How does mindfulness training improve moral cognition: A theoretical and experimental framework for the study of embodied ethics
November 12, 2018 DOI: 10.31231/osf.io/cd7qv (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Embodied cognition Prosocial behavior Action physics Context archaeology Metacognition Psychotherapist Cognitive psychology Epistemology |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key points | Proposes that heightened awareness from mindfulness training may alter processing of morally relevant information and promote moral action. |
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation has been primarily studied within the context of individual’s psychological well being and/or in relation to it’s potential to enhance cognitive skills such as attention and working memory. However, in Buddhism, mindfulness is used as a tool to cultivate wholesome actions, and as a means to promote virtuous, prosocial qualities. In this article, we postulate that heightened awareness of physiological and mental phenomena following mindfulness training may contribute to altered processing of morally relevant information and promote moral action. We will first briefly summarize neuroscientific investigations into moral cognition, and provide a theoretical and an experimental framework for the investigation of the relationship between mindfulness and ethical behavior.