The dual concepts of mindfulness and mindlessness are described. Mindfulness is a state of conscious awareness in which the individual is implicitly aware of the context and content of information. It is a state of openness to novelty in which the individual actively constructs categories and distinctions. In contrast, mindlessness is a state of mind characterized by an over reliance on categories and distinctions drawn in the past and in which the individual is context-dependent and, as such, is oblivious to (...) novel aspects of the situation. Mindlessness is compared to more familiar concepts such as habit, functional fixedness, overlearning, and automatic processing. Like mindlessness, these concepts concern rigid invariant behavior that occurs with little or no conscious awareness. The primary difference is that mindlessness may result from a single exposure to information. When information is given in absolute language, is given by an authority, or initially appears irrelevant, there is little manifest reason to critically examine the information and thereby recognize the ways it may be context-dependent. Instead, the individual mindlessly forms a cognitive commitment to the information and freezes its potential meaning. Alternative meanings or uses of the information become unavailable for active cognitive use. Automatic vs controlled processing, while seemingly most similar to mindlessness/mindfulness, are orthogonal to them. One can process information in a controlled but mindless manner, or automatic but mindful. Related concepts like scripts, set, expectancy, labels, and roles direct behavior, but these too may be enacted mindlessly or mindfully. The major consequences of mindlessness/mindfulness are discussed with respect to their relevance for overt behavior , memory, and health. Finally, the relationship between traditional notions of consciousness and mindfulness is briefly examined. (shrink)

Curiosity and creativity are manifestations of novelty-seeking mechanisms, closely intertwined and interdependent. This principle aligns seamlessly with the foundational tenets of Langerian mindfulness, which places novelty seeking as a cornerstone. Creativity, curiosity, openness, and flexibility all harmoniously converge in this framework. Spanning over four decades, research in the realm of mindfulness has diligently delved into the intricate interplay among these constructs.

Se problematizan los efectos de las regulaciones escolares sobre los sentidos que les estudiantes del nivel secundario técnico enuncian respecto a la juventud, la formación y su relación con las expectativas de inserción laboral. Trabajamos con un diseño múltiple de investigación a través de datos de encuestas implementadas durante 2018 y entrevistas en profundidad realizadas en 2019 a jóvenes que asisten a un secundario técnico de orientación industrial en Caleta Olivia (Santa Cruz). Nuestros análisis se inscriben en los debates sobre (...) los procesos de escolarización en tiempos en que la regulación escolar se caracteriza por la auto-responsabilización de les sujetes respecto de su propio devenir (Grinberg, 2008). Entre los resultados destacamos que les estudiantes consideran que la regulación del tiempo escolar condiciona la realización de prácticas que asocian a lo juvenil. Para elles ser estudiante de escuela técnica implica un sacrificio que encuentra sus razones en el valor del título para su futura inserción laboral, manifestando cierta persistencia de la promesa de la formación que caracterizó históricamente a dicha modalidad. Por último, consideramos que los sentidos producidos por les estudiantes dan cuenta de la articulación entre formas de regulación con características disciplinarias (Foucault, 2021a) y aquellas propias de las sociedades del rendimiento (Han, 2012). (shrink)