Mindfulness meditation practices can be conceptualized as a set of attention-based, regulatory, and self-inquiry training regimes cultivated for various ends, including the training of well-being and psychological health. This panel discusses conceptual issues related to the construct of mindfulness in psychological research and reviews recent, nonclinical work in this area. Instead of proposing a single definition of mindfulness, we favor the view of mindfulness training as a continuum of practices embedded within a variety of axiological frameworks. We map mindfulness-related states and traits into a well-defined multidimensional phenomenal matrix that can readily be expressed into a neurocognitive framework. This phenomenal and neurocognitive matrix of mindfulness is presented as a heuristic to guide formulation of next generation research hypotheses from both cognitive/behavioral and neuroscientific perspectives. We review selected findings on mindfulness research. Lastly, we identify significant gaps in the literature and outline promising new directions for research.

John Dunne, PhD

University of Wisconsin-Madison

John Dunne’s work focuses on Buddhist philosophy and contemplative practice, especially in dialog with Cognitive Science. His publications range from technical works on Buddhist epistemology to broader works on the … MORE

Amishi Jha, PhD

University of Miami

Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Planning Committee Member, Research and Programs Council Member

Amishi Jha is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami, and Director of Contemplative Neuroscience for the Mindfulness Research and Practice Initiative, prior to which she was an … MORE

Antoine Lutz, PhD

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Discussant, Fellow, Reviewer

Antoine Lutz, PhD is an Associate Scientist at the Laboratory For Functional Brain Imaging and Behavior at the Waisman Center in the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research interests focus on … MORE

Clifford Saron, PhD

University of California, Davis

Convening Faculty, Fellow, Planning Committee Member

Clifford Saron is a research scientist at the Center for Mind and Brain and MIND Institute at the University of California, Davis. He received his Ph.D. in neuroscience from the … MORE