Perspectives on Psychological Science
October 14, 2011
Britta K. Hölzel, Sara W. Lazar, Tim Gard et al.
2,997 citations
Mindfulness meditation, the nonjudgmental awareness of present-moment experiences, improves well-being and reduces psychiatric and stress-related symptoms, leading to its integration into psychotherapeutic interventions. Despite a surge in publications, few theoretical reviews synthesize the literature into a comprehensive framework. This article explores four components through which mindfulness exerts its effects: attention regulation, body awareness, emotion regulation (including reappraisal, exposure, extinction, and reconsolidation), and a change in perspective on the self. Empirical research, including self-reports and experimental data, supports these mechanisms. Neuroimaging studies show mindfulness practice is associated with neuroplastic changes in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, temporo-parietal junction, fronto-limbic network, and default mode network. The authors suggest these components work synergistically to enhance self-regulation, guiding future research and treatment development.
Perspectives on Psychological Science
October 10, 2017
Nicholas T. van Dam, Marieke K. van Vugt, David R. Vago et al.
1,500 citations
Mindfulness meditation has become widely used in therapy, corporate wellness, education, and the military, but the research backing it has faced criticism for poor methodology and misinformation. This article reviews the current state of mindfulness research, discussing difficulties in defining mindfulness, the proper scope of studies, and key methodological issues. The authors summarize what is known and unknown, offering a prescriptive agenda for contemplative science that focuses on assessment, training, possible adverse effects, and brain imaging. The goal is to inform scientists, media, and the public, minimize harm, curb poor research practices, and stop the spread of misinformation about mindfulness's benefits, costs, and future.
Perspectives on Psychological Science
February 16, 2021
Simon B. Goldberg, Kevin M. Riordan, Shufang Sun et al.
492 citations
Mindfulness-based interventions show superiority to passive controls across a wide range of populations, problems, interventions, comparisons, and outcomes, with effect sizes ranging from 0.10 to 0.89. Effects are typically smaller and less often statistically significant compared with active controls, though mindfulness-based interventions are similar or superior to specific active controls and evidence-based treatments. Heterogeneity is typically moderate, few consistent moderators are found, and results are generally robust to publication bias. Reporting of adverse effects is inconsistent, and statistical power may be lacking in meta-analyses, particularly for comparisons with active controls.
Perspectives on Psychological Science
August 22, 2022
Maria Monroy, Dacher Keltner
141 citations
Awe—an emotion often considered ineffable—promotes mental and physical health by engaging five processes: shifts in neurophysiology, diminished self-focus, increased prosocial relationality, greater social integration, and a heightened sense of meaning. Experiences of awe arising in nature, spirituality, music, collective movement, and psychedelics strengthen the mind and body through these pathways.
Perspectives on Psychological Science
February 13, 2020
Ann Taves
127 citations
Experiences often labeled 'mystical' may not be a unique, special category but rather a form of ego dissolution—an alteration in the sense of self—similar to changes induced by psychoactive drugs and meditation. The idea that mystical experiences are sui generis rests on two self-report scales that operationalize a metaphysically untestable construct. To better understand unusual experiences across disciplines and cultures, new self-report measures are needed that separate generic descriptions of experiences from how individuals appraise their valence, significance, cause, and long-term effects.
Perspectives on Psychological Science
October 10, 2017
Richard J. Davidson, Cortland J. Dahl
123 citations
This commentary agrees with Van Dam et al.'s critique of mindfulness research but adds five omitted points: many methodological issues are not unique to mindfulness studies; modern research focuses narrowly on one or two contemplative practices, ignoring other potentially impactful forms; mindfulness was not originally developed to treat disease; key practical questions about practice duration, intensity, spacing, and whether formal meditation is necessary or can be integrated into daily activities remain understudied; and mobile technology will be essential for standardizing training, addressing individual differences, and conducting large-scale studies.
Perspectives on Psychological Science
August 28, 2020
Vera U. Ludwig, Kirk Warren Brown, Judson A. Brewer
69 citations
Self-regulation is often seen as a struggle between impulses and willpower, but an alternative approach emphasizes autonomous motivation, where behavior aligns with personal values or intrinsic satisfaction. Advances in neuroscience show that reward valuation involves brain regions like the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal cortex, and clinical treatments like mindfulness training suggest a shift from forced to unforced behavior change. This paper proposes that bringing awareness to subjective experience and behavior can change the valuation of learned unhealthy behaviors, leading to sustainable self-regulatory shifts without relying on willpower.
Perspectives on Psychological Science
May 10, 2022
Sonja Lyubomirsky
27 citations
MDMA, known for promoting bonding, love, and warmth in experiments and clinical trials, offers social psychologists a tool to study the mechanisms underlying felt social connection. A conceptual model is introduced that identifies proximal psychological effects of MDMA—lowered fear, increased sociability, and enhanced chemistry—and its potential long-term impacts, such as improved relationships, reduced loneliness, and stronger therapeutic alliances. The article argues that incorporating psychoactive substances into research can illuminate social-psychological processes like connectedness and prejudice, and inform interventions to improve people's lives. Further questions, including whether using MDMA for enhancing connection can backfire, are discussed.