Is Mindfulness Related To Altruistic Or To Socially Conservative Values? Exploring the ‘Mindful-Altruism Hypothesis’ In Indian Adult Novice-Meditation Practitioners - Abstract
The interplay between trait mindfulness (TM) and values was investigated within a cohort of 580 (291 Females; Mean Age: 22.5 years) novice Indian meditators. Drawing upon Schwartz’s universal human values framework, the associations between TM and higher-order value quadrants (e.g., selftranscendence, conservation), as well as the nineteen narrowly defined values (e.g., universalism, conformity), were studied in the youth sample belonging to collectivistic cultural settings. Intriguingly, our findings unveiled a nuanced pattern in Schwartz’s conservation value quadrant wherein the TM had significant yet small positive and negative associations with security-personal and conformity-interpersonal refined values, respectively, even after controlling for personality traits. Contrary to expectations, the hypothesized associations between TM and self-transcendence quadrant values did not reveal themselves prominently. Overall results might suggest a potential “Mindful-Autonomy Paradox” wherein individuals with higher TM prioritize individual safety-security whilst exhibiting
a divergence from strict conformity to societal norms, instead of the forecasted “Mindful-Altruism Hypothesis” which seems as a natural extension of C. Daniel Batson’s “Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis”. These nuanced associations underscore the complexity inherent in understanding how mindfulness relates to diverse value orientations; however, further exploration into the multifaceted nature of aforementioned values-mindfulness constructs within the realm of the prevailing cultural intricacies is warranted.