The effects of meditation on health are a rather intriguing, albeit, under-researched aspect. The data presented in the text matters, because the researchers wanted to review other effects this activity has on people’s brains and overall condition. By means of exploring this aspect, they intend to expand on the topic of the alterations in biological processes related to changes in mental and physical health caused by meditation. The researchers believe that the influence meditation has on physical and mental health has very limited data and predominantly concentrate on the alterations that take place at the time of the activity as opposed to a resting control condition in a single experiment. The study is more focused on the long-term changes which can be found in baseline brain function, including brain activity as a result of certain emotional challenges, instead of reviewing the period of meditation itself. Another aspect that motivated researchers to conduct the study is the fact that meditation was documented to have caused a positive affect by reducing anxiety.
The variable that is reviewed at a nominal level is the measure of brain electrical activity that was documented before dividing people into two groups. It is a dependent variable, as it has been assessed before the assignments for the groups, after said assignment, and four months later to define the outcome of the study (Davidson et al., 2003). This variable has been used to compare the outcomes of those who meditated in contrast to those who are on the waiting list. EEG was measured by means of 27 sites placed across the scalp and related to linked ears during 8 1 minute baseline trials. Brain electrical activity encapsulates the responses to negative and positive emotion, as well as the features of the two baseline conditions. This variable describes such attributes as epochs and measures of spectral power density in the alpha-band, related to activation.
The ordinal level variable implemented in this study is represented by times 1, 2 and 3, which take place before, later, and four months after each of the groups were assigned. This variable is included in the study because it is used to measure various aspects, such as trait anxiety. It is a constant variable, as it does not change throughout the entire research. The variable was measured to calculate such moments as Group X Time interaction. This variable describes unit t, which is then used to review the effect of the treatment by being calculated with p. The attributes of the variable are that it has helped review measures of positive and negative effects prior to and after the meditation training provided for some of the participants of the study.
The interval level variable used in the following research is the calculation of antibody titers from the influenza vaccine. It is used to review the effects of the meditation training and to compare the outcomes of the group in the waiting list and the one that partook in the meditation lessons. The variable is a dependent one; as it demonstrates the result of the study and helps researchers better understand the outcomes of their experiment. This variable was measured by means of the units r and p. The value of the variable is that it helps researchers have a clear and concise understanding of the effect meditation has had on the subjects.
Reference
Davidson, R. J., Kabat-Zinn, J., Schumacher, J., Rosenkranz, M., Muller, D., Santorelli, S. F., Urbanowski, F., Harrington, A., Bonus, K., & Sheridan, J. F. (2003). Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65(4), 564–570. Web.