A finite state model for meditation phenomena.
J Waxman
Perceptual and Motor Skills August 1979 DOI: 10.2466/pms.1979.49.1.123 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that the brain wave synchrony reported during Transcendental Meditation, often interpreted as heightened integration of brain function, may instead be an artifact of parts of the brain acting like a finite state machine; the authors develop this model, derive its properties, and propose a test of the hypothesis. |
Abstract
Various reports of brain wave synchrony during Transcendental Meditation have appeared in the literature and have been interpreted as indicating a heightened state of integration of brain function. We suggest that this observed synchrony rather than indicating a greater integration of brain function might be an artifact of parts of the brain acting like a finite state machine. The finite state model is developed, its properties derived and a test for the hypothesis is presented.
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 |