How a Process-Based Idionomic Approach Changes our Understanding of Mindfulness as a Method and Process
PsyArXiv February 19, 2024 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/xkcs6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that mindfulness research needs to shift from general, linear hypotheses to network models of process relations, because average processes and average networks cannot be reliably applied to individuals without ergodicity. Contends that incorporating mindfulness into evidence-based care requires wiser, safer deployment and bottom-up methodological changes that measure and model each unique individual. |
Abstract
Mindfulness research began with broad hypotheses such as “Mindfulness reduces stress” or “Mindfulness drives well-being.” As research has evolved, we as a field have begun to think more in terms of individual heterogeneity, but the hypotheses still appear to be linear and fairly general, such as “more mindfulness will lead to more well-being for some.” As our process focus becomes more nuanced, we need to think in terms of networks of process relations. That kind of network thinking is progressive, but it cannot be reliably done purely nomothetically. Average processes are not processes at all, and average networks do not escape the requirement of ergodicity to be applied with confidence to individuals. We will need a more bottom-up change in our measures and research methods to truly understand how mindfulness skills impact people’s lives. Incorporating mindfulness skills into evidence-based care is a positive thing, but how we do it differs from the spiritual and religious traditions that have developed over thousands of years. As empirical clinicians, we need to learn to be wiser and to deploy these skills in a way that makes them safe for individuals and for cultures. Every individual matters in such a journey, and so skills and aspirations of the unique individuals we work with must be measured, modeled, and understood in a way that allows their unique voices to be heard.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 17
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
and 12 more in the library