Why is it so hard to pay attention, or is it? Mindfulness, the factors of awakening and reward-based learning.
Judson A. Brewer, Jake H. Davis, Joseph Goldstein
Mindfulness March 1, 2013 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-012-0164-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Pali canon Associative learning FMRI Neurofeedback Operant conditioning |
| Key points | Argues that difficulties in learning mindfulness, especially concentration meditation, can be understood through operant conditioning and that a minor shift in emphasis in mindfulness training may co-opt these learning processes to reduce and end stress and suffering. Draws on early Buddhist dialogues describing "the factors of awakening" and suggests ways to track progress individually and clinically. |
Abstract
Though relatively new to Western psychological and spiritual cultures, mindfulness training is becoming more widespread in the general public and is beginning to show promise therapeutically for maladies ranging from generalized stress to specific addictions. However, difficulties remain both with individuals being able to learn core concepts and techniques, such as concentration meditation, and more broadly, with treatment interventions not being optimized to helping individuals learn these. In this manuscript, we examine possible contributing factors to these difficulties. We bring together what is known scientifically about basic learning processes such as operant conditioning with some inspirational suggestions drawn from the early Buddhist dialogues collected in the Theravada Buddhist cannon, in particular the description of seven psychological factors known as "the factors of awakening". Bringing together scientific and textual suggestions, we give an overview of how primary operant conditioning processes lead to stress, and importantly, how a minor shift in emphasis in providing mindfulness training may indeed co-opt these very processes for the reduction and cessation of stress and suffering. Finally, we provide suggestions as to how these can be tracked individually and clinically over time.
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 18
- Interoception, contemplative practice, and health Frontiers in Psychology June 9, 2015
- Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal Cell Reports Medicine 2023
- Can Mindfulness Address Maladaptive Eating Behaviors? Why Traditional Diet Plans Fail and How New Mechanistic Insights May Lead to Novel Interventions. Frontiers in Psychology 2018
- The Two Arrows of Pain: Mechanisms of Pain Related to Meditation and Mental States of Aversion and Identification Mindfulness January 28, 2022
- The Spiral of Attention, Arousal, and Release: A Comparative Phenomenology of Jhāna Meditation and Speaking in Tongues. American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council December 1, 2024
and 13 more in the library
Cites 5
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Craving to quit: psychological models and neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness training as treatment for addictions. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors May 28, 2012
- The Buddhist Path to Awakening March 1, 1992
- From the Five Aggregates to Phenomenal Consciousness: Toward a Cross-Cultural Cognitive Science