Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2012

Publication Title

International Journal of Wellbeing

Volume

2

Issue

3

Abstract

The present research tested Langer’s theory of mindfulness in the context of positive experiences: positive state mindfulness. In Study 1 (N1 = 586, N2 = 415) confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a three-factor model (Focused Attention, Novelty Appreciation, Open-Ended Expectations) fit the data well and explained responses better than a one-factor model. In support of construct validity, Study 2 (N3 = 239, N4 = 126) suggested that each dimension had a different pattern of associations with unidimensional trait measures of mindfulness, savoring beliefs, trait absorption, uncertainty tolerance, need for structure, and need for cognition. Study 3 (N5 = 46) revealed that each dimension correlated uniquely with the positive affect, self-esteem, interpersonal connectedness, and the overall rehearsal frequency associated with positive autobiographical events. In support of criterion validity in Study 4, in Experiment 1 (N6 = 46) a boredom task decreased Novelty Appreciation, and in Experiment 2 (N7 = 92) a problem-solving task increased Focused Attention. Our data suggest that positive mindfulness is more than the absence of mindlessness and that it includes three distinct dimensions. We discuss the utility of positive mindfulness in both research and practice.

Comments

Author Posting. © Ritchie, TD and Bryant, FB, 2012. This article is posted here by permission of the International Journal of Wellbeing for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in International Journal of Wellbeing, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v2.i3.1

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

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