Mindful Meaning: The Impact of High Trait Mindfulness on the Fluid Compensation Process

Brunskill, Matt (2017) Mindful Meaning: The Impact of High Trait Mindfulness on the Fluid Compensation Process. Masters thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

When something occurs that threatens an individual’s sense of meaning, they may respond by refocusing their attention on an unrelated meaning structure, which can be broadly conceptualized as an expected relationship in the environment. This process has been termed fluid compensation (Steele, 1988). Fluid compensation can be viewed as an avoidance defense mechanism. Currently, there has been little research done on moderating factors that may influence this process. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of trait mindfulness as a potential moderator. Trait mindfulness is a relatively permanent sense of conscious awareness characterized by experiencing the present moment in a nonjudgemental light. Mindfulness may allow the individual to view the potentially threatening experience from a more open and objective perspective. This would eliminate the threatening feelings and thus, remove the motivation to fluidly compensate.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	Meaning maintenance; Mindfulness; fluid compensation; avoidance defense
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of Social and Behavioral Science > Psychological Sciences
Date Deposited:	20 Dec 2017 22:06
URI:	http://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/4959

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