Contemplative Cognition: A More Integrative Framework for Advancing Mindfulness and Meditation Research

Abstract

Mindfulness, whether distinguished as a state, trait, or training, is central to a growing wave of interest in meditation. Theoretical development has been called for in order to clarify confusion about mindfulness from a scientific perspective. Ideally, such development will allow ingress for more traditional perspectives, and guide inclusive research on the wider range of meditation practices. To address this call, we outline a new approach for understanding mindfulness and related meditative experience that accommodates diverse perspectives. In accord with other integrative approaches, we employ foundational psychological constructs (namely, attention, intention, and awareness) to understand mindfulness. In contrast to other theoretical perspectives, however, we utilize this foundation to derive novel psychological constructs needed to better explain mindfulness and important features of meditative experience more widely. The contemplative cognition framework integrates three attention-related processes

Time perception and the experience of agency in meditation and hypnosis

“…Grossenbacher and Quaglia () present a parsimonious model of mindfulness meditation that places a central emphasis on metacognition of intentions. The Contemplative Cognition Framework identifies three constructs as being central to mindfulness and meditation: intended attention, attention to intention, and awareness of transient information (or present moment awareness).…”

“…Specifically, cold control theory predicts that the ability to respond to hypnotic suggestion reflects relatively low conscious access to information relating to intentions. Conversely, the practice of mindfulness meditation centrally involves awareness of intentions (Grossenbacher & Quaglia, ) and so experienced mindfulness meditators might be expected to develop improved conscious access to intentions (consistent with this suggestion, experienced meditators have been found to be less hypnotizable than nonmeditators; Dienes et al, ; Semmens‐Wheeler & Dienes, ). Empirical research into the experience of intentions over voluntary actions and the sense of agency has led to the development of temporal measures that are sensitive to intentions (Wolpe & Rowe, ).…”

Time perception and the experience of agency in meditation and hypnosis

“…While metacognition of intentions is, arguably, a central aspect of mindfulness (Grossenbacher & Quaglia, 2017), Buddhist practice involves mindfulness of a wide variety of perceptions (e.g., Dreyfus, 2011;Kuan, 2012) and there is no reason to expect mindfulness-related differences in the formation and maintenance of HOTs to be limited to those directed at intentions. We might therefore expect meditators to also have improved metacognition other than of intentions (e.g., see Fleming & Lau, 2014).…”

“…Conversely, the practice of mindfulness meditation centrally involves awareness of intentions (Grossenbacher & Quaglia, 2017) and so experienced mindfulness meditators might be expected to develop improved conscious access to intentions (consistent with this suggestion, experienced meditators have been found to be less hypnotisable than non-meditators; Dienes et al, 2015; Semmens-Wheeler & Dienes, 2012). Empirical research into the experience of intentions over voluntary actions and the sense of agency has led to the development of temporal measures which are sensitive to intentions (Wolpe & Rowe, 2014).…”

Meditation Experience and Mindfulness Are Associated with Reduced Self-Reported Mind-Wandering in Meditators—A German Version of the Daydreaming Frequency Scale

“…Researchers have begun to examine the processes underlying mind-wandering (for reviews see References [5,6]), while a theoretically related area of research has investigated the ability to mindfully focus attention on the current experience [7]. In line with a recent contemplative model of cognition [8], the propensity to engage in unintended thoughts can be reduced by meditation. According to this model, the integrative functioning of Psych 2019, 1 three attention-related processes (i.e., intended attention, attention to intention, and awareness of present-moment transient information), while meditating, may lessen distractibility.…”