The diversity, and apparent impotence, of many meditative practices makes the construction of sham meditation quite feasible since researchers can develop rationales to justify almost any method that approximates the expectations of trial participants.
For instance, Smith’s (1995) RCT compared TM to an imitation exercise designed to closely mimic the entire technique, except for the proprietary [...]
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It may not be practically possible to devise and implement an ideal control method for meditation trials, nevertheless it is important to select a strategy that approximates that ideal. The bare minimum criteria for a control process in meditation research should therefore be:
• First, high face validity as a therapeutic/stress management intervention in its own [...]
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Posted in research, research methodology on Sep 22nd, 2009
A head-to-head comparison is where two different approaches to meditation are compared. They are easier to conduct then sham meditation comparisons since elaborate deception strategies are not required, they have inherent authenticity and ethical problems are much less likely. Head-to-head trials are important and valuable because they allow comparison of different definitions, paradigms and approaches [...]
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Sham meditation involves designing control strategies that overtly resemble the intervention, but which do not actually trigger the effects purported to be specifically associated with meditation.
Sham techniques are used in research when the researcher wishes to examine the specific effects a meditation technique may elicit, while controlling for the non-specific effects.
Sham meditation procedures necessarily involve [...]
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