The plasticity of well-being: A training-based framework for the cultivation of human flourishing.
Cortland J. Dahl, Christine D Wilson-Mendenhall, Richard J. Davidson
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences December 7, 2020 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2014859117 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Emotions Interpersonal relations Mental health Neurosciences Teaching Insight Purpose Well-being Meta-awareness |
| Key points | Proposes that psychological well-being can be cultivated through intentional mental training along four core dimensions—awareness, connection, insight, and purpose—and synthesizes evidence on the mechanisms and neural and psychological plasticity underlying each. Argues that the field lacks a unifying framework and that this synthesis identifies key gaps and future research directions. |
Abstract
Research indicates that core dimensions of psychological well-being can be cultivated through intentional mental training. Despite growing research in this area and an increasing number of interventions designed to improve psychological well-being, the field lacks a unifying framework that clarifies the dimensions of human flourishing that can be cultivated. Here, we integrate evidence from well-being research, cognitive and affective neuroscience, and clinical psychology to highlight four core dimensions of well-being-awareness, connection, insight, and purpose. We discuss the importance of each dimension for psychological well-being, identify mechanisms that underlie their cultivation, and present evidence of their neural and psychological plasticity. This synthesis highlights key insights, as well as important gaps, in the scientific understanding of well-being and how it may be cultivated, thus highlighting future research directions.
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
Cited by 65
- Alliance With an Unguided Smartphone App: Validation of the Digital Working Alliance Inventory Assessment May 18, 2021
- Effect of an 18-Month Meditation Training on Regional Brain Volume and Perfusion in Older Adults JAMA Neurology October 10, 2022
- Personalized Prediction of Response to Smartphone-Delivered Meditation Training: Randomized Controlled Trial Journal of Medical Internet Research September 26, 2022
- Knowing the Knowing. Non-dual Meditative Practice From an Enactive Perspective. Frontiers in Psychology 2022
- Is dosage of a meditation app associated with changes in psychological distress? It depends on how you ask. Clinical Psychological Science March 1, 2025
and 60 more in the library
Cites 34
- The Brain's Default Mode Network Annual Review of Neuroscience May 4, 2015
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- Default Mode Network Activity and Connectivity in Psychopathology Annual Review of Clinical Psychology March 29, 2012
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
and 29 more in the library