Question 1

Mindfulness is often compared to what age old process?

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness is closely associated with Buddhist traditions, where it is a fundamental aspect of meditation practices aimed at cultivating awareness and presence.

Question 2

Automaticity of behavior relies on what assumption?

Accepted Answer

The assumption underlying automaticity of behavior is that quick, well-rehearsed behavior is the easiest behavior in which to engage. This means that the more we repeat a behavior, the more automatic it becomes, requiring less effort and attention to carry out.

Question 3

When your authors refer to "analysis paralysis," they are referring to

Accepted Answer

"Analysis paralysis" refers to the phenomenon where an individual becomes so involved in analyzing or overthinking a situation that they become unable to make a decision or take action. This often involves trying to decide which aspects of a situation deserve the most attention, leading to indecision and inaction.

Question 4

According to Daniel Kahneman a great deal is happening to us at any one moment. Which of the following could be contained in a given moment?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Daniel Kahneman a great deal...

Question 5

With regard to moment - to - moment searches, mindfulness, flow, and spirituality correspond to which items, respectively?

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness corresponds to novelty as it involves a fresh, moment-to-moment awareness. Flow corresponds to absorption, where one is fully immersed in an activity. Spirituality involves attention to the sacred, focusing on a deeper, often transcendent meaning in life.

Question 6

The psychology of deeper living is concerned with the depths of enjoyment, contentment, and meaningfulness. It can be achieved

Accepted Answer

Engagement with everyday life allows individuals to find depth and meaning in their daily experiences, leading to enjoyment and contentment.

Question 7

What was the surprising result of Langer's follow-up with the residential facility eighteen months later?

Accepted Answer

C) Half as many people in the group encouraged to make choices, versus the group encouraged to take advantage of the support staff, had died. This result was surprising because it suggested that fostering a sense of personal control and choice among the elderly could have significant impacts on their survival.

Question 8

How does the mindless pursuit of less than meaningful or unchallenging goals leave people feeling?

Accepted Answer

Pursuing goals that lack meaning or challenge often leads to feelings of boredom and emptiness, as these activities don't provide the sense of accomplishment or purpose that more significant or challenging goals do.

Question 9

From a positive psychology perspective, a day presents twenty thousand opportunities for what?

Accepted Answer

From a positive psychology perspective, a day is seen as presenting twenty thousand opportunities for engagement, overcoming the negative, and pursuing the positive. This approach emphasizes the potential for positive actions and mindsets throughout the day.

Question 10

According to Langer, a flexible state of mind and openness to novelty are characteristic of what positive psychological construct?

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness, as described by Langer, involves a flexible state of mind and openness to novelty, emphasizing an active and aware presence in the moment.

Question 11

In their study of mindfulness among cleaning hospital workers, Wrzesniewski and colleagues found that mindfulness on the part of the hospital cleaning teams was associated with

Accepted Answer

Wrzesniewski and colleagues found that mindfulness among hospital cleaning teams was associated with an improvement of the hospital environment, as the workers became more engaged and attentive to their tasks.

Question 12

What do intentional moment-to-moment searches for optimal experiences provide people?

Accepted Answer

Intentional moment-to-moment searches for optimal experiences, often related to the concept of "flow" or being fully immersed and engaged in activities, provide people with a sense of joy and fulfillment. This is because these experiences allow individuals to utilize their skills to the fullest, leading to personal satisfaction and a sense of achievement.

Question 13

Amy Wrzesniewski found that a third of the hospital cleaners in a metropolitan medical center considered their work as a "calling" and therefore were quite vigilant in their attempts to keep the hospital sanitary. This behavior is an example of which positive psychological construct?

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness involves being attentive and aware of the present moment and one's surroundings, which aligns with the cleaners' vigilant behavior in maintaining hospital cleanliness.

Question 14

What form of currency does Daniel Kahneman, a psychologist who won the 2002 Nobel Prize for economics, value?

Accepted Answer

Daniel Kahneman values "time" as a form of currency, emphasizing the importance of how people experience their lives and make decisions based on the perceived value of their time.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of mindfulness?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is an example...

Question 16

Ellen Langer, a social psychologist at Harvard, and her colleague Judith Rodin examined the effects of perceived control on older adults in a residential care facility. What intervention did the experimental group receive?

Accepted Answer

Ellen Langer and Judith Rodin's experiment involved giving the experimental group a "pep talk" about making their own decisions and a houseplant they were responsible for taking care of. This intervention was designed to increase the residents' sense of control and autonomy.

Question 17

Which two famous individual's defined insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?"

Accepted Answer

The quote is most commonly attributed to Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin, although there's no concrete evidence that either actually said or wrote these exact words. However, these attributions have become part of popular culture.

Question 18

Which statement about mindfulness is correct?

Accepted Answer

In Buddhist teachings, mindfulness is indeed one component of a larger path towards enlightenment, specifically as part of the Noble Eightfold Path, which outlines the process towards achieving a state of nirvana or enlightenment. This path includes right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

Question 19

Drawing novel distinctions requires us to do which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Drawing novel distinctions involves embracing uncertainty and being open to new perspectives, rather than trying to reduce uncertainty by controlling our environment.

Question 20

The more a child attempts to hold a spirited pet still the more it tries to wriggle away. This analogy is a good example of what point?

Accepted Answer

The analogy illustrates how trying to control or reduce uncertainty (represented by holding the pet still) can paradoxically lead to an increase in the very thing we're trying to avoid (the pet trying to wriggle away, symbolizing increased uncertainty).

Quiz 10: Mindfulness, Flow, and Spirituality: in Search of Optimal Experiences