Holzel et al. Quiz 1

In Holzel et al., what is the psychology being investigated?

• Mindfulness: awareness of who we are, where we are, and what we are doing; not becoming overwhelmed

• Mindfulness: "the development of awareness of present-moment experience with a compassionate, non-judgemental stance."

• Localisation of function: how different parts of the brain perform specific functions (here, changing brain density or volume, which is linked to increased performance abilities)

• All of the above

What is the aim of the study in Holzel et al.?

• to investigate the potential short-term effect of mindfulness programs (MBSR, etc.) on mood enhancement

• to test whether or not mindfulness training can increase performance on timed writing tests

• to investigate the potential long-term effect of a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on brain grey matter density

• all of the above

Which of the following criteria had to be met by participants in Hozel et al.?

• be right-handed

• have an IQ of 100 or above

• be between 18 and 34 years old

• none of the above

Which of the following criteria had to be met by participants in Hozel et al.?

• be psychologically and physically healthy

• be in a leadership role in their career

• be good at puzzles

• none of the above

Which of the following criteria had to be met by participants in Hozel et al.?

• not be taking any prescribed medication

• commitment to attend all eight MBSR lessons and do the daily homework

• have had no more than four meditation classes in the last five years and no meditation classes in the last six months

• all of the above

Which of the following criteria had to be met by participants in Hozel et al.?

• ability to participate in an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) brain scan (so, no metal implants, claustrophobia, etc.)

• willingness to be interviewed multiple times per day for a series of several weeks

• ability to demonstrate mindfulness techniques upon demand (to show efficacy of training)

• all of the above

True or false? Participants in Hozel et al. gave informed consent.

• True. All participants gave written consent, and the study was ethically approved by the Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

• False; deception was necessary in this study, so some participants were not informed of the potentially harmful elements (but were debriefed at the end).

What was the total number of participants in the Hozel et al. study?

• 13,674 people participated in an online meditation class, but only 16 voluntarily participated in the MRI scans for the study; of these, only 5 completed the follow-up interviews, so the total is 5

• 13,674 participants volunteered to be MRI scanned for the study; 74 withdrew due to schedule constraints preventing involvement in the MBSR class

• Originally, 18 participants were part of the experimental group, but two withdrew due to MRI scan discomfort, leaving 16.

  There were 17 participants in the control group for a total of 33 (35 originally).

• none of the above

What was involved in the MBSR program in Hozel et al.?

• eight weekly group meetings for 2.5 hours each

• in the sixth week, participants attended a full-day (6.5 hours) session

• body scan (feeling the body as a complete whole; noting awareness of sensations)

• mindful yoga (gentle stretching, slow movement, coordinated with breathing patterns; appreciating the limits of one's body)

Which of the following applies to the Hozel et al. study?

• Sitting meditation was included. This included awareness of the sensation of breathing before moving on to other senses (e.g., taste and sound).

• Later in the MBSR course, the emphasis switched to awareness meditation (based on anything that comes into one's consciousness).

• Participants chose their own meditation exercises, selecting from among exercises including "Leaves in a Stream,"

• All of the above