Mark McLaughlin

The present study investigated correlations between self-reported meditation-related state and trait measures and changes in electroencephalography (EEG) power across delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands during meditation as compared with rest. We also introduced seven novel self-report items concerning state emotional, transcendent, and self-awareness-related aspects of meditative experience that are often underrepresented in existing measures, and we explored their relations to underlying EEG activity. The study was designed to maximize ecological validity by asking experienced meditators (n = 29) to meditate in their customary manner. We replicated and extended previous findings showing that components of the Meditative State Scale are correlated with changes in EEG activity. Specifically, we found that the Mental Quietening and Transcendence subscales were correlated with greater changes in gamma power in the frontal, parietal, and occipital regions, and the Transcendence subscale was correlated with greater changes in beta power in parietal and occipital regions. Focusing on trait measures, we found that components of the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Modified Tellegen Absorption Scale were associated with changes in EEG power at specific frequency bands during meditation as compared with rest. Correlations between EEG activity and the novel state meditation researcher-created questions were mixed depending on the specific question domain, and these findings are discussed in detail below. Together, these results contribute to a more complete and nuanced understanding of the neurophenomenology of meditative experience.

Objectives: Prior scholarly literature has investigated definitions of mindfulness, yet limited research has examined how contemporary mindfulness is culturally constructed among lay individuals (i.e., non-academic researchers). The present mixed-methods study sought to provide an initial mapping of the context of ideas and cultural orientations that inform lay people’s understanding of mindfulness. Further, we assessed how one’s level of contemplative experience informs qualitative definitions of mindfulness among US participants. Participants were also asked quantitative questions about their views of mindfulness and their understanding of the relationship between “mindfulness” and “meditation”. Methods: Our analytic sample (n = 100; 61.6% female) consisted of 50 inexperienced college student participants (ISPs) as well as 50 experienced community members (ECMs). Results: Using qualitative content analysis, six categories were identified: (1) “Religious, Spiritual, and Philosophical,” (2) “Attention/Observing,” (3) “Calming and Grounding,” (4) “Tenets of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction,” (5) “Virtue Cultivation” and (6) “Awareness”. Based on chi-square tests, ECMs endorsed Categories 2 and 4 more frequently than ISPs, while ISPs endorsed Categories 3 and 6 more than ECMs. ECMs more often endorsed mindfulness as intended for “seeing that there is no substantive self” (vs. “cultivating an authentic self”) and that “mindfulness is a specific type of meditation” compared to ISPs. ISPs were more likely to endorse that “mindfulness is different from meditation” compared to ECMs. Conclusions: Our results suggest that lay people’s preconceived ideas about what mindfulness is, and what it entails, vary based on prior contemplative experience. Further, these findings help illustrate that conceptions of mindfulness in the USA may be influenced by distinctive cultural framings. Preregistration: This study was not preregistered.

The purpose of this mixed method interdisciplinary study was to investigate lay individuals’ (i.e., community members’ and college students’) perceptions and understandings of meditation. Within our analytic sample (n = 200), participants completed an online survey. Specifically, we asked each participant to define “meditation” in their own words, and then we used thematic analysis to identify themes from their responses. Further, we analyzed responses to quantitative questions regarding participants’ views on religious/spiritual aspects of meditation. The majority of participants identified as being White, non-Hispanic (72.0%), and female sex at birth (n = 63.5%). Overall, seven distinct themes were identified based on participants’ definitions of meditation: (a)“Religious, Spiritual, and Philosophical”; (b)“Attention/Observing”; (c)“Calming, Grounding, and Relaxation”; (d)“Mindfulness-Oriented”; (e)“Virtue Cultivation”; (f )“Techniques”; and (g)“Solitary Reflection.” Further, 30.5% of participants endorsed that the practice of meditation is spiritual and religious, 39.5% endorsed spiritual but not religious, 1.0% endorsed religious but not spiritual, and 29.0% endorsed neither spiritual nor religious. Several significant differences were found in both theme endorsement and quantitative responses based on prior experience with meditation and religious/spiritual self-identification. Overall, our results suggest that laypeople’s preconceived ideas (or misconceptions) about what meditation is, and what it entails, vary based on prior meditation experience and self-identification with religion and spirituality.