Mapping a Culture of Mindfulness: Lay Conceptions of Mindfulness and Why They Matter
Patton Burchett, Adrian J. Bravo, Mark Mclaughlin, Kevin Vose, Matthew Haug, Cheryl L. Dickter
Mindfulness May 11, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1007/s12671-026-02853-3 via OpenAlex
Summary
Lay individuals' understanding of mindfulness varies significantly based on their contemplative experience. In a study with 100 participants, experienced community members (ECMs) more frequently endorsed definitions related to attention and stress reduction, while inexperienced college students (ISPs) favored calming aspects and awareness. ECMs viewed mindfulness as a specific meditation type, contrasting with ISPs who saw it as distinct from meditation. These findings highlight how cultural contexts shape perceptions of mindfulness in the USA.
Study at a glance
| Design | mixed-methods study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 100 |
| Population | 100 participants including inexperienced college students and experienced community members in the USA |
| Key finding | Conceptions of mindfulness vary among lay people based on their contemplative experience, with experienced individuals endorsing different definitions than inexperienced ones. |
Abstract
Abstract Objectives Prior scholarly literature has investigated definitions of mindfulness, yet limited research has examined how contemporary mindfulness is culturally constructed among lay individuals (i.e., non-academic researchers). The present mixed-methods study sought to provide an initial mapping of the context of ideas and cultural orientations that inform lay people’s understanding of mindfulness. Further, we assessed how one’s level of contemplative experience informs qualitative definitions of mindfulness among US participants. Participants were also asked quantitative questions about their views of mindfulness and their understanding of the relationship between “mindfulness” and “meditation”. Methods Our analytic sample ( n = 100; 61.6% female) consisted of 50 inexperienced college student participants (ISPs) as well as 50 experienced community members (ECMs). Results Using qualitative content analysis, six categories were identified: (1) “Religious, Spiritual, and Philosophical,” (2) “Attention/Observing,” (3) “Calming and Grounding,” (4) “Tenets of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction,” (5) “Virtue Cultivation” and (6) “Awareness”. Based on chi-square tests, ECMs endorsed Categories 2 and 4 more frequently than ISPs, while ISPs endorsed Categories 3 and 6 more than ECMs. ECMs more often endorsed mindfulness as intended for “seeing that there is no substantive self” (vs. “cultivating an authentic self”) and that “mindfulness is a specific type of meditation” compared to ISPs. ISPs were more likely to endorse that “mindfulness is different from meditation” compared to ECMs. Conclusions Our results suggest that lay people’s preconceived ideas about what mindfulness is, and what it entails, vary based on prior contemplative experience. Further, these findings help illustrate that conceptions of mindfulness in the USA may be influenced by distinctive cultural framings. Preregistration This study was not preregistered.