THE EFFECTS OF MEDITATION ON SELECTED MEASURES OF HUMAN POTENTIAL

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of meditation as a psychotherapeutic agent on three selected indices of human potential: (1) self-concept, (2) aggression, and (3) psychophysiological response. Specifically, meditation was operationally defined as the Relaxation Response. Self-concept was operationally defined by the subject\u27s self-description as measured by the Piers-Harris Children\u27s Self-Concept Scale (CSSC). Two aspects of aggression were operationalized. First, violent aggression was defined by the subject\u27s observed and recorded violent aggressive incidents as measured by the Violent Aggressive Incident Report (VAIR). Second, direction of aggression was defined by the subject\u27s self-description as measured by the Impunitiveness Scale of the Children\u27s Form of the Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Study (P-F Study). Two aspects of psychophysiological response were also defined. Vasodilation-vasoconstriction was operationalized as the subject\u27s mean distal palmar phalanx Fahrenheit temperature as measured by the Autogen 2000b Feedback Thermometer. Electrodermal activity was operationally defined as the subject\u27s mean distal palmar phalanx skin conductance level as measured by the Autogen 3400 Feedback Dermograph. A Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design in which subjects (elementary school-aged operationally defined antisocial aggressors) were randomly assigned to treatment (meditation, N = 10) and control (behavior charting, N = 11) conditions was employed. All hypotheses were tested by means of the analysis of covariance F test. This test was applied to determine which differences in adjusted posttest group means were statistically significant. The .05 level of confidence was accepted as significant in all analyses. The results of this study supported two of the five hypotheses employed to investigate the effect of meditation on the development of human potential. Meditators scored significantly higher than non-meditators on adjusted posttest self-concept (CSCS). Meditators scored significantly lower than non-meditators on adjusted posttest violent aggression (VAIR). The data indicated meditators were not significantly higher on adjusted posttest verbal Impunitiveness (P-F Study) than non-meditators. Meditators did not score significantly higher than non-meditators on adjusted posttest vasodilation-vasoconstriction (skin temperature). The data also failed to support that meditators scored significantly lower on adjusted posttest electrodermal activity (skin conductance). The investigator indicated the data warranted the consideration of meditation as an educational methodology for enhancing human potential