Mindfulness (Part 1): Overview of psychological features of the process, and its outcomes. (original) (raw)
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The self-regulation of attention is explored from a neuropsychological perspective. It is suggested that pre-reflective self-awareness and reflective self-consciousness may be related to two brain systems (cerebellum and cerebrum). Corresponding to these different levels or types of self-awareness, it is conceivable that there may be a pre-reflective mindfulness, and a reflective mindfulness. Some sources of competing input to the cerebral "screen" of attentive consciousness are noted, and the potentially disruptive impact of emotional information is highlighted. The notion of self-regulation is explored in terms of "the exertion of control over the self by the self", and some characteristics of automaticity are described. Concerning mindfulness when engaged with the external world, some advantages of fully attending to what we are doing are noted. However, regarding the contrast of "conscious choice" and "automatic pilot", it is stressed that attention and automaticity are complementary processes in the effective and efficient control of behavior and thinking.
There has been a great increase in literature concerned with the effects of a variety of mental training regimes that generally fall within what might be called contemplative practices, and a majority of these studies have focused on mindfulness. Mindfulness meditation practices can be conceptualized as a set of attention-based, regulatory and self-inquiry training regimes cultivated for various ends, including well-being and psychological health. This article examines the construct of mindfulness in psychological research and reviews recent, non-clinical work in this area. Instead of proposing a single definition of mindfulness, we interpret it as a continuum of practices involving states that can be mapped into a multidimensional phenomenological matrix which itself can be expressed in a neurocognitive framework. This phenomenological matrix of mindfulness is presented as a heuristic to guide formulation of next-generation research hypotheses from both cognitive/behavioral and neuroscientific perspectives. In relation to this framework, we review selected findings on mindfulness cultivated through practices in traditional and research settings, and we conclude by identifying significant gaps in the literature and outline new directions for research.
Editors' Introduction to Special Issue on Mindfulness in Psychology
The Humanistic Psychologist, 2009
When we were invited by Scott Churchill, the editor of the journal, to guest edit this special issue on mindfulness, we were pleased, but not entirely surprised by the choice of topic. Publications on the subject of mindfulness reveal a significant trend. For example, a search of the PsycINFO database from 1978 through to 2007 (in 5-year blocks) shows that during the first two five-year periods, the publication rate on this topic was approximately five articles per year. From 1998 to 2002, publications tripled to nearly 32 articles per year, most recently rising to almost 145 annually for the period from 2002 to 2007. This trend is progressing rapidly. The rate of increase shows that the psychological sciences are beginning to take mindfulness seriously in many areas, such as neuroscience, stress management, mental and physical health, and, of course, psychotherapy. Some of the earliest works in the field were carried out by humanistic and transpersonal psychologists (Wilber, 1996). The Division of Humanistic Psychology (American Psychological Association) has continued this pioneering role in devoting an entire issue of The Humanistic Psychologist to the subject. These and other developments evidence the continuation of a growing interest in Buddhist psychology, mindfulness, and mindfulness meditation as complementary approaches in mental health and personal growth.
Frontiers in human neuroscience, 2012
Mindfulness-as a state, trait, process, type of meditation, and intervention has proven to be beneficial across a diverse group of psychological disorders as well as for general stress reduction. Yet, there remains a lack of clarity in the operationalization of this construct, and underlying mechanisms. Here, we provide an integrative theoretical framework and systems-based neurobiological model that explains the mechanisms by which mindfulness reduces biases related to self-processing and creates a sustainable healthy mind. Mindfulness is described through systematic mental training that develops meta-awareness (self-awareness), an ability to effectively modulate one's behavior (self-regulation), and a positive relationship between self and other that transcends self-focused needs and increases prosocial characteristics (self-transcendence). This framework of self-awareness, -regulation, and -transcendence (S-ART) illustrates a method for becoming aware of the conditions that cause (and remove) distortions or biases. The development of S-ART through meditation is proposed to modulate self-specifying and narrative self-networks through an integrative fronto-parietal control network. Relevant perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral neuropsychological processes are highlighted as supporting mechanisms for S-ART, including intention and motivation, attention regulation, emotion regulation, extinction and reconsolidation, prosociality, non-attachment, and decentering. The S-ART framework and neurobiological model is based on our growing understanding of the mechanisms for neurocognition, empirical literature, and through dismantling the specific meditation practices thought to cultivate mindfulness. The proposed framework will inform future research in the contemplative sciences and target specific areas for development in the treatment of psychological disorders.
Mindfulness Research Update: 2008
Complementary health practice review, 2009
Objective: To briefly review the effects of mindfulness on the mind, the brain, the body, and behavior. Methods: Selective review of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar databases (2003—2008) using the terms ``mindfulness,'' ``meditation,'' ``mental health,'' ``physical health,'' ``quality of life,'' and ``stress reduction.'' A total of 52 exemplars of empirical and theoretical work were selected for review. Results: Both basic and clinical research indicate that cultivating a more mindful way of being is associated with less emotional distress, more positive states of mind, and better quality of life. In addition, mindfulness practice can influence the brain, the autonomic nervous system, stress hormones, the immune system, and health behaviors, including eating, sleeping, and substance use, in salutary ways. Conclusion: The application of cutting-edge technology toward understanding mindfulness— an ``inner technology''—is el...
Mindfulness in Plain English (2)
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