1The Effect of Meditation on Students Cognitive AbilitiesSophia
Chen, Keshav Sota, and Meheresh Yeditha
Abstract:This experiment seeks to find whether there is a link
between meditation and stress level. Stress is the biological
response to a threatening environmental condition or stimulus, and
can be harmful when experienced chronically. More than 80% of the
population of the United States complains about feeling stress in
some sort of way, and many have even tagged these numbers as a sign
of a stress epidemic. One solution that many have proposed to the
issue of stress is meditation, an Indian practice involving
controlled breathing that is purported to bring peace to the mind.
In order to explore the link between meditation and stress, the
researchers had participants meditate across five sessions and
measured for pulse and blood pressure, which are directly
proportional to stress level, during three of the five sessions.
Furthermore, the researchers measured concentration levels through
the use of the ImPACT concussion testing software once before the
first session and once after the fifth session. It was found that
meditation does indeed lower heart rate and increases concentration
levels, but does not have an effect on blood pressure. Since two of
the three indicators utilized to measure stress level went down, it
can be concluded that meditation has the potential to lower stress
levels. Introduction:In the current era, high school students are
finding themselves encompassed by increasing levels of stress. With
the pressure of maintaining high academic standards, find time for
social relations and even work at internships and jobs, students
are experiencing stresses that have never been seen before. In
fact, a study by NPR conducted with the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation and Harvard School of Public Health found that 40
percent of parents say their high-schooler is experiencing a lot of
stress from school. A similar poll by the American Psychological
Association found that Many teens also report feeling overwhelmed
(31 percent) and depressed or sad (30 percent) as a result of
stress. More than one-third of teens report fatigue or feeling
tired (36 percent) and nearly one-quarter of teens (23 percent)
report skipping a meal due to stress. Although not all stress is
bad, chronic stress carries both physical and mental risks, caused
by:work, family, loss of a job, divorce, illness or other daily
responsibilities. However, a study by the Mayo Clinic (2013) have
found that the body hasphysiological implications to each stimulus
and has side effects on the body. Some examples include: headaches,
muscle tension, chest pain, fatigue, sleep problems, anxiety,
depression, overeating and drug abuse.Currently, doctors prescribe
antidepressants to reduce stress levels amongst teenagers. However,
a problem associated with the use of antidepressants is the concept
of over prescription of it as a solution to coping with the stress.
A study by the Department of Neuroscience at Uppsala University
reported that antidepressant prescribing increased steadily. The
antidepressants were not effective as alcohol consumption and job
loss rates increase instead. Furthermore, there was no statistical
correlation found between decreased suicide rates and
antidepressants.Furthermore, a study from Mayo Clinic (2013) have
found that there are several negative physiological and
psychological implications of using antidepressants. Common
prescribed antidepressants, such as Prozac, Vivactil, and Trofanil
are known to cause physiological and mental side effects. Physical
symptoms include: muscle pain, upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea,
reduced blood clotting, and possibility of developing serotonin
syndrome. Mental symptoms include: lack of sex drive and delayed
ejaculation, Furthermore, studies have been revealed that use of
antidepressants can lead to suicidal thoughts amongst early
users.Meditation is an ancient self-healing technique, which
connects the mind and the body. A study at the Mayo Clinic (2013)
found meditation include reduces stress, promotes relaxation and
increases personal well-being. The process of meditation slows down
the heart rate, decreases blood pressure and increases alpha brain
waves, which relaxes the body and brings it into a beta state; a
wakeful rest state. Meditation leads the mind and body to a unique
state of restful alertness improves many areas of life as it
eliminates stored stress (Natural Stress Relief).The first stage of
meditation is to stop distractions and make the mind clearer and
more lucid. This can be accomplished by practicing a simple
breathing meditation. In it, participants sit with their eyes
partially closed and turn their attention to breathing. They
breathe naturally, preferably through the nostrils, without
attempting to control their breath, and try to become aware of the
sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils. The
practice of meditation is generally viewed as salubrious, and thus
has been the object of many scientific inquiries aimed to ascertain
the benefits of meditating.
Objectives of the Study and Connections:The goal of this
experiment is to establish a quantitative and experimental
connection between the practice of meditation, and concentration
and stress levels in young, high-pressure high school adults.
Additionally, the impact of meditation will also be tested by
checking health and well-being indicators such as blood pressure
and pulse. The researchers chose to measure the impact of
meditation through these indicators because concentration, memory,
and blood pressure are proven to be directly correlated with
concentration ability (Ireland, 2014). If the research indicates
that overall stress levels go down as demonstrated by the
indicators listed, then meditation can be recommended as a way to
reduce stress and strive toward greater health. These goals connect
directly to the conclusion of the aforementioned study, which dealt
with memory and high-level stress indicators.(Corliss 2013). One
major study that delved into the physiological effects of
meditation is named Effect of Meditation on Stress-Induced Changes
in Cognitive Functions (Rohan, Sharma, & Bijlani, 2011). This
study was conducted on 32 adult male student volunteers who had
never meditated before. Each participant was made to play a
computer game specially designed to induce stress. The subjects
were asked to meditate either before or after the administration of
psychologic stress (Rohan, Sharma, & Bijlani, 2011). The
control group was created by asking participants to wait outside
the testing room quietly. The variables measured were galvanic skin
response (GSR), heart rate (HR), electromyography (EMG),
sympathetic reactivity (QTc/QS2 ratio), cortisol, and acute
psychologic stress scores. Nervous system function was determined
by using the Wechsler memory scale and visual-choice reaction time
(VCRT). Each of these variables were measured before and after the
experiment took place (Rohan, Sharma, & Bijlani, 2011).Computer
game stress was associated with a significant increase in
physiologic (GSR, EMG, HR, QTc/QS2) and psychologic (acute stress
questionnaire scores) markers of stress. Meditation was associated
with relaxation (significant decrease in GSR, EMG, QTc/QS2, and
acute stress questionnaire scores). Meditation, if practiced before
the stressful event, reduced the adverse effects of stress. Memory
quotient significantly increased, whereas cortisol level decreased
after both stress and meditation. VCRT showed no significant change
(Rohan, Sharma, & Bijlani, 2011).It was found that practice of
meditation produced a relaxation response in the young adult
subjects. The practice of meditation reduced the physiologic stress
responses without taking away the beneficial effect of stress
(improved memory scores). The results of this study demonstrate
that meditation can be used to effectively curb the negative
effects of stress, and confirm popular beliefs of the palliative
properties of meditation (Rohan, Sharma, & Bijlani, 2011).
Hypotheses of the Study:If high school students meditate for a
total of one hour per week, then the positive effects of meditation
will decrease stress levels as measured by ImPACT test scores,
blood pressure, and heart rate. By meditating, cortisol levels in
the body will decrease and promote greater concentration in the
body, thus allowing for greater focus while studying. Similarly,
meditation causes lower frequency of heart oscillations, thus
leading to decreased anxiety. As a result of decreased anxiety and
lower heart rates, overall stress will be decreased.
Research Methodology: Although the high school students
experience stress from multifarious sources, the effects of stress
on students are relatively the same. A study by John Hopkins
University found that, High stress disrupts students concentration
and results in low test scores. A similar study by Jo-Ann Reteguiz
found that stress affects test scores. Dr. Reteguiz found that
students with low levels of stress achieve higher scores on
multiple choice examinations than those with high anxiety levels.
Female students were shown to have higher stress than females. To
test the study, the Spielberg test inventory was used to measure
stress in 150 students rotating through medical rotations. Results
indicated a negative correlation between stress and high stress
levels. A solution that scientists propose to help combat high
stress levels is meditation. A study by the Scientific American
tested the benefits of meditation on GRE scores and found a 16
percentile-boost on the exam on average. The research team at the
Academy for Math, Science, for Engineering based on experiment
similar to Scientific American study and decided to test the
results of meditation on base cognitive skills sing the ImPACT
test. The ImPACT is a sophisticated neurocognitive screening tool
that provides a great deal of diagnostic information regarding
recovery from injury.(ImPact 2013). Recovery from concussion cannot
be accurately tracked through the evaluation of overly simplistic
reaction time tests or through tests that are not structured to
detect subtle memory dysfunction. The tracking of recovery
following injury requires the analysis of test performance across a
number of different neurocognitive domains. The ImPACT clinical
report is structured to provide information regarding the athletes
current concussion in addition to his or her medical and
developmental history. This report has been developed through
consultation with hundreds of athletic trainers,
neuro-psychologists and physicians and will continue to evolve
based on feedback and collaboration with our customers. The
research team at the Academy for Math, Science, and Engineering
used the concentration level from the ImPACT test as an indicator
of stress due to the positive correlation between stress and
cognitive abilities (Sahin 2014). Along with testing the base
cognitive, the research team also measured the effects of
meditation on heart rate and blood pressure. To test this, twenty
participants were gathered for the purpose of the experiment and
were asked to take a diagnostic ImPACT test as a baseline. After
taking the examinations, each participant was required to meditate
for two sessions for five weeks. Each session would be comprise of
a fifteen minute Yog-Nidra meditation tape. Yog-Nidra is a
sleep-like state in which users enter the deepest possible states
of relaxation while maintaining full consciousness.(Kjaer 2002).
Before and after each meditation session, participants blood
pressure and heart rate were measured. After completing the
meditation sessions, participants completed a post-ImPACT test and
results were measured. Some of the advantages of this experimental
method were that it involved minimal expenditures and maintained
high level of accuracies. The sample size of participants used for
the experiment represented a statistically accurate one. Similarly,
the ImPACT examinations the participants took have been
scientifically proven methods to diagnose base cognitive skills.
Finally, the process of measuring blood pressure and heart rate was
all done mechanically to reduce chances of human error. As a
result, the experiment is replicable and another application of the
procedure should yield similar results.
Data Analysis Techniques:
ImPACT Test Results
One-Sample Hypothesis T-Test for Difference of Memory Composite
(Verbal) Score The memory composite (visual) score represents the
average performance on the Word Memory (Module 1), the Symbol Match
(Module 4) and the Three letters (Module 6) of the ImPACT test,
expressed in percent correct. Hypotheses:Ho: The average final
memory composite (verbal) score is equal to the average initial
memory composite (verbal) score.Ha: The average final memory
composite (verbal) score is greater than the average initial memory
composite (verbal) score. Ho: diff = 0 diff = [Final score] -
[Initial Score] Ha: diff > 0 Conditions:1. Simple Random Sample
Yes, assume that the students that were chosen represent a random
sample of high school seniors from Morris Hills2. Normality Yes,
assume that data are approximately normal with no outliers (can be
assumed due to relatively large sample size (n=16)3. Independence N
10n N 10(16) N 160Yes, assume more than 160 seniors at Morris
Hills, including Magnet and Academy, and none of the people who
participated in the project depended upon others to participate.
Calculations: Level of Significance: = .05 One-sample T for
Differences in Final Score vs Initial Score N Mean StDev SE
MeanDiff in Visual Score 167 10.1061 2.5265 Difference = mu Final
Score - mu Initial ScoreT-Test of difference = 0 (vs not =):
T-Value = 2.771 P-Value = 0.0071 DF = 15 Conclusion: Since p <
(0.0071 < .05) at an = .05 significance level, the research team
rejects the null hypothesis that the average final memory composite
(visual) score is equal to the average initial memory composite
(visual) score. There is sufficient statistical evidence to
conclude that the average final memory composite (visual) score is
significantly different from the average initial memory composite
(visual) score. This shows that participation in the meditation
sessions did have a statistically significant impact on the
students performance on the modules of the ImPACT test that tested
their verbal memory cognitive abilities.
One-Sample Hypothesis T-Test for Difference of Memory Composite
(Visual) Score The memory composite (visual) section measures
visual attention, scanning, visual learning, and attention.
Hypotheses:Ho: The average final memory composite (visual) score is
equal to the average initial memory composite (visual) score.Ha:
The average final memory composite (visual) score is greater than
the average initial memory composite (visual) score. Ho: diff = 0
diff = [Final score] - [Initial Score] Ha: diff > 0
Conditions:1. Simple Random Sample Yes, assume that the students
that were chosen represent a random sample of high school seniors
from Morris Hills2. Normality Yes, assume that data are
approximately normal with no outliers (can be assumed due to
relatively large sample size (n=16)3. Independence N 10n N 10(16) N
160Yes, assume more than 160 seniors at Morris Hills, including
Magnet and Academy, and none of the people who participated in the
project depended upon others to participate. Calculations: Level of
Significance: = .05 One-sample T for Differences in Final Score vs
Initial Score N Mean StDev SE MeanDiff in Visual Score 167.4375
11.4191 2.8548 Difference = mu Final Score - mu Initial ScoreT-Test
of difference = 0 (vs not =): T-Value = 2.605 P-Value = 0.0099 DF =
15 Conclusion: Since p < (0.0099 < .05) at an = .05
significance level, the research team rejects the null hypothesis
that the average final memory composite (visual) score is equal to
the average initial memory composite (visual) score. There is
sufficient statistical evidence to conclude that the average final
memory composite (visual) score is significantly different from the
average initial memory composite (visual) score. This shows that
participation in the meditation sessions did have a statistically
significant impact on the students performance on the modules of
the ImPACT test that tested their visual memory cognitive
abilities.
Session #1: Blood Pressure (SYS/DIA) and Heart Rate Results
To measure the difference in initial and final values, the final
reading was subtracted from the initial reading, since the final
reading was theoretically supposed to be lower after the meditation
session, and thus [Initial Reading] - [Final Reading] would be
positive. SYS stands for systolic blood pressure, which is the
highest pressure when the heart beats and pushes the blood around
the body. DIA stands for diastolic blood pressure, which is the
lowest pressure when the heart relaxes between beats. One-Sample
Hypothesis T-Test for Difference of SYS/DIA Blood Pressure Readings
Hypotheses:Ho: The average final SYS/DIA reading is equal to the
average initial SYS/DIA reading.Ha: The average final SYS/DIA
reading is greater than the average initial SYS/DIA reading. Ho:
diff = 0 diff = [Initial reading] - [Final Score] Ha: diff > 0
Conditions:1. Simple Random Sample Yes, assume that the students
that were chosen represent a random sample of high school seniors
from Morris Hills2. Normality Yes, assume that data are
approximately normal with no outliers (can be assumed due to
relatively large sample size (n=16)3. Independence N 10n N 10(16) N
160Yes, assume more than 160 seniors at Morris Hills, including
Magnet and Academy, and none of the people who participated in the
project depended upon others to participate. Calculations: Level of
Significance: = .05 One-sample T for Differences in Initial Reading
vs Final Reading N Mean StDev SE MeanDiff in SYS/DIA 16 2.1/-5.6
26.2/12.6 6.6/3.2 Difference = mu Initial Reading - mu Final
ScoreT-Test of difference = 0 (vs not =): T-Value = 0.324/-1.781
P-Value = 0.3752/0.9524 DF = 15 Conclusion: The p-values of the
differences in SYS and DIA readings are 0.3752 and 0.9524,
respectively, and thus both of these are way over the level of
significance ( = .05). Therefore, since p > , the research team
fails to reject the null hypothesis that the average final SYS/DIA
reading is equal to the average initial SYS/DIA reading. There is
insufficient statistical evidence to conclude that the average
final SYS/DIA reading is significantly different from the average
initial SYS/DIA reading. This shows that while the surveys did
produce a difference in the initial and final SYS/DIA readings, the
difference is not significant enough to conclude that the two
readings are statistically different. Perhaps participation in
meditation does not affect blood pressure as much as expected.
One-Sample Hypothesis T-Test for Difference of Heart Rate
Readings Hypotheses:Ho: The average final heart rate reading is
equal to the average initial heart rate reading.Ha: The average
final heart rate reading is greater than the average initial heart
rate reading. Ho: diff = 0 diff = [Initial reading] - [Final Score]
Ha: diff > 0 Conditions:1. Simple Random Sample Yes, assume that
the students that were chosen represent a random sample of high
school seniors from Morris Hills2. Normality Yes, assume that data
are approximately normal with no outliers (can be assumed due to
relatively large sample size (n=16)3. Independence N 10n N 10(16) N
160Yes, assume more than 160 seniors at Morris Hills, including
Magnet and Academy, and none of the people who participated in the
project depended upon others to participate. Calculations: Level of
Significance: = .05 One-sample T for Differences in Initial Reading
vs Final Reading N Mean StDev SE MeanDiff in Heart Rate 16 7.94
10.44 2.61 Difference = mu Initial Reading - mu Final ScoreT-Test
of difference = 0 (vs not =): T-Value = 3.041 P-Value = 0.0041 DF =
15 Conclusion: Since p < (0.0041 < .05) at an = .05
significance level, the research team rejects the null hypothesis
that the average final heart rate reading is equal to the average
initial heart rate reading. There is sufficient statistical
evidence to conclude that the average final heart rate reading is
significantly different from the average initial heart rate
reading. This shows that participation in the meditation sessions
did have a statistically significant impact on the students
individual heart rate measurements.
Session #2: Blood Pressure (SYS/DIA) and Heart Rate Results
One-Sample Hypothesis T-Test for Difference of SYS/DIA Blood
Pressure Readings Hypotheses:Ho: The average final SYS/DIA reading
is equal to the average initial SYS/DIA reading.Ha: The average
final SYS/DIA reading is greater than the average initial SYS/DIA
reading. Ho: diff = 0 diff = [Initial reading] - [Final Score] Ha:
diff > 0 Conditions:1. Simple Random Sample Yes, assume that the
students that were chosen represent a random sample of high school
seniors from Morris Hills2. Normality Yes, assume that data are
approximately normal with no outliers (can be assumed due to
relatively large sample size (n=16)3. Independence N 10n N 10(16) N
160Yes, assume more than 160 seniors at Morris Hills, including
Magnet and Academy, and none of the people who participated in the
project depended upon others to participate. Calculations: Level of
Significance: = .05 One-sample T for Differences in Initial Reading
vs Final Reading N Mean StDev SE MeanDiff in SYS/DIA 16 0.8125/-2
16.2/8.59 4.06/2.15 Difference = mu Initial Reading - mu Final
ScoreT-Test of difference = 0 (vs not =): T-Value = 0.200/-0.931
P-Value = 0.4636/0.8244 DF = 15 Conclusion: The p-values of the
differences in SYS and DIA readings are 0.4636 and 0.8244,
respectively, and thus both of these are way over the level of
significance ( = .05). Therefore, since p > , the research team
fails to reject the null hypothesis that the average final SYS/DIA
reading is equal to the average initial SYS/DIA reading. There is
insufficient statistical evidence to conclude that the average
final SYS/DIA reading is significantly different from the average
initial SYS/DIA reading. This shows that while the surveys did
produce a difference in the initial and final SYS/DIA readings, the
difference is not significant enough to conclude that the two
readings are statistically different. Perhaps participation in
meditation does not affect blood pressure as much as expected.
One-Sample Hypothesis T-Test for Difference of Heart Rate Readings
Hypotheses:Ho: The average final heart rate reading is equal to the
average initial heart rate reading.Ha: The average final heart rate
reading is greater than the average initial heart rate reading. Ho:
diff = 0 diff = [Initial reading] - [Final Score] Ha: diff > 0
Conditions:1. Simple Random Sample Yes, assume that the students
that were chosen represent a random sample of high school seniors
from Morris Hills2. Normality Yes, assume that data are
approximately normal with no outliers (can be assumed due to
relatively large sample size (n=16)3. Independence N 10n N 10(16) N
160Yes, assume more than 160 seniors at Morris Hills, including
Magnet and Academy, and none of the people who participated in the
project depended upon others to participate. Calculations: Level of
Significance: = .05 One-sample T for Differences in Initial Reading
vs Final Reading N Mean StDev SE MeanDiff in Heart Rate 16 3.31
6.87 1.72 Difference = mu Initial Reading - mu Final ScoreT-Test of
difference = 0 (vs not =): T-Value = 1.929 P-Value = 0.0364 DF = 15
Conclusion: Since p < (0.0364 < .05) at an = .05 significance
level, the research team rejects the null hypothesis that the
average final heart rate reading is equal to the average initial
heart rate reading. There is sufficient statistical evidence to
conclude that the average final heart rate reading is significantly
different from the average initial heart rate reading. This shows
that participation in the meditation sessions did have a
statistically significant impact on the students individual heart
rate measurements.
Session #3: Blood Pressure (SYS/DIA) and Heart Rate Results
One-Sample Hypothesis T-Test for Difference of SYS/DIA Blood
Pressure Readings Hypotheses:Ho: The average final SYS/DIA reading
is equal to the average initial SYS/DIA reading.Ha: The average
final SYS/DIA reading is greater than the average initial SYS/DIA
reading. Ho: diff = 0 diff = [Initial reading] - [Final Score] Ha:
diff > 0 Conditions:1. Simple Random Sample Yes, assume that the
students that were chosen represent a random sample of high school
seniors from Morris Hills2. Normality Yes, assume that data are
approximately normal with no outliers (can be assumed due to
relatively large sample size (n=16)3. Independence N 10n N 10(16) N
160Yes, assume more than 160 seniors at Morris Hills, including
Magnet and Academy, and none of the people who participated in the
project depended upon others to participate. Calculations: Level of
Significance: = .05 One-sample T for Differences in Initial Reading
vs Final Reading N Mean StDev SE MeanDiff in SYS/DIA 16 5.375/3
16.3/9.89 4.08/2.47 Difference = mu Initial Reading - mu Final
ScoreT-Test of difference = 0 (vs not =): T-Value = 1.318/1.214
P-Value = 0.1036/0.1218 DF = 15 Conclusion: The p-values of the
differences in SYS and DIA readings are 0.1036 and 0.1218,
respectively, and thus both of these are way over the level of
significance ( = .05). Therefore, since p > , the research team
fails to reject the null hypothesis that the average final SYS/DIA
reading is equal to the average initial SYS/DIA reading. There is
insufficient statistical evidence to conclude that the average
final SYS/DIA reading is significantly different from the average
initial SYS/DIA reading. This shows that while the surveys did
produce a difference in the initial and final SYS/DIA readings, the
difference is not significant enough to conclude that the two
readings are statistically different. Perhaps participation in
meditation does not affect blood pressure as much as expected.
One-Sample Hypothesis T-Test for Difference of Heart Rate Readings
Hypotheses:Ho: The average final heart rate reading is equal to the
average initial heart rate reading.Ha: The average final heart rate
reading is greater than the average initial heart rate reading. Ho:
diff = 0 diff = [Initial reading] - [Final Score] Ha: diff > 0
Conditions:1. Simple Random Sample Yes, assume that the students
that were chosen represent a random sample of high school seniors
from Morris Hills2. Normality Yes, assume that data are
approximately normal with no outliers (can be assumed due to
relatively large sample size (n=16)3. Independence N 10n N 10(16) N
160Yes, assume more than 160 seniors at Morris Hills, including
Magnet and Academy, and none of the people who participated in the
project depended upon others to participate. Calculations: Level of
Significance: = .05 One-sample T for Differences in Initial Reading
vs Final Reading N Mean StDev SE MeanDiff in Heart Rate 16 4.125
6.985 1.746 Difference = mu Initial Reading - mu Final ScoreT-Test
of difference = 0 (vs not =): T-Value = 2.362 P-Value = 0.016 DF =
15 Conclusion: Since p < (0.016 < .05) at an = .05
significance level, the research team rejects the null hypothesis
that the average final heart rate reading is equal to the average
initial heart rate reading. There is sufficient statistical
evidence to conclude that the average final heart rate reading is
significantly different from the average initial heart rate
reading. This shows that participation in the meditation sessions
did have a statistically significant impact on the students
individual heart rate measurements.
Conclusion and Recommendations:From the statistical analysis of
the data, it appears that meditation had a significant impact on
the students memory abilities, both verbal and visual, as well as
their heart rate measurements (for all three sessions). This
conclusion is supported by the T-tests run for both indicators,
with the T-test for heart rate yielding an average value of p
equals .01833 across the three sessions and the T-tests for memory
yielding p-values of 0.0071 and 0.0099. Both of these values are
statistically significant since they are less than the established
level of significance of 0.05. However, there was no significant
change in the students blood pressure readings (SYS/DIA) during any
of the three meditation sessions, as the p-values for all three
sessions were above the established level of significance of
0.05.While meditation has been sometimes been associated with lower
blood pressure, it is not surprising that the data analysis did not
find a statistically significant decline in blood pressure.
According to a recent study at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences
Centre in Toronto, blood pressure is not at all affected by mindful
meditation (Raven, 2013). The article also postulated that any
prior studies involving the impact of meditation on blood pressure
included people who were taking stress-alleviating drugs, and
implied that these papers incorrectly inferred causation from
correlation (Raven, 2013). The results of the Sunnybrook study
align with the results of the data analysis above, demonstrating
that meditation does not necessarily have a direct link to lower
blood pressure (Raven, 2013).One source of error that was predicted
was the relatively homogenous sample size due to administrative
difficulties. Originally, the research team wanted to incorporate
more students, from a variety of academic backgrounds, into the
project. However, this was not feasible due to class time
constraints and legal issues. As a result, the students used in
this experiment were from a relatively similar academic background:
motivated and high-achieving students at a top selective high
school. It was beneficial that the test subjects were top students,
because all of these students reported high levels of stress due to
school work, extracurricular activities, and social and family
responsibilities. The benefits of meditation could be more
prominently displayed in the data of these students. In addition,
the research team originally wanted to work with a larger sample
size of students (more than 16). However, this was not feasible
either as it was very difficult to pull that many students out of
their block 4 classes to participate in this study. Ultimately,
while it would have been better to have more students to work with,
16 students proved to be sufficient as there are more than 160
students in the Morris Hills senior class of 2015, and therefore,
this satisfies the minimum condition for independence to conduct
the statistical studies. Another source of error that was predicted
was the variation in ImPACT test results due to time. A majority of
the students in this study had already taken the ImPACT test
previously because of participation in school athletics or clubs.
Since time was an issue, the research team used these results as
the students initial scores as their baseline. However, some of
these results were from freshman or sophomore year, and thus they
might not have been the most accurate representation of the
students cognitive abilities before participating in the meditation
sessions. This source of error could not be avoided due to sheer
logistics. Furthermore, it is recommended that students use
computer mouses when taking the ImPACT test for greater efficiency
and accuracy. Unfortunately, since most school computers were being
used for PARCC testing, the research team was only able to gain
access to the school laptop cart. This source of error arose during
the experiment and in order to manage it, the research team ensured
that students took both the pre-test and post-test on a laptop.
Therefore, the variations in scores due to access to a computer
mouse were eliminated, as students were not able to use a mouse on
either test. Another source of error that arose during the
experiment was misreading by the monitors due to incorrect posture.
The monitors that were purchased for this experiment were not
state-of-the-art machines utilized by doctors; however, the
research team believed the machines would be sufficient for
purposes of the study. The machines stated that for best results,
users should sit upright and with the machine wrapped around their
wrists, press their wrists against their heart. In order to manage
this source of error, the research team made sure that the
participants were in the correct posture before measuring their
blood pressure and heart rate, and kindly requested that the
participants who incorrectly measured the first time around
re-measure themselves. Statistics tests indicate that the sources
of error stemming from the experiment were insignificant and did
not affect the final results. Problems with equipment were quickly
caught and corrected before they could impact the experiment.
Furthermore, the procedures listed were followed in a controlled
environment and align with results collected by previous
researchers. Hence, although there were a couple of sources of
error, most were insignificant and are unlikely to have affected
the final results. Regardless, future attempts to replicate this
experiment should consider utilizing a pre-downloaded meditation
tape to prevent any gaps in concentration, utilize more pieces of
equipment when ImPACT testing taking vitals to make sure numbers
are exact and precise, and consider obtaining a more academically
diverse sample size to check for the accuracy of this studys
results.
References:
David, Jeanie. (n.d). Meditation balances the bodys systems.
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Real World Applications
1. How did this experience reflect the challenges of science in
the real world? Be sure to include at least two experiences from
this class as examples.
The process of preparing the experiment underscored two primary
challenges: securing participants and working with constraints.
According to statistics, characteristics of statistically sound
sample size include random selection and a large enough sample
size. Although some mathematicians argue that a sample size of 20
is enough for a study, a sample size of 30 would have been
preferred for the purposes of the experiment. Similarly, a more
diverse sample size would add more depth to the study. The
participants in the experiment came from the Academy for Math,
Science, and Engineering. The twenty-three students in the Academy
do not necessarily demonstrate the required random selection needed
for the experiment, as all are required to take an entrance exam
and interview to gain admission to the school and are of comparable
academic levels. However, a simple random selection was assumed for
purposes of conducting the statistical studies. Initially, another
set of participants were considered for the experiment: Dr. Smocks
Advanced Topics in Physics class. The participants were from
different backgrounds and different academic levels. However, a
lack of parental approval from the parents and student interest in
the project led to a different and constrained set of participants
used for the experiment. Similarly, planning logistics for
experiments in which participants are involved also becomes a
challenge. One of the ideas that was considered when conducting the
meditation experiment was to have the students meditate in the
school wrestling room. For the first forty-five minutes of the
block, students would be required to meditate and record their
heart rate and blood pressure. However, a cursory timing revealed
that it took approximately 20 minutes to record both statistics.
Furthermore, obtaining access to the wrestling room for the entire
month of March proved to be a difficult task, as there are often
sports or community events using the wrestling room. This goes to
show that for any research project to be successful, sufficient
planning in advance is a necessity.
2. How will your experience in this class provide you with the
tools you will need to succeed in real world science and
technology? Be sure to include at least one experience from this
class as an example.
One of the most important parts of science and technology is the
pursuit of cutting-edge research. Research helps generate
knowledge, create new technologies, and helps us better understand
the world around us. Throughout the course of the year in Science
Inquiry and Technology, the class has gotten many opportunities to
learn about the meticulous and complex process of scientific
research, and how that research can be applied to real-life
technology. In doing the background research for our paper on
meditation, we were given an ample opportunity to learn about how
to choose a research topic and to focus on how that can be applied
to the real world. We were given a series of questions pertaining
to why we were researching meditation, what meditation can help
relieve in the real world, and why meditation is applicable to us
as teenagers. All of these questions are crucial in order to
convince others of the importance of future research and in order
to pursue scientific work as a conscientious researcher.
Furthermore, creating a literature review also furthered the aim of
learning how to research by exposing us to other papers written
about meditation. By looking at how professional researchers
handled studying meditation, we were able to create a paper and a
research method that mimicked what one would find in the scientific
world.