Promises and Pitfalls of Computer-Supported Mindfulness: Exploring a Situated Mobile Approach

computers Article Promises and Pitfalls of Computer-Supported Mindfulness: Exploring a Situated Mobile Approach Ralph Vacca ID Department of Communication and Media Studies, Fordham University, New York, NY 10023, USA; Received: 1 November 2017; Accepted: 21 December 2017; Published: 22 December 2017 Abstract: Computer-supported mindfulness (CSM) is a burgeoning area filled with varied approaches such as mobile apps and EEG headbands. However, many of the approaches focus on providing meditation guidance. The ubiquity of mobile devices may provide new opportunities to support mindfulness practices that are more situated in everyday life. In this paper, a new situated mindfulness approach is explored through a specific mobile app design. Through an experimental design, the approach is compared to traditional audio-based mindfulness meditation, and a mind wandering control, over a one-week period. The study demonstrates the viability for a situated mobile mindfulness approach to induce mindfulness states. However, phenomenological aspects of the situated mobile approach suggest both promises and pitfalls for computer-supported mindfulness using a situated approach. Keywords: computer-supported mindfulness; mobile mindfulness; meditation; curiosity; decentering 1. Introduction The past decade has ushered in a wave of research interest in mindfulness—commonly defined as a present-moment awareness with a non-judgmental stance [1]. The emerging research has yielded insights into how mindfulness can help manage mental health challenges like depression and anxiety and physical health [2,3], as well as help cultivate positive emotions such as compassion and ecological awareness [4,5]. However, despite the growing ubiquity of mobile devices and interest in mindfulness practices, exploration on how mobile computers might leverage unique affordances of mobility to support mindfulness is still fairly nascent. Most approaches to computer-supported mindfulness (CSM) have focused on content mobility (e.g., audio-based meditation guides on-the-go). However, mobility can also afford a mediation of our interactions with everyday contexts. For instance, devices can mediate the way we explore visual perspectives (e.g., camera), or navigate space (e.g., maps), or even how we directly can layer information atop space (e.g., augmented reality). The notion that mobile devices may be well suited to supporting mindfulness, because its embedded in everyday life, is not well understood. The following paper explores only one of many different kinds of computer-supported mindfulness approaches that can be designed. The ‘situated mindfulness’ approach designed attempts to enact mindfulness throughout one’s everyday life using a mobile device, reminders, and a simple end-of-day activity. Two analyses are provided: (1) a comparison between three different treatments on mindfulness states, and (2) a phenomenological description of the situated mindfulness approach. The analyses present evidence towards the viability of a situated mindfulness approach. Such an approach could be used in a variety of ways such as informing future design work in the use of haptic reminders through wearable computers or exploring new forms of mindfulness measures that assume extended situated engagement. The following study is exploratory in nature, but offers implications for computer-supported mindfulness using mobile devices situated in everyday life. Computers 2018, 7, 2; doi:10.3390/computers7010002 www.mdpi.com/journal/computers Computers Computers 2017, 7,2018, 2 7, 2 2 of 152 of 14 Specifically, this study explores two research questions. First, does the situated mobile approach Specifically, this study explores two research questions. First, does the situated mobile approach induce a mindfulness state to the same degree as traditional audio-guided mindfulness meditation? induce a mindfulness state to the same degree as traditional audio-guided mindfulness meditation? Second, how can we characterize the kind of mindfulness experience within the context of the Second, how can we characterize the kind of mindfulness experience within the context of the Buddhist Buddhist origins of mindfulness? origins of mindfulness? 2. Background 2. Background 2.1. Mindfulness Mechanisms 2.1. Mindfulness Mechanisms Meditation is a is common and popular approach to cultivating mindfulness. In contrast to Meditation a common and popular approach to cultivating mindfulness. In contrast ‘concentrative’ meditation that seeks to help the practitioner focus on a meditation object such as to “concentrative” meditation that seeks to help the practitioner focus on a meditation object breath, and any discursive mind wandering, mindfulness meditation prompts the practitioner such asignore breath, and ignore any discursive mind wandering, mindfulness meditation prompts the to acknowledge qualities of the meditation object (e.g., breath) without getting lost in the content practitioner to acknowledge qualities of the meditation object (e.g., breath) without getting of lost in experiencing such qualities. The is following an excerpt Bodhi describing the the the content of experiencing such following qualities. The is anfrom excerpt from [6] Bodhi [6] describing phenomenological aspects of a mindfulness experience: phenomenological aspects of a mindfulness experience: To practice mindfulness is thus a matter not much of doing but of undoing: not thinking, not not To practice mindfulness is thus a matterso not so much of doing but of undoing: not thinking, judging, not associating, not planning, not imagining, not wishing. All these ‘doings’ of ours are are judging, not associating, not planning, not imagining, not wishing. All these “doings” of ours modes of interference, waysways the mind manipulates experience and tries to establish its dominance. modes of interference, the mind manipulates experience and tries to establish its dominance. Mindfulness undoes the knots and tangles of these ‘doings’ by simply noting. It does nothing but but Mindfulness undoes the knots and tangles of these “doings” by simply noting. It does nothing note,note, watching each each occasion of experience as it arises, stands, and passes away. In theInwatching therethere watching occasion of experience as it arises, stands, and passes away. the watching is noisroom for clinging, no compulsion to saddle things with our desires. There is only a sustained no room for clinging, no compulsion to saddle things with our desires. There is only a sustained contemplation of experience in itsinbare immediacy, carefully and and precisely and and persistently [6]. [6]. contemplation of experience its bare immediacy, carefully precisely persistently In anInattempt to more closely alignalign psychological research with with traditional Buddhist texts,texts, an attempt to more closely psychological research traditional Buddhist Grabovac et al. [7], outlined mechanisms of mindfu (...truncated)