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book2017

Altered Traits

Disciplines:
psychology
neuroscience
spirituality/meditation
research

Summary

Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson's 2017 rigorous review of meditation research — separating well-supported findings from inflated claims — arguing that meditation's most significant benefits require long-term practice and that most studies measure states rather than traits.

Core Contribution

Creates the rigorous meditation research synthesis — Altered Traits distinguishes between altered states (temporary changes during meditation) and altered traits (lasting changes to baseline functioning) and shows that most popular claims about meditation's benefits are not yet scientifically established at the trait level.

Historical Influences

Meditation research tradition Buddhist contemplative science

Intellectual Lineage

Daniel Goleman and Richard DavidsonAvery

Allied Works

The Mind's Own PhysicianMindfulness in Plain English

Contemporaries & Peers

No recorded contemporaries.

Minds Influenced

Meditation research standards

Intellectual Posterity

Altered Traits Meditation research rigor framework

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Altered Traits

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