Richard J. Davidson
Founder, Center for Healthy Minds & Healthy Minds Innovations, William James & Vilas Professor of Psychology & Psychiatry
Studying the behaviors of a general population, Center researchers are examining differences among people in their beliefs about flexibility in the defining characteristics of self and others.
These defining characteristics might include emotions, concepts, the physical body and even material possessions. This study draws from many existing paradigms such as body awareness and choice-making games in novel ways. Scientists hope to clarify the question of how meditation helps people cultivate healthy minds by changing these beliefs about the self and others.