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Zen and psychology

Hiroki Kato

Japanese psychological research April 28, 2005 DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-5884.2005.00280.x (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Historical analysis Peer reviewed
Topics Buddhism
Citations 16
Key points The history of Zen and psychology is divided into four periods, with psychophysiological work such as EEG during Zen meditation, and 1978 as a turning point when Akishige introduced Zen psychology, combining Zen thought with psychological problems, especially emotional control. The account emphasizes first-, second-, and third-person psychology and the significance of all three-person psychology.

Abstract

Abstract: The history of the study of Zen and psychology is divided into four periods based on Kato (1999). The contributions of the psychophysiological study of the body and mind, such as the use of the electroencephalogram during Zen meditation, are described. Key names in this field are K. Sato and Akishige, who organized the project team for the study of Zen and endeavored to give these studies international recognition through the publication of books and the journal, Psychologia. Not only the practice of Zen meditation, but also the day‐to‐day practices of monastic life, are given equal priority in the attempt to understand our true self and real nature. The year 1978 marks the turning point in the study of Zen and psychology because Akishige introduced the idea of Zen psychology; which is the amalgamation of Zen thought with the study of psychological problems, particularly related to the control of emotions. The metascience of the study of Zen is cited by first‐, second‐ and third‐person psychology (Watanabe, 1994). Finally, the significance of the idea of all three‐person psychology is emphasized.

Comparable studies

Other theoretical and historical papers on buddhism, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. 2006 Theoretical or philosophical paper
Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience 1995 Theoretical or philosophical paper
Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being 2005 Theoretical or philosophical paper
Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World 2017 Theoretical or philosophical paper
From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory 2016 Theoretical or philosophical paper

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Buddhism Meditation