Investigating the Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Processes of Conceptual, Emotional, and Attitude Change

Abstract

Through three separate studies, our research explored whether a mindfulness-based intervention could facilitate processes of conceptual change by evoking a heightened state of cognitive engagement with controversial topics in science including Genetically Modified Foods (Study One), Human-Induced Climate Change, (Study Two), and Fluoridated Water (Study Three). We used Dole and Sinatra’s (Educational Psychologist 33:109–128, 1998) Cognitive Reconstruction of Knowledge Model (CRKM) to operationalize conceptual change, focusing on knowledge, attitude, and emotional change during conceptual change. Using a pre and post design, in Studies One and Two, participants received a single-shot mindfulness intervention. Based upon the findings from Studies One and Two, we modified the design intervention for Study Three to include a mobile app–based mindfulness intervention to allow for more practice between pre and post data collection. Results of Study One revealed a significant difference on attitude change, however, in favor of the control condition. Results of Study Two revealed no significant differences between conditions. Results of Study Three were also null. The findings have implications for mindfulness and conceptual change strategies. Our null findings potentially suggest that the mindfulness interventions used were not potent enough, in terms of length and content, to generate the type of mindful engagement we predicted would occur.