Frequently Asked Questions
We are often asked questions about the nature of our work and the meaning of some of the terminology we use on our website and in our printed materials. Hopefully this section will help! If you don't see a question answered here, or if the answer given is not clear, feel free to contact us.
- What are virtuous or positive qualities?
- What is contemplative neuroscience?
- What characteristics constitute a healthy mind?
- What is translational research?
What are virtuous or positive qualities?
Virtuous or positive qualities refer to a group of characteristics that are viewed as qualities that are associated with well-being in oneself and in others. Included among them are compassion, altruism, love, and happiness. Just what the boundaries are for deciding something is a positive quality is very much still subject to debate and study. Over the next five years, work in the Center will be specifically focused on compassion, love and forgiveness, in addition to qualities of attention that can be cultivated through contemplative practice.
What is contemplative neuroscience?
Contemplative neuroscience is the neuroscientific study of the impact of contemplative practices. This includes research on the brain mechanisms that underlie contemplative practices, studies of transformations of brain function and structure as a consequence of contemplative practice and research on the peripheral correlates of neural changes induced by contemplative practice. In this latter domain we seek to understand how changes in the brain impact bodily processes and how such neural changes may affect physical health and illness. Contemplative neuroscience utilizes all of the available state-of-art methods and concepts in the cognate areas of cognitive and affective neuroscience to probe changes in the brain that affect the mind. In addition, as a key element of this work, the relation between transformations of the brain and first-person experience assessed in a myriad of ways is examined. This project -- the relation between first- and third-person measures -- represents a fundamental strategy in contemplative neuroscience.
What characteristics constitute a healthy mind?
Like virtuous or positive qualities, just what characteristics constitute a healthy mind is subject to study and debate. This will be part of our ongoing investigations. The work in the Center is dedicated to discovering what the key qualities of a healthy mind are, and how to cultivate these qualities at each stage of the lifespan.
What is translational research?
Translational research refers to research that goes from the “bench to bedside.” In the context of the CIHM, translational research refers to research that directly benefits participants while also providing an opportunity to collect scientific data. The types of translational research that will be conducted by the CIHM involve the assessment of how different interventions based upon contemplative practices affect the brain, behavior and other relevant measures.
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