World Journal of Social Science
December 20, 2022
D. Orme-Johnson, Kenneth L. Cavanaugh, M. Dillbeck et al.
A group practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi techniques, when reaching or exceeding a predicted threshold of 1725 individuals (√1% of the U.S. population), was associated with significant reductions in national stress indicators including homicides, rape, aggravated assault, robbery, infant mortality, drug-related deaths, motor vehicle fatalities, and injury fatalities in youths ages 10-19 during 2007-2011 compared to a baseline period of 2000-2006. When the group size fell below the threshold from 2007 to 2016, all stress indicators increased again. Alternative explanations such as economic changes, political leadership, demographics, and policing strategies could not account for the results.
Studies in Asian Social Science
July 29, 2022
Kenneth L. Cavanaugh, M. Dillbeck, D. Orme-Johnson
A field-theoretic view of consciousness, drawn from the ancient Vedic tradition as presented by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, proposes an interpersonal, nonlocal dimension of consciousness underlying both individual and collective consciousness. Previous empirical tests in Cambodia, India, the Philippines, and other countries are reviewed. New results from a prospective, 15-year U.S. national social experiment using segmented-trend regression analysis found that group practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs by a theoretically predicted number of participants was associated with reduced social stress, indicated by improved monthly homicide trends during 2007-2011. After the group fell below the required size, homicide trends increased during 2012-2016.
Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute
August 1, 2018
Kenneth L. Cavanaugh, Paul Gelderloos, M. Dillbeck
During 1979–1986, four large groups of experts practicing the Transcendental Meditation-Sidhi program, with approximately 7,000 participants each—approaching the square root of 1% of the world's population—were associated with a significant increase in cooperation and reduction in conflict in Soviet behavior toward the U.S. Time series analysis using a Box-Jenkins transfer function model found both immediate and delayed positive effects of these World Peace Assemblies, with the total impact estimated to be 1.7 times larger than the positive influence of Mikhail Gorbachev. Sensitivity tests ruled out seasonal cycles, pre-existing trends, and the Gorbachev effect as explanations.
Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute
September 1, 2017
Kenneth L. Cavanaugh, M. Dillbeck
A quasi-experiment tested whether a large group practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program could reduce homicide rates in U.S. urban areas. Time series analysis of monthly data from 2002 to 2010 showed a significant reduction in the homicide rate trend during the intervention period from 2007 to 2010. Controlling for pre-existing trends, seasonality, and autocorrelation, the estimated total reduction in homicide rate was 28.4%, or 7.1% annually. This corresponds to an estimated 4,136 murders averted. The authors suggest the results are unlikely due to spurious regression and discuss the mechanism in terms of reduced collective stress.