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scientifically measure concentration/meditation

gategategategate
edited May 2010 in Meditation
Hello All,
Try as I might I can't seem to find anything on how science measures concentration. Does anyone have any links/references they can point me towards? I'm not looking for studies on the effects of meditation, just how concentration is measured (EEG's, etc...)


loving-kindness.

Comments

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2010
    Why?
    There may well not be anything.
    Why is this important, and why do you think this would matter?

    The fact is, I doubt very much that it's measurable, because each individual is different, and therefore there is no quantifiable measurement.
  • gategategategate
    edited May 2010
    To measure progress in concentration. To know when to enter into vipassana practice, after sati and samadhi. An interesting application would be biofeedback to see visually or via some other modality how your concentration is progressing, and when you are distracted and for how long, to encourage progress along the path. It would probably also be helpful for the rampant mental diseases of ADD and ADHD.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2010
    Inconsistent and refutable results. No level playing field.
    Results entirely dependent on subject.

    Everybody would need an independent and personal evaluation.

    And that would be of absolutely no use to another person suffering from ADHD or ADD.
  • newtechnewtech Veteran
    edited May 2010
    we can mesure brainwaves, hearth rhythm, brain activity,etc. and we can try to associate them with concentration. but theres no unit to mesure it.
  • aMattaMatt Veteran
    edited May 2010
    I have read about fMRI tech that is used to scan and understand a person's ability to focus. Its a bit different in each brain, but the experiments took a baseline reading, then another as multiple distractions were introduced... and they could see a correlation between focus strength and those areas of the brain.

    Its not something that stays consistent across brains or ages, so to my knowledge, there is no universal unit of measurement. Its sometimes called working memory, you could look into that if interested.

    Good luck,

    Matt
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited May 2010
    If you measured a brainwave that would be measuring a brain wave. Not concentration. Although it would be interesting to study I agree :)

    Concentration is a subjective phenomenon. Keep in mind that concentration is a factor that is balanced and used. It is not the goal. Concentration alone does not bring relief from suffering but rather it is a condition needed to steady the flame of wisdom/insight. Or so I hear...
  • patbbpatbb Veteran
    edited May 2010
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCLIrd-OT9c

    this.

    Just replace the word "Yoda" by "Buddha", and "jedi" by "Buddhist".
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