Research & Science

Stay at the forefront of mindfulness science with Mindful.org’s Mindfulness Research category. Here, we dive into the latest studies and findings that reveal the science behind mindfulness. Understand how mindfulness practices can impact the brain, enhance cognitive functions, and improve overall health and well-being. Our in-depth articles and analyses translate complex research into actionable insights, keeping you informed and knowledgeable about the empirical evidence supporting mindfulness.  
Kids & Teens
Including both students & teachers 

Social and emotional learning (SEL) involves the development of the fundamental skills required to understand and manage oneself, and one’s relationships. Supported by research and theory in a variety of fields including education, positive and developmental psychology, cognitive behavioral theory, systems theory, and neuroscience, the SEL framework can be viewed… Read More 

  • Tish Jennings
  • October 4, 2011
Learn
Violent Video Games Inhibit the Compassion Instinct 

A study in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology provides more evidence that violent video games desensitize players to violence, and makes them more violent in real life. This is not the first study to report such an effect; the evidence has been steadily accumulating over the last decade. But this study… Read More 

  • Kelly McGonigal
  • August 3, 2011
Mindful meditation
Getting Started
Waking Up to Mindfulness 

Ten years ago last March, I decided to seek help for my mind. It was near the beginning of a third (and most crippling) episode of anxiety and depression, and I realized that whatever the outer circumstances behind my despair, the resolution had to come from within. Swamped by distressing… Read More 

  • Ed Halliwell
  • June 13, 2011
A red heart is pierced by two crossed swords on a light blue gradient background. The heart lies flat, and the swords form an
Learn
It’s Official: Rejection Really Hurts 

New research suggests that the same areas in the brain that are activated by physical pain are also activated at moments of intense social rejection. “Social Rejection Shares Somatosensory Representations With Physical Pain,” was recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study’s lead author,… Read More 

  • Line Goguen-Hughes
  • May 16, 2011
A close-up of a pregnancy test showing two red lines in the
Learn
Stress Reduction Improves Conception 

New research shows promise for women undergoing certain infertility treatments—they’re more likely to become pregnant if they take part in a simultaneous stress reduction program. The finding, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, raises new and controversial questions about the role that stress may play in infertility. Read More 

  • Line Goguen-Hughes
  • May 11, 2011
A yellow pencil points towards two checkboxes labeled
Focus & Attention
Meditation Leads to Better Decision-Making 

A new study  reveals how mindfulness practice can change decision-making for the better. The study, conducted by the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, found that people who meditate regularly use different parts of their brains in the decision-making process. A total of 66 people participated in the study. Those who regularly practiced… Read More 

  • Mindful Staff
  • April 26, 2011
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