Marieke K. Van Vugt

2 papers in the library · 1,501 citations · publishing 2017-2026

Papers

Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation

Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017 Nicholas T. Van Dam, Marieke K. Van Vugt, David R. Vago et al. 1,500 citations

Mindfulness meditation has become widely used in therapy, corporate wellness, education, and the military, but the research backing it has faced criticism for poor methodology and misinformation. This article reviews the current state of mindfulness research, discussing difficulties in defining mindfulness, the proper scope of studies, and key methodological issues. The authors summarize what is known and unknown, offering a prescriptive agenda for contemplative science that focuses on assessment, training, possible adverse effects, and brain imaging. The goal is to inform scientists, media, and the public, minimize harm, curb poor research practices, and stop the spread of misinformation about mindfulness's benefits, costs, and future.

DOI: 10.1177/1745691617709589

Decoding the Self: Single-Trial Prediction of Self-Boundary Meditation States From Magnetoencephalography Recordings.

Hum Brain Mapp January 1, 2026 Henrik Röhr, Daniel A. Atad, Fynn‐mathis Trautwein et al. 1 citation

Meditation can deliberately alter the sense of self, allowing comparison between an active and suspended self. In 41 experienced meditators, magnetoencephalography recordings distinguished a state of reduced sense of self (self-boundary dissolution) from rest and a control meditation state. Machine learning using source band power and Lempel-Ziv complexity features predicted mental states with above-chance accuracy. The best performance, classifying self-boundary dissolution versus rest using Lempel-Ziv complexity, achieved average accuracy of about 0.64 for within-participant prediction and about 0.57 for across-participant prediction. This neural marker could support decoded neurofeedback for clinical treatments of self disorders or meditation training.

DOI: 10.1002/hbm.70440 Full text