The importance of language: A comparison of consumer and academic definitions of mindfulness
Kyungin Ryu
Journal of Consumer Affairs April 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1111/joca.12530 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Mixed-methods study combining consumer survey, text mining, and review of definitions Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Consumers surveyed and 883 company descriptions classified as mindful |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key findings | Marketers' communications drew more on consumer-oriented mindfulness language (affect and outcomes) than on academic language (cognitive processes). The authors argue this discrepancy may expose consumers to "McMindfulness" and "mindful washing," which they contend can impact consumer well-being and brand relationships. |
Abstract
Abstract This article created a consumer and an academic mindfulness dictionary to better understand consumers', academics', and marketers' perceptions of mindfulness. A consumer survey and text mining methods were used to create the consumer dictionary, and an extensive review of mindfulness definitions was used for the academic dictionary. The consumer dictionary described mindfulness more in terms of affect and resulting outcomes, while the academic dictionary was more cognitive and process‐oriented. The dictionaries were then applied to marketers' communications from a database of 883 company descriptions that were classified as mindful. The results showed that marketers used more terms from the consumer dictionary than the academic dictionary. The article discusses the potential for consumers to be vulnerable to marketers' communication strategies, characterized as McMindfulness and mindful washing, that can impact consumers' well‐being and brand relationships.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Assessment of Mindfulness by Self-Report Assessment September 1, 2004
- What does mindfulness really mean? A canonical perspective Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
- Perils and promise in defining and measuring mindfulness: Observations from experience. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- The moderation of Mindfulness‐based stress reduction effects by trait mindfulness: Results from a randomized controlled trial Journal of Clinical Psychology December 22, 2010
and 1 more in the library