How do people conceptualize mindfulness?

Mindfulness is widely discussed but its everyday meaning is unclear. Across four studies, people evaluated the term and people described as mindful positively. A mindful person was seen as endorsing self-transcendence values such as equality, and as more likeable and moral than a less-mindful person. These positive perceptions were stronger among participants who were themselves more mindful. Visual representations of mindful faces were judged as more likeable, higher in self-transcendence values, and more moral than less-mindful faces. How the public interprets mindfulness shapes its acceptance and use in addressing global challenges.

Study at a glance

Abstract

While the concept of mindfulness is ubiquitous, its meaning is ambiguous, with limited knowledge about how it is understood by the general public. Understanding how laypeople perceive mindfulness and mindful people is vital, as it will impact how people interpret and act upon information about mindfulness and mindfulness practices. Study 1 participants evaluated the term mindfulness positively, while Study 2 participants perceived a mindful target positively and as strongly endorsing self-transcendence values (e.g. equality). Study 3 participants learned about an unknown target who was mindful or not. The mindful target was evaluated more positively than the less-mindful target and seen as endorsing different values. Most effects in Studies 1-3 were stronger among more mindful participants. Study 4 assessed visual representations of mindful and less-mindful faces. Visual representations of a mindful face were judged by naive raters as more likeable, possessing higher self-transcendence values and performing more moral behaviours compared with a less-mindful face. The results suggest that how people interpret mindfulness has important consequences and can be used to guide how mindfulness is implemented in response to global challenges.