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Effects of Transcendental Meditation on self‐identity indices and personality

Michael J. Turnbull, Hugh Norris

British Journal of Psychology February 1, 1982 DOI: 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1982.tb01790.x (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Controlled longitudinal study Peer reviewed
Population People starting regular practice of Transcendental Meditation, compared with people who did not learn TM
Intervention Transcendental Meditation
Measures role construct repertory grid, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), 'Self Defining Polarization' (SDP)
Topics Meditation
Key findings Meditators showed a systematic pattern of significant changes over three tests: they came to perceive their actual selves as increasingly similar to their ideal and social selves, developed a more strongly defined actual-self concept (indexed by 'Self Defining Polarization'), and showed increased extraversion on the EPQ. Comparison subjects showed no consistent or significant changes on any measure. The authors suggest TM produces generally beneficial changes and may be useful therapeutically.

Abstract

Transcendental Meditation (TM) is an increasingly popular mental technique producing relaxation. To assess specific personal effects, a role construct repertory grid and an Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) were completed by subjects, once before and twice after starting the regular practice of TM. Comparison subjects did not learn TM and were assessed in the same ways at the same times. Initially the two groups differed only in that meditation subjects tended to judge other people to be more unlike their ideal selves than did comparison subjects. This difference was maintained. With meditation subjects the grid results showed a systematic pattern of significant changes over the three tests. These indicate that meditators came to perceive their actual‐selves as being increasingly similar to their ideal‐ and social‐selves and that they developed a more strongly defined concept of their actual‐selves. The strength of definition of self concepts was indicated by the newly defined index ‘Self Defining Polarization’ (SDP). EPQ results showed increased extraversion in meditators. Comparison subjects did not show consistent or significant changes between tests on any measure. Subjects practising Transcendental Meditation appear to have experienced consistent and definable changes of a generally beneficial nature. The value of TM as a therapeutic tool is thereby suggested.

Comparable studies

Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students 2006 Observational cohort
Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia 1992 Observational cohort n = 22
Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls 2005 Observational cohort n = 20
Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls 2011 Observational cohort
Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls 2004 Observational cohort

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