates the influences of some extrinsic motivators at workplace. Based on questionnaire survey of 238 scientific innovators and a regression analysis, it is found that the binary mental model which is good at balancing individual's explorative and exploitative innovation can also exert active influence on work immersing, that the challenge-skill balance can play a significant role of mediator, that professional identity acts as a positive moderator, that the controlling supervision of managers can play a role of negative moderator, and that the negative effect of controlling supervision is buffered and controlled by the effect of professional identity.

Key words: work immersing, binary mental model, challenge-skill balance, professional identity, controlling supervision