Download Structure and Purpose

Alpha
What is dialectic contemplation?
State of Research
Purpose
Structure: Road Map
Phase I
Phase II
Phase III
Likely methodologies within Alpha
Omega
What is esoteric contemplation? State of Research
Purpose
Structure: Road Map
Phase I
Phase II & III
Requirements
Resources
Structure and Supporting Bodies
Director
References and Appendices
Appendix 1 - Mindfulness Critique
Appendix 2 - References
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Stream Alpha α: Description
What is Dialectic Contemplation?
A dialectical method involves a search for understanding using discourse. Dialectics as
a method has been traced back to the Pre-socratic philosopher Zeno of Elea, is
well-known in the dialogues of Plato, and has continued to be familiar to the west
(thanks in part to the influence of Neoplatonism on Western thought) as a way people
can come to greater understanding.
Dialectic Contemplation - the dialectical method in question - is a way of addressing a
personal problem that an individual feels unable to resolve, such as a pattern of
behaviour that they find themselves seemingly trapped in. It uses a question framework
that can be administered by an experienced practitioner, by a peer, or self-administered.
The framework is designed to draw the conversation towards uncovering the source of
the problem with greater clarity; for example, a false conclusion that was drawn in the
past about what appropriate behaviour looks like. Practitioners have reported striking
results through the use of this method, but it has not yet been directly scientifically
investigated.
This dialectical approach should be distinguished from other activities with a dialectical
component, such as DBT (dialectical behaviour therapy). Although both approaches
involve the idea of observing and describing situations, DBT suggests strategies for
dealing with challenging situations that may arise in the future, for instance using the
‘ACCEPTS’ set of actions to distract oneself from negative emotions. In contrast,
dialectic contemplation proscribes no strategies and makes no recommendations for
coping with the future. Instead, it focuses simply on better understanding a problem and
its source such that the problem is resolved.
State of research
There is published work (Uliana, 2003) on an earlier method, Philosophical Midwifery,
which uses a dialectical approach. This used case-study evidence to demonstrate
efficacy of the method. We propose to develop a much farther-reaching research
program investigating the efficacy of the current dialectic. This will include case studies,
quantitative investigation of successful resolution of problems across cohorts, and
theory-driven predictions of broader outcomes obtained through the concerted use of
this approach. As stated in the Road Map details, a wide-ranging review of related
areas will be undertaken to ground and broaden understanding.
Purpose of research stream
The scientific investigation of the experience and consequences of an individual using
dialectic contemplation to understand themselves. The primary question guiding this
research is: in what ways is this dialectic approach effective in helping individuals
resolving personal problems, and what impact does that have for the individual?
Structure
Alpha Research Road Map
At this stage, the research road map is provisional, and its full development would need
to occur as a first task of the appointed Research Director. However, this is likely to
include in the earlier stages
Phase I
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
1.
2.
3.
Literature search
Review with subject matter experts
Formalisation of broad research plan for Phases II & III
Phase II
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Design data collection procedure
Determine data analysis procedure
Identification of relevant valid measures
Development of bespoke metrics including piloting
Trialling of methodologies
Phase III
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Participant recruitment
Data collection
Data analysis
Interpretation and write-up of results
Evaluate next research steps in light of findings
Phase 1 - Direction
Literature search
As the dialectic method in question has not been the subject of research to date, a
full-fledged systematic review is inappropriate, but existing literature will inform the
research program in other ways. Investigating other practices that are in certain ways
analogous can generate insight into possible research methods and tools that can be
relevant. Eg, research into
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Expository writing
Coaching methodologies
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Self-initiated reflection
Insight from such practices will take an ad-hoc, snowball approach, exploring further
relevant areas as and when connections are identified. This literature search will begin
with the commencement of the research stream, and then will proceed in parallel with
other aspects of Phase I.
These searches will rely on the databases described later in Stream: Omega, and also
use of non-scholarly resources such as Google and Wikipedia for top-level investigation
of possibly analogous practices.
Review with subject matter experts
Given the lack of existing research on the practice to be investigated, insight into the
plausible impact of the dialectic method will be sought from experienced practitioners.
This is likely to include a small qualitative pilot using brief interviews together with
information gathered through open-ended survey and informal means. This data will be
used to inform hypotheses, rather than put to the test in itself.
Formalisation of broad research plan for Phases II & III
On the basis of initial literature review and input from practitioners, S+P will produce a
research plan of the priority studies to conduct to further this research stream, which will
comprise Phases II and III of the stream. This will be a living document, continually
informed by understanding. Should the work in the preceding steps have established
clear hypotheses, then the most interesting and tractable of these will be the focus of
the outline. Alternatively, it may become clear that a first step is more substantial
exploratory research. Finally, a mix between hypothesis-driven and exploratory
research may present the most next steps for the stream.
(One key decision to be made at this stage is whether the initial research is appropriate
to submit for pre-registration, or whether the nature of the work proposed is not
appropriate - for instance, too exploratory or too preliminary. Pre-registration of research
is far from a pre-requisite, and most psychological research is not currently
pre-registered. However, S+P believe that transparent and accountable research
reflects the ideals that itself aspires to, so a route towards pre-registered research is
one of the intentions of this program.)
This broad research plan leads directly into the activities in Phase II, many of which
flesh out the skeleton of this plan in direct ways.
Phase II - Groundwork
Detail of Phase II and III is necessarily speculative, but there are some likely research
activities which a given study will need to move through. It is also likely that following
the development of the full research plan in Phase I, different components will be
moving at different paces through the later phases; for instance, one study may enter its
full data collection stage (Phase III), whilst another is still at Phase II trialling.
Design data collection procedure
Elaborating on the basic methodology contained in the research plan, by detailing
decisions such as
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details about population (e.g. should the study be confined to participants
with no previous use of the method)
Where and how the data collection steps take place
what data will be gathered (including variables that are non-key but
necessary, such as control variables or additional regressors to test a model)
Determine data analysis procedure
Whether quantitative or qualitative, an analysis plan must be in place. For any study that
tests hypotheses, it is important that this is formalised and fixed, to avoid fishing the
data and consequently ‘p-hacking’ (distorting the relevance of statistical significance by
conducting so many tests that one was bound to be significant; one of the issues that
pre-registration is designed to combat). Exploratory studies have more freedom to test
the data, but it is still vital that an analysis plan be set up in advance to ensure that the
data can be worked with meaningfully, before it is collected.
Examples of data analysis procedures that may prove to be appropriate include mean
comparison (e.g. T-test or ANOVA), regression techniques (e.g. linear regression),
factor analysis (CFA/EFA), and for qualitative data a wide variety of tactics including
clustering, triangulating, and partitioning variables.
One additional consideration that will be informed by this and the previous activity is the
estimation of minimum sample size for the study, based upon power analysis of effect
under investigation (NB this may also depend on subsequent steps such as trialling of
new measures).
Identification of relevant valid measures
Based upon the hypotheses and areas of interest identified in the research plan,
measurement instruments are likely to be necessary, and many of these may exist
already in the literature. S+P will review pre-existing measures and establish that they
are fit for purpose.
Development of bespoke measures including piloting
In addition, bespoke measures may also be required. These will need to be developed
which for sufficiently complex measures (e.g. a psychometric instrument) will need to be
piloted with a sufficiently large group to establish the tool is fit for purpose (e.g.
establishing reliability and construct validity).
Trialling of methodologies
Before full launch of a study, it may be appropriate to trial the process involved, for
example, a semi-structured interview process.
Phase III - First wave of research
Participant recruitment
Each study will require a review of the data required and the consequent recruitment
approach needed.
The research will rely on participants, many drawn from students of The Fountainhead
School which has agreed to partner with S+P in order to generate research about the
nature and efficacy of dialectical work. With that in mind the school has developed a
research policy for the use of student’s anonymised data, with their consent, for
research purposes.
Additional data collection, will involve the dedicated data collection platform.
Data collection
Collection of data in accordance with the data collection procedure.
Data analysis
Analysis of data in accordance with the data analysis procedure.
Interpretation and write-up of results
Making sense of the findings, which includes both evaluation of the data analysed, and
of the method used to get there, both in principle and what practically happened. Note
for an explorative study, this step may include cycling back to the previous one in an
iterative process.
This step is important not just for making sense of the current study, in order to
generate a summary of the research to contribute to the wider literature, but also the
implications for the research program at large. If a hypothesis was not confirmed, is it
plausible that the study was underpowered, or had methodological weaknesses that are
only now apparent? If a hypotheses was confirmed, are there anomalies in the data or
recognition of a methodological confound that render this result less conclusive?
Evaluate next research steps in light of findings
Given the interpretation of the results, what does this mean for next steps for the
research stream? Does the data warrant a replication, or an attempt to investigate the
hypotheses using an improved methodology? Did the study generate further questions
which call for further hypotheses to be formed? This leads to a return to the research
plan, appending or amending research activities as necessary.
Anticipated activities and questions for Alpha Stream
The investigation of dialectic contemplation will focus principally on psychological
outcomes within individuals. The types of questions likely to be addressed in these early
stages are similar to the following (but to be elaborated more rigorously)
1. 1.
Does use of the dialectical technique lead to improvements in
wellbeing and psychological health, such as changes in ratings of life
satisfaction, rumination or stress?
2. 2.
meaning?
Does use of the technique result in changes in self-concept and
3. 3.
Does use of the technique lead to reduction of somatic stress
symptoms, such as poor sleep or headaches?
These questions can chiefly be addressed using established and validated measures
that exist in the scientific literature. The program would also call for the development of
measures particular to the frame of research, in order to address a key question:
Is use of the dialectical technique successful in its own terms, in the resolution of
specific problems that it intends to address?
Methods
Case studies will be used, principally for generating hypotheses to be tested at a group
level, but additionally where appropriate to investigating particular or unique cases.
Group level investigations will employ repeated-measures design (changes in measures
pre- and post-intervention) where possible together with cross-sectional studies.
The approach will be principally quantitative, using rating scales and frequency of
experiences as a way to get traction on effects across groups.
RCT and blinded studies are similarly not in-scope for the outset of the research
program, but we would consider such methodologies as and when they are viable and
can provide better quality evidence in this domain.
Neuroscientific investigation is currently not in-scope but may be considered at a later
stage, dependent on its relevance to emerging research questions together with
opportunities for collaboration.
Stream Omega (ω): Description
What is Esoteric Contemplation?
The practice of contemplation - to turn one’s attention to reality to disclose its nature - is
an ancient human tradition. Historically the highest and most developed practices of
contemplation are ‘esoteric’, meaning the subject of the contemplation is ‘hidden’ or
‘secret’; and being such, must necessarily be considered through a sophisticated use of
symbol, language and analogy. (As opposed to non-esoteric or ‘practical’ meditation
that proscribes a simple strategy, such as ‘follow the breath’.)
Esoteric contemplation is construed therefore as the highest cultural practice of
disclosing the hidden nature of reality available to human beings.
Historical examples of the teaching of esoteric contemplation include Parmenides and
Incubation, Chuang Tzu and Daoism, Kukai and Shingon, Dogen and Soto Zen, and the
Tibetan traditions of Mahamudra and Dzogchen, to name a few.
What is Awakening?
The process and culmination (often a marked moment or shift in awareness for the
practitioner) of the disclosure of the nature of reality is classically known as awakening.
The analogy of dreaming and waking up (hence ‘awakening’) can be used for
understanding the process of esoteric practice. Before awakening, we mistake an
appearance of reality for reality itself; after awakening, a direct beholding of the reality of
this appearance corrects the mistake. This is analogous to being asleep and mistaking
a dream for reality; but upon waking up, not only do we recognise a larger context for
the dreaming, but we directly behold the reality of the dream as an appearance.
Esoteric practitioners report that, just as waking up from a dream or nightmare results in
relief from the imagined conditions of the dream, so too does the individual experience
relief from the imagined conditions that beset her before awakening. And just as the
awakening of the esoteric practitioner is an order of magnitude more profound than
waking up from a night’s sleep, so too is the liberation from the apparent conditions and
the attendant benefits.
Historical examples of the use of awakening as an analogy for understanding the
process of esoteric contemplation include Heraclitus, Gautama Buddha, the esoteric
cultural figures mentioned above, and far too many others to list further.
State of Research
The last decade has seen a surge in investigation into meditation, studied extensively in
terms of its effects on mental capacity - see Chiesa, Calati, and Serretti (2011) for
review - and on brain activity (review from Tang, Holzel, and Posner, 2015). Some of
this research focuses on long-term meditators, showing evidence of e.g. structural
changes to the brain (Vestergaard-Poulsen et al., 2009).
The vast majority of work has focused on mindfulness meditation, which is one class of
meditation techniques within many. And the work on mindfulness has been taken up
through certain assumptions which map particularly poorly onto the contemplation
approach.
Briefly, there are problems with (1) the notion of ‘mindfulness training’ to practice mental
activities to strength mental capacities; (2) the notion of meditation working towards
subsequent benefits rather than an opportunity to realise what is already available; (3)
the reliance on existing paradigms to describe experience; (4) the focus on volume of
practice over stages of realisation. These are described in Appendix 1.
As a consequence, the approach taken by Structure + Purpose must be informed by
research but able to proceed on its own terms: the scientific investigation of the
experience and consequences of esoteric contemplation and awakening.
Key Research Theme
The scientific investigation of the experience and consequences of psyche
understanding reality. Documenting experience of i) contemplation practice and ii)
awakening, and demonstrating universal features of these using appropriate models
and language.
Structure
Omega (ω) Research Road Map
At this stage, the research road map is provisional, and its full development would need
to occur as a first task of the appointed Research Director. However, this is likely to
include in the earlier stages
Phase I
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
1.
2.
3.
Literature search
Review with subject matter experts
Formalisation of broad research plan for Phases II & III
Phase II
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Design data collection procedure
Determine data analysis procedure
Identification of relevant valid measures
Development of bespoke metrics including piloting
Trialing of methodologies
Phase III
1. 1. 1.
Participant recruitment
2. 2. 2.
Data collection
3. 3. 3.
Data analysis
4. 4. 4.
Interpretation and write-up of results
5. 5. 5.
Evaluate next research steps in light of findings
This provisional map bears similarities to the Alpha Road Map, and the following details
focus on what is distinct to this stream of research.
Phase 1 - Direction
Literature search
The primary focus of literature review will be existing mainstream literature on
meditation, searching databases using search terminology focused on common
operalisations (mindfulness, wellbeing, attention). This will provide a systemic overview
of the findings and scope of research methodology within research into meditation.
This formalised literature review will be accompanied by supplementary searches to
identify broader research that speaks to the themes of meditation, contemplation and
wisdom. These searches are likely to be ad-hoc and opportunistic in nature rather than
systemic.
Databases Science Direct, Springerlink, PsychSource and Google Scholar, with further
supplementary searches through other databases (e.g. the Social Science Research
Network, the Director of Open Access Journals, PLOS, Scientillion and others as
necessary).
Review with subject matter experts
Analogous to Alpha.
Formalisation of broad research plan for Phases II & III
Analogous to Alpha.
Phase II and III
The broad direction of Phases II and III, as currently conceived, will resemble those
outlined for the Alpha stream of research on dialectic contemplation. Areas of likely
difference include:
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A greater focus on exploratory, descriptive research to understand both
the breadth, and the consistency, of experiences that arise during contemplation
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As a consequence, qualitative methods are likely to be in particular
demand in the early stages of this research stream
Requirements
Resources
The charity will need to fund a minimum of one role, that of Research Director. They will
be instrumental in the development of a full Research plan, as discussed above, which
will also clarify the appropriateness of further posts (eg Research Assistant) and a
budget plan based upon needs.
The charity will also need to develop a secure online data collection for the deployment
of surveys and other data collection processes. This site could potentially also be used
for promotion of S+P findings.
FurtherA areas that charity will make expenditures will include:
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Salaries and employee overheads for additional roles as appropriate
Participant payments where appropriate (for example, when working with
student populations or remote samples through tools such as Amazon
Mechanical Turk)
Sourcing of scientific experts
Equipment for data collection and analysis, including software
Attendance at scientific conferences
Licensing for access to scientific databases and literature
A provisional budget is outlined in the accompanying excel sheet.
Structure and Supporting Bodies
Together with the board of trustees and those employed within the charity, Structure +
Purpose will also benefit from the formation of a scientific advisory board. This board
will be used to guide the activities of the charity, both from a process perspective
(signposting developments in scientific best practice) as well as ideas on direction of
scientific questions and how to best place the products of the research into dialogue
with the wider research community.
Recruiting such a board also gives the opportunity to form an ethics committee for
approval of research proposals to be undertaken within S+P. (Research that involved
other institutions such as universities would require approval through their systems.)
Director Role
An outline role description follows, which would need to be reviewed, ratified and
amended by the board.
The director must have
A track record of publication in peer-reviewed literature.
A background in psychological sciences, preferably to PhD level.
The director should be able to
Assimilate and interrogate scientific literature across traditional domain
boundaries
Produce well-designed scientific research, including
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Developing well-posed questions that form testable hypotheses,
Selecting and appropriately using methodology and data analysis fit for
purpose
Familiarity with both qualitative and quantitative research methods
Work well with other people
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Comfortable working with human participants from a variety of
backgrounds, including via interview
Work collaboratively and take on board input from others
Comfortable directing, supporting and guiding other members of staff
when appropriate
Able to develop networks beyond S&P with other institutions and
individuals
Communicate
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Articulate scientific ideas in writing to make them accessible to experts
and a general audience alike
Able to present at scientific meetings
Create and strategise
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Able to generate ideas and hypotheses
Integrate findings into models and theoretical structures, to be tested and
as tools for generating further ideas
Facilitate the development of Structure and Purpose, e.g. through working
with partners, developing new research directions
The director must care about
Reaching a greater understanding of contemplation and wisdom
Honouring the dignity of research participants
High ethical standards in conducting research
The sharing of scientific information in the most open and beneficial way
Program Designer
An outline role description follows, which would need to be reviewed, ratified and
amended by the board.
The program designer must have
Professional experience and expertise in both esoteric and dialectic
contemplation
A broad understanding and familiarity with research in contemplation and related
subjects
An understanding of research program design and methods
The program designer should be able to
Contribute to the production of well-designed scientific research, including
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Developing well-posed questions that form testable hypotheses,
Familiarity with both qualitative and quantitative research methods
Work well with other people
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Comfortable working with human participants from a variety of
backgrounds, including via interview
Work collaboratively and take on board input from others
Comfortable directing, supporting and guiding other members of staff
when appropriate
Able to develop networks beyond S&P with other institutions and
individuals
Communicate
• ¥
• ¥
Articulate scientific and contemplative ideas in writing to make them
accessible to experts and a general audience alike
Able to present at scientific meetings
Create and strategise
• ¥
• ¥
Able to generate ideas and hypotheses
Facilitate the development of Structure and Purpose, e.g. through working
with partners, developing new research directions
The program designer must care about
Reaching a greater understanding of contemplation and wisdom
Honouring the dignity of research participants
High ethical standards in conducting research
The sharing of scientific information in the most open and beneficial way
Appendix 1 - Mindfulness Critique
(1,2) Training
Much research considers mindfulness as a training, itself a slippery term. In much
research the training refers to the idea of mindfulness meditation as a workout for the
mind, involving, for instance, repeated practice and improvement in i) sustained
attention, ii) monitoring, iii) disengagement from distractors and iv) re-engagement with
target of attention (this list from Antoine Lutz’s 2008 model). Training also implies
instrumentality, such as the notion of mindfulness training for producing wellbeing or
resilience. But when it comes to contemplation practice as described by experienced
practitioners, neither sense of ‘training’ captures the phenomena.
Contemplation practice proposes that the benefits of contemplation are a result of
participating in a nature already available to us, and that the process is one of effortless
growth through this participation as opposed to something gained through the
application of a practical strategy with considerations of dosage and effort made. In
addition, the practice is the purpose, as an opportunity for realisation of important truths
about the world. As such the “training framing” closes off many important ways of
looking at contemplation.
(3) Fit into paradigms
The thrust of research to date has sought to understand contemplation-related
experience by rendering it equivalent to experiences from established scientific
paradigms. Making sense of one experience in terms of another (such as via analogy)
can be a useful scientific enterprise. But in this case, of what practitioners describe as
truly exceptional experiences, a rush to familiarisation holds the risk of flattening out,
even obscuring, what we are trying to describe.
(4) Volume of Practice
In addition, the programs of research have focused overwhelmingly on duration or
volume of practice, and neglected the phenomenal experience of contemplation
practitioners. These report, rather than a cumulative effect of practice, a series of
breakthroughs or awakenings that have profound effects on their relation with the world
and the contents of their mind.
There is increasing evidence that meditation techniques framed as mindfulness cannot
be relied upon to consistently produce the outcomes claimed, and that rather than
producing increases in cognitive resources and ameliorating stress, can lead
practitioners into unexpected and sometimes alarming areas, as attested to in recent
articles.
Appendix 2: References
Cited References
Chiesa, A., Calati, R., & Serretti, A. (2011). Does mindfulness training improve cognitive
abilities? A systematic review of neuropsychological findings. Clinical Psychology
Review.
Grimes, P., & Uliana, R. L. (1998). Philosophical midwifery: A new paradigm for
understanding human problems with its validation. Costa Mesa, CA: Hyparxis Press.
Lutz, A., Slagter, H. A., Dunne, J. D., & Davidson, R. J. (2008). Attention regulation and
monitoring in meditation. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 12(4), 163–169.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2008.01.005
Tang, Y.-Y., Hölzel, B. K., & Posner, M. I. (2015). Traits and states in mindfulness
meditation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 17(1), 59–59.
Vestergaard-Poulsen, P., van Beek, M., Skewes, J., Bjarkam, C. R., Stubberup, M.,
Bertelsen, J., & Roepstorff, A. (2009). Long-term meditation is associated with
increased gray matter density in the brain stem. Neuroreport, 20(2), 170–4.
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