A BUDDHIST VIEW OF HAPPINESS

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthieu Ricard
Keyword(s):  
Mental States ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
True Nature ◽  
Authentic Happiness ◽  
Healthy State ◽  
State Of Mind ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Mental Constructs ◽  
Contemplative Neuroscience

AbstractIn Buddhism, happiness is achieved when a person can perceive the true nature of reality, unmodified by the mental constructs we superimpose upon it. This authentic happiness comes from having an exceptionally healthy state of mind that underlies and suffuses all emotional states and that embraces all the joys and sorrows that come one's way. The mental states necessary for authentic happiness are not simply found or happened upon. Rather, happiness is achieved through mental training that purges the mind of afflictive emotions, such as hatred and compulsive desire, which literally poison the mind, and above all through the eradication of ignorance. This article discusses the Buddhist conception of happiness and its attainment. In particular, the article addresses the methods and practices that Buddhism employs to train the mind to achieve authentic happiness and the recent developments in contemplative neuroscience that complement and advance these methods.

scholarly journals The Mind-Brain Relationship as a Mathematical Problem

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgio A. Ascoli
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Physics ◽  
Mathematical Problem ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Human Mind ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Neural Connectivity ◽  
Human Communication ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽  
Scientific Phenomena ◽  
The Mind

This paper aims to frame certain fundamental aspects of the human mind (content and meaning of mental states) and foundational elements of brain computation (spatial and temporal patterns of neural activity) so as to enable at least in principle their integration within one and the same quantitative representation. Through the history of science, similar approaches have been instrumental to bridge other seemingly mysterious scientific phenomena, such as thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, optics and electromagnetism, or chemistry and quantum physics, among several other examples. Identifying the relevant levels of analysis is important to define proper mathematical formalisms for describing the brain and the mind, such that they could be mapped onto each other in order to explain their equivalence. Based on these premises, we overview the potential of neural connectivity to provide highly informative constraints on brain computational process. Moreover, we outline approaches for representing cognitive and emotional states geometrically with semantic maps. Next, we summarize leading theoretical framework that might serve as an explanatory bridge between neural connectivity and mental space. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of this framework for human communication and our view of reality. We conclude by analyzing the practical requirements to manage the necessary data for solving the mind-brain problem from this perspective.

scholarly journals EMPOWERMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH SATTVAVJAYA CHIKITSA

2021 ◽  
Vol p5 (5) ◽  
pp. 3031-3036
Author(s):  
Desai Tanvi Prashant ◽  
Kolarkar Rajesh ◽  
Bande Mahendra
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Salient Feature ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Classical Text ◽  
Mental Health Awareness ◽  
Analytical Thinking ◽  
Healthy State ◽  
State Of Mind ◽  
The Mind

Ayurveda has been one of the oldest medicinal systems in the world. Ayurveda focuses on the promotive as well as curative aspects of wellbeing. Ayurveda happens to manage both, physical as well as mental illnesses in normal and abnormal forms. The system believes in the psychosomatic aspect of every disease. Thus, focusing on the development, empowerment and maintenance of the mental health status of a human being is a top priority nowa- days. The current day scenario also demands a strong spotlight over mental health awareness and development. Acharya Charaka has mentioned a salient feature known as Sattvavajaya chikitsa in the classical text well versed with the techniques to use for the maintenance of a healthy state of Mind. Mental health refers to cognitive, be- havioural, and emotional well-being. It is all about how people think, feel, and behave. This Article attempt is being made to combine the mentioned techniques in one single place. The main aim of SATTVAVAJAYA CHIKITSA is to restrain the mind from the unwanted thought process, replacing negative ideas, proper channel- ling of presumptions and proper advice through Jnanam (Knowledge), Vijayan (analytical thinking), dhairya (courage), smriti (memory) and samadhi (concentration). The practice of Achara rasayana reduces stress and anxiety improves psychoneurotic immunity. Components of Sattvavajaya chikitsa are Dinacharya (daily regi- men), Ritucharya (Seasonal regimen), Sadvritta (code of virtues)/Achara Rasayana Roganutpadana (Prevention of diseases), Annapanavidhi (Rules about food and drinks). Keywords: Sattvavajaya Chikitsa, Mental Health, Modern Psychotherapy, Sadvrutta, Aachaar Rasayan.

Consciousness of Motivated, Emotional Mind

2021 ◽  
pp. 57-80
Keyword(s):  
Intelligent System ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Ability To Act ◽  
Cognitive Awareness ◽  
Bodily Experiences ◽  
Mode Of Operation ◽  
The Moment ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Rational Actions

The efficient functioning of the conscious mind requires motivation. Motivations are both the source and the reason for its development and sophistication. The motivation for intelligent activities is usually to avoid discomfort and seek pleasure. On the other hand, the implementation of complex life plans and the feeling of higher mental states requires motivation through curiosity and through a desire to learn and discover something new. A mind equipped with cognitive awareness has the ability to observe and assess the effects of its actions on the environment. Creating complex mental representations associating actions with distant impressions and effects allows for their emotional assessment. If bodily experiences are to give meaning to what an individual perceives and remembers, then he must be able to assess the value of his experiences for his own good. Using these experiences and learned knowledge an intelligent system gains the ability to take rational actions to achieve its goals, feel the pain and pleasure resulting from such actions, be sensitive to effects of his actions, be conscious. The analysis of one's own situation and the choice of the optimal mode of operation can be interpreted as implementations of the system's own will. The discussion of restrictions on the choices made indicates that this will of the system is by no means free will. Conscious being decisions depend on the momentary mental states in which the mind is in the process of deciding. They depend on the content of what he has in his memory at the moment, his current mood, available knowledge, his patience for analyzing different variants of behavior and ability to act. In addition to known ontological, physical, and biological limitations, and social (for social beings), there are significant limitations related to the content and structural organization of memory, created associations and beliefs shaped by life experiences and interactions with subconscious mind. Assessing the effects of the operation, satisfying, or not satisfying the needs of the system revealed in the above way creates complex emotional states. Structures and processes leading to the creation of emotions, motivating to rational action for the broadly understood own good, constitute a model of a fully conscious, motivated, emotional mind (MEM). Is the presented model really a reductive model? Do mental states even exist? The authors try to answer these and similar questions in this chapter.

scholarly journals Social Class Predicts Emotion Perception and Perspective-Taking Performance in Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pia Dietze ◽  
Eric D. Knowles
Keyword(s):  
Social Class ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Emotion Perception ◽  
Lower Class ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Visual Perspective ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
The Mind ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
Director Task

“Theory of Mind” (ToM; people’s ability to infer and use information about others’ mental states) varies across cultures. In four studies ( N = 881), including two preregistered replications, we show that social class predicts performance on ToM tasks. In Studies 1A and 1B, we provide new evidence for a relationship between social class and emotion perception: Higher-class individuals performed more poorly than their lower-class counterparts on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, which has participants infer the emotional states of targets from images of their eyes. In Studies 2A and 2B, we provide the first evidence that social class predicts visual perspective taking: Higher-class individuals made more errors than lower-class individuals in the Director Task, which requires participants to assume the visual perspective of another person. Potential mechanisms linking social class to performance in different ToM domains, as well as implications for deficiency-centered perspectives on low social class, are discussed.

scholarly journals Social Class Predicts Emotion Perception and Perspective-Taking Performance in Adults

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pia Dietze ◽  
Eric Knowles
Keyword(s):  
Social Class ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Emotion Perception ◽  
Lower Class ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Visual Perspective ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
The Mind ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
Director Task

“Theory of Mind” (ToM; people’s ability to infer and use information about others’ mental states) varies across cultures. In four studies (N = 881), including two preregistered replications, we show that social class predicts performance on ToM tasks. In Studies 1A and 1B, we provide new evidence for a relationship between social class and emotion perception: Higher-class individuals performed more poorly than their lower-class counterparts on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, which has participants infer the emotional states of targets from images of their eyes. In Studies 2A and 2B, we provide the first evidence that social class predicts visual perspective-taking: Higher-class individuals made more errors than lower-class individuals in the Director Task, which requires participants to assume the visual perspective of another person. Potential mechanisms linking social class to performance in different ToM domains, as well as implications for deficiency-centered perspectives on low social class, are discussed.

scholarly journals Obese Adolescents Have Reduced Mentalizing Ability

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alaleh Taheri ◽  
M. Ali Mazaheri ◽  
Abbas Zabihzadeh ◽  
Paul Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Analysis Of Variance ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Psychological Status ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Obese Adolescents ◽  
The Mind

Abstract Purpose: Obesity affects both mental health and the quality of life, and it also causes diseases associated with increased mortality. The aetiology of obesity is thought to be multifactorial with biological, psychological and social elements. The psychological realm includes the capacity to be aware of one’s own and others’ mental states, that is mentalizing. We hypothesized that poor mentalizing might contribute to the development and/or persistence of obesity among adolescents. The present study aims to investigate the components of the mentalization model to better identify the psychological status of obese adolescents. Methods: This study was carried out on 100 adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 years who were either obese (N=50, Mean age=17.04, Mean BMI=30.24) or normal weight (N=50, Mean age=16.94, Mean BMI=20.95). All completed the reflective functioning questionnaire (RFQ), reading the mind in the eyes test (RMET), difficulties in emotional regulation scale (DERS), and Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS). Results: Multivariate analysis of variance, univariate analysis of variance, and independent t-test were used. Lower certainty and higher uncertainty on the RFQ were confirmed in the OB group indicating reduced mentalizing ability. Misperception and misinterpretation of emotional states conveyed in the eyes in the RMET were consistent the RFQ results. Alexithymia, including difficulty recognizing, expressing and reflecting on emotions, was also found and this also fits with poor mentalizing capacity. The OB group had difficulty in all components of DERS, apart from the “Strategies” subscale. Conclusion: Mentalization or reflective function is significantly poorer in obese, compared to normal weight adolescents. Poor mentalizing could be a cause of obesity, a factor leading to its persistence, or a consequence of obesity. Further research is required to differentiate these possibilities.Level of evidence Level III: case-control analytic study.

Recent Developments of Ambulatory Assessment Methods

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 279-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Hey ◽  
Panagiota Anastasopoulou ◽  
André Bideaux ◽  
Wilhelm Stork
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Ambulatory Assessment ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Physiological Sensors

Ambulatory assessment of emotional states as well as psychophysiological, cognitive and behavioral reactions constitutes an approach, which is increasingly being used in psychological research. Due to new developments in the field of information and communication technologies and an improved application of mobile physiological sensors, various new systems have been introduced. Methods of experience sampling allow to assess dynamic changes of subjective evaluations in real time and new sensor technologies permit a measurement of physiological responses. In addition, new technologies facilitate the interactive assessment of subjective, physiological, and behavioral data in real-time. Here, we describe these recent developments from the perspective of engineering science and discuss potential applications in the field of neuropsychology.

Challenges and opportunities for the affective sciences.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew S. Fox ◽  
Regina Lapate ◽  
Alexander J. Shackman ◽  
Richard J Davidson
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Quarter Century ◽  
Core Feature ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Mind ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Improved Methods ◽  
Health And Well Being

Emotion is a core feature of the human condition, with profound consequences for health, wealth, and wellbeing. Over the past quarter-century, improved methods for manipulating and measuring different features of emotion have yielded steady advances in our scientific understanding emotional states, traits, and disorders. Yet, it is clear that most of the work remains undone. Here, we highlight key challenges facing the field of affective sciences. Addressing these challenges will provide critical opportunities not just for understanding the mind, but also for increasing the impact of the affective sciences on public health and well-being.

Intentionality of movement: Mirror neuron system and theory of mind

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 2113-2113 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.M. Borghi ◽  
F. Binkofski
Keyword(s):  
Mirror Neurons ◽  
Mirror Neuron System ◽  
Mirror Neuron ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Action Understanding ◽  
Imaging Studies ◽  
Motor Representation ◽  
Neuron System ◽  
State Of Mind ◽  
Additional Explanation

The ability to understand intentions of actions performed by others is one of the prerequisites for social interaction. This ability has been attributed to our capacity to mentalize others’ behaviour, by simulating or predicting their mental states that would cause that behaviour and make it comprehensible. Brain imaging studies revealed the so called “mentalizng network” including the pSTS/TPJ, the temporal poles and the medial prefrontal cortex. This network gets constantly activated anytime we try to take the perspective of others or try to simulate their state of mind. On the other hand the discovery of mirror neurons has provided an additional explanation for understanding of the content of actions. The functional properties of these neurons point out that action understanding is primarily based on a mechanism that directly matches the sensory representation of perceived actions with one's own motor representation of the same actions. We provide evidence that both systems interact closely during the processing of intentionality of actions. Thus mentalizing is not the only form of intentional understanding and motor and intentional components of action are closely interwoven. Both systems play an important role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

scholarly journals Activity in the brain’s valuation and mentalizing networks is associated with propagation of online recommendations

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa C. Baek ◽  
Matthew Brook O’Donnell ◽  
Christin Scholz ◽  
Rui Pei ◽  
Javier O. Garcia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Prior Work ◽  
Opinion Change ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Mentalizing System

AbstractWord of mouth recommendations influence a wide range of choices and behaviors. What takes place in the mind of recommendation receivers that determines whether they will be successfully influenced? Prior work suggests that brain systems implicated in assessing the value of stimuli (i.e., subjective valuation) and understanding others’ mental states (i.e., mentalizing) play key roles. The current study used neuroimaging and natural language classifiers to extend these findings in a naturalistic context and tested the extent to which the two systems work together or independently in responding to social influence. First, we show that in response to text-based social media recommendations, activity in both the brain’s valuation system and mentalizing system was associated with greater likelihood of opinion change. Second, participants were more likely to update their opinions in response to negative, compared to positive, recommendations, with activity in the mentalizing system scaling with the negativity of the recommendations. Third, decreased functional connectivity between valuation and mentalizing systems was associated with opinion change. Results highlight the role of brain regions involved in mentalizing and positive valuation in recommendation propagation, and further show that mentalizing may be particularly key in processing negative recommendations, whereas the valuation system is relevant in evaluating both positive and negative recommendations.

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