Education 【 display / non-display 】

Education 【 display / non-display 】

• 2006.04

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  2009.03

  Kyoto University   Graduate School of Letters   行動文化学専攻 心理学専修 博士後期課程  

• 2004.04

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  2006.03

  Kyoto University   Graduate School of Letters   行動文化学専攻 心理学専修 修士課程  

• 2000.04

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  2004.03

  Kyoto University   Faculty of Letters   人文学科 行動・環境文化学系 心理学専修  

Degree 【 display / non-display 】

Degree 【 display / non-display 】

• 2009.03   Kyoto University   Ph.D. (Letters)

• 2006.03   Kyoto University   M.A. (Letters)

• 2004.03   Kyoto University   B.A. (Letters)

Research Experience 【 display / non-display 】

Research Experience 【 display / non-display 】

• 2019.04

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  Now

  Waseda University   Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences   Professor

• 2016.09

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  Now

  Japan Institute of Lifelong Learning   Visiting Researcher

• 2014.04

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  Now

  Aoyama Gakuin University   College of Education, Psychology and Human Studies   Part-time Lecturer

• 2017

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  2019

  Waseda University   Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences   Associate Professor

• 2014

  -

  2017

  Aoyama Gakuin University   Human Innovation Research Center   Visiting Researcher

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Professional Memberships 【 display / non-display 】

Professional Memberships 【 display / non-display 】

• 2020.04

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  Now

  The Japanese Association of Health Psychology

• 2015.09

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  Now

  Japan Emotionology Society

• 2014.10

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  Now

  Japanese Association of Mindfulness

• 2013.05

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  Now

  Japanese Cognitive Science Society

• 2009.04

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  Now

  Japanese Society of Cognitive Neuroscience

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Research Areas 【 display / non-display 】

Research Areas 【 display / non-display 】

• Cognitive and brain science

• Clinical psychology

• Experimental psychology

• Cognitive science

Research Interests 【 display / non-display 】

Research Interests 【 display / non-display 】

• thinking

• meditation

• neuroplasticity

• expertise

• problem solving

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Papers 【 display / non-display 】

Papers 【 display / non-display 】

• Mindfulness and psychological health in practitioners of Japanese martial arts: A cross-sectional study

  Hiromitsu Miyata, Daisuke Kobayashi, Akifumi Sonoda, Hibiki Motoike, Saki Akatsuka

  BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation   12   75  2020.12  [Refereed]

  Authorship：Lead author, Corresponding author

  　View Summary

  <title>Abstract</title><sec>
  <title>Background</title>
  Empirical data have suggested that mind-body practices that originated in Eastern traditions can cause desirable changes to psychological traits, the brain, somatic physiological functions, etc. Martial arts in Japan refer to the physical/mental practices that were developed based on historical combat techniques. Today, martial arts are considered activities that seek embodiment and/or mind-body unity, as well as sports. Empirical studies involving practitioners of Japanese martial arts to date remain scarce.
  
  
  </sec><sec>
  <title>Methods</title>
  We conducted a questionnaire survey using a cross-sectional design to examine whether the practice of martial arts based on Japanese traditions are associated with mindfulness and psychological health. Participants included a population of practitioners of martial arts with a practice period of 0.6–35.0 years, and non-practitioners matched for demographic variables.
  
  
  </sec><sec>
  <title>Results</title>
  Compared with the non-practitioners, the practitioners of martial arts had significantly higher scores for mindfulness and subjective well-being and lower scores for depression. Among the practitioners of martial arts, a longer period of practice or a higher frequency of daily practice significantly predicted higher mindfulness and psychological health.
  
  
  </sec><sec>
  <title>Conclusions</title>
  The results obtained are consistent with those previously obtained for other populations of Japanese contemplatives, and support the view that practice of multiple Eastern mind-body practices might be associated with similar desirable psychological outcomes. A cross-sectional design has limitations in that it is difficult to determine the effect of continued practice, so that a longitudinal study that follows the same practitioners over time is desired in the future enquiry.
  
  
  </sec>

  DOI

• Impacts of reading habits on mindfulness and psychological status: A further analysis

  Hiromitsu Miyata

  WASEDA RILAS JOURNAL   8   207 - 218  2020.10  [Refereed]

  Authorship：Lead author, Corresponding author

• Impact of 5-Minute meditation sessions at the beginning of a university class on the psychological states of undergraduates

  石川遥至, 内川あかね, 風間菜帆, 鈴木美保, 宮田裕光

  Japanese Journal of Mindfulness   5 ( 1 ) 1 - 12  2020.08  [Refereed]

  Authorship：Last author, Corresponding author

• Ongaku chikaku to undo shutaikan no seiseikatei to no kanren ni kansuru ichi kosatu (A discussion on the associations between music perception and emergence of the sense of agency)

  園田章文, 宮田裕光

  Technical Report of the Japanese Cognitive Science Society   JCSS-TR-83   1 - 18  2020.03  [Refereed]

  Authorship：Last author, Corresponding author

• Pain and psychological health: Examination of moderating effects by using the Six Factors Mindfulness Scale

  Hiromitsu Miyata

  The AGU Journal of Psychology   20   印刷中  2020  [Domestic journal]

  Authorship：Lead author, Corresponding author

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Books and Other Publications 【 display / non-display 】

Books and Other Publications 【 display / non-display 】

• DAIHORIN 2019.11.

  ( Part： Contributor, Mindfulness ga toku kokoro ("Kokoro" that mindfulness tells))

  DAIHORIN-KAKU  2019.11

• Dobutsu-tachi ha nani wo kangaete iru? Dobutsu-sinrigaku no chosen (What are animals thinking about? Challenges of animal psychology)

  Kazuo Fujita, The Japanese, Society for Animal Psychology( Part： Contributor, Kou-yatte, aa-yatte…Dobutsu ni sakiyomi ha dekiru? (This way, then that way…Can animal plan ahead?) (Pp. 148-152))

  Gijutsu-Hyohron Co., Ltd.  2015.05 ISBN: 9784774172583

• Dobutsu-no keikaku-nouryoku: “Shiko” no sinka wo saguru (Planning abilities in animals: In search for the evolution of “thinking”)

  Hiromitsu Miyata( Part： Sole author)

  Kyoto University Press  2014.03 ISBN: 9784876983971

  　View Summary

  動物の思考能力はどのように進化したのだろうか。この謎を解く鍵となるのが、系統位置や脳構造がヒトと大きく異なる鳥類の「思考」である。綿密な行動実験に基づき、鳥類の行動計画能力の存在とその特徴を解き明かす。

Misc 【 display / non-display 】

Misc 【 display / non-display 】

• "Koto kyoiku kikan ni okeru jinzai ikusei" ni kansuru jittai chosa (9-11, 2017) hokokusho (Report of the fact-finding survey on "human resource development at institutions of higher education (9-11, 2017)")

  Japan Institute of Lifelong Learning

      1 - 74  2018.06  [Domestic journal]

  Internal/External technical report, pre-print, etc.  

• "Hi ninchi noryoku" no gainen ni kansuru kosatsu (A discussoin on the concept of "non-cognitive skill")

  Japan Institute of Lifelong Learning

      1 - 11  2018.03  [Domestic journal]

  Internal/External technical report, pre-print, etc.  

• Research on mindfulness and changes of information processing

  Hiromitsu Miyata

  科学研究費助成事業 研究成果報告書 (2014～2016年度科学研究費補助金 若手研究 (B))     1 - 4  2017.05  [Domestic journal]

  Authorship：Lead author, Corresponding author

  Other  

• Training that heightens creaticity: Altered information processing through contemplative practice

  Hiromitsu Miyata

  Research report of the NPO, NeuroCreative Lab Research Grant 2015     1 - 3  2017.05  [Domestic journal]

  Authorship：Lead author, Corresponding author

  Internal/External technical report, pre-print, etc.  

• "Sohatsu gakushu kankyo design" kyoiku kenkyu project katsudo seika hokoku (Progress report of the "emergent learning environmental design" education and research activity)

  Hiroaki Suzuki, Yumiko Sugitani, Atsushi Terao, Eri Shigemasu, Hiromitsu Miyata, Satoshi Suzuki

  青山学院大学社会連携機構ヒューマン・イノベーション研究センター (HiRC) 2015年度の成果     5 - 15  2016  [Domestic journal]

  Internal/External technical report, pre-print, etc.  

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Awards 【 display / non-display 】

Awards 【 display / non-display 】

• JPA Awards for International Contributions to Psychology: Awards for Distinguished Early and Middle Career Contributions

  2016.03   The Japanese Psychological Association  

  Winner： Hiromitsu Miyata

• Research Grant 2015

  2016.03   NPO, NeuroCreative Lab   Training that heightens creaticity: Altered information processing through contemplative practice

  Winner： Hiromitsu Miyata

• Poster Award, The 17th Annual Meeting of Japanese Society of Cognitive Neuroscience

  2012.09   Japanese Society of Cognitive Neuroscience   Visuo-spatial processing and eye-movements when reading Japanese short novels: Comparisons between normal and speed-readers

  Winner： Hiromitsu Miyata, Shigeru Watanabe, Kazuhiro Ueda, Toyofumi Sasaki, Yasuyo Minagawa

Research Projects 【 display / non-display 】

Research Projects 【 display / non-display 】

• メンタルトレーニングによる身体内外環境への気づきの統合

  Project Year :

  2018.04

  -

  2021.03

   

  Hiromitsu Miyata

  Authorship： Principal investigator

  　View Summary

  メンタルトレーニングないし瞑想的訓練が、ヒト成人の心理および身体生理状態、脳機能などに望ましい効果をもたらすことについては、心理学および脳神経科学の立場から多くの実証的知見が得られている。また近年では、マインドフルネスや瞑想への学術的および社会的注目も大きく高まっている。しかしながら、日本国内で伝統的に実践されている心身修養を対象とした実証的知見の蓄積は、いまだ少ない。ヨーガのような実践では、訓練を通して身体内部および外部環境に対する気づきや注意が統合、調和されることで、ネガティヴ情動の低減や主観的幸福感の増大といった、心理状態の望ましい方向への変容がもたらされる可能性がある。本研究では、日本におけるヨーガなどの実践を対象として、実践の継続による身体内外環境への気づきや注意、および心理状態の変容について、質問紙調査および自律神経活動計測を用いて量的に検証することを目的とした。
  平成30年度には、ヨーガ、瞑想の非実践者である大学生、およびヨーガの長期実践者1人を対象として、内受容感覚への気づきの鋭敏さの測定課題である心拍検出課題、一定時間の間の自身の呼吸回数を報告させる呼吸計数課題、およびマインドフルネス傾向についての質問紙を課した。その結果、予想とは逆に、ヨーガ熟達者の方が心拍および呼吸の自己報告値と計測値とのずれが大きかった。またマインドフルネス得点は、ヨーガ実践者の方が非実践者よりも高かった。実践者の自己報告から、日常における瞑想場面と異なるこれらの課題を持続的に遂行することが困難だった可能性が示唆された。
  また、メンタルトレーニングないし瞑想的実践に関する最新の研究成果を、日本マインドフルネス学会、北米神経科学学会を含む国内外の学会年次大会等で発表した。さらに、日本発達心理学会において、マインドフルネスの発達に関するシンポジウムを共同企画、実施した。

• Training that enhances creativity: Changes in information processing induced by meditation

  Research Grant 2015

  Project Year :

  2016.03

  -

  2017.03

   

  Hiromitsu Miyata

  Authorship： Principal investigator

• Research on mindfulness and changes of information processing

  Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)

  Project Year :

  2014.04

  -

  2017.03

   

  Miyata Hiromitsu

  　View Summary

  The present study examined changes of psychological and physiological status induced by mindfulness, or contemplative practices. First, a questionnaire survey was conducted in order to uncover psychological status of trainees in contemplative reading (i.e., speed-reading). The results suggested desirable changes of psychological status associated with continued training. Also, for non-meditators habits of reading predicted more desirable psychological status. Second, autonomic nervous activities in an experienced yoga practitioner were measured during meditations with different themes. Different patterns in autonomic nervous activities were observed between meditation while focusing attention on one’s own breath and meditation while internally repeating a mantra of love, which suggested active switching of physiological status.

• Representation and function of subliminal information used in problem solving

  Project Year :

  2012.04

  -

  2015.03

   

  Hiroaki Suzuki, Haruaki Fukuda, Satoshi Suzuki, Hiromitsu Miyata

  Authorship： Coinvestigator(s)

  　View Summary

  Previous studies have revealed that subliminal hint information facilitates performance in insight problem solving. Our research aims at specifying which memory system the subliminal information is stored, and examining whether this information is static visual image or manipulated flexibly. In order to specify the memory system, we posed a visual search task when presenting subliminal hint information. The results showed that subjects' performance would not affected by a dual task which is expected to interfere the retention of the subliminal hint information. This suggests that subliminal information should be stored in a storage system other than working memory. In the second experiment, we presented subjects with a series of partial hint information subliminally. However, this experimental manipulation would not affect subjects' performance at all. The results suggest that subliminal information could not be manipulated flexibly, unlike information in working memory.

• Discretionary Funds of the President for publication of the Ph.D. thesis

  Project Year :

  2013.04

  -

  2014.03

   

  Hiromitsu Miyata

  Authorship： Principal investigator

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Specific Research 【 display / non-display 】

Specific Research 【 display / non-display 】

• 大学生のマインドフルネスと心理に関する基礎的研究

  2020   石川　遥至

  　View Summary

  (This abstract is tantatively undisclosed)

• メンタルトレーニングによる身体内部環境への気づきの変容

  2019  

  　View Summary

  The present study aimed to elucidate whether and how meditation-based mental training would alter interoceptive awareness, i.e., sensitivity to one’s own bodily sensations. In Study 1, an advanced expert on contemplative practices and control participants naïve to meditation completed psychological scales on interoceptive awareness, trait mindfulness, subjective well-being, and trait anxiety. Compared with the control participants, the meditator self-reported significantly higher scores on multiple dimensions of interoceptive awareness including noticing, attention regulation, body listening, and trusting. The expert also reported higher scores on mindfulness and well-being and lower scores on anxiety. These case data are consistent with the notion that enhanced sensitivity to one’s own bodily states are associated with higher psychological well-being among contemplatives. Study 2 preliminarily examined whether interoceptive awareness may be deteriorated when staying in a microgravity environment. Participants who were not habitual meditators stayed either in a pool or on the ground for an hour, and performed on a heartbeat detection task before and after each stay. Significant changes in performance on heartbeat detection were not observed, although time-domain heart rate variability (RMSSD) increased after staying in the water. These data could be used in a future study to examine potential differences between meditators and non-meditators.

• 武道の実践による生理心理過程の変容

  2019  

  　View Summary

  Martial arts refer to physical and mental practices based on historical combat techniques, and have been suggested to involve components parallel to those of Zen Buddhism and mindfulness. Empirical studies involving Japanese experts on traditional martial arts to date remain scarce. The present study involved a highly advanced expert on martial arts as well as non-practitioners to examine practice-induced differences in interoceptive awareness. In order to examine interoceptive accuracy, i.e., sensitivity to one’s own bodily sensations, a heartbeat detection task and an original task to estimate respiratory rate were introduced. A multisensor physiological measurement system NeXus-4 wad used to measure autonomic nervous system activities during these tasks. Compared with the non-practitioners, the expert on martial arts performed significantly better on the heartbeat detection task. The expert also performed better than non-practitioners on the respiratory rate estimation task, although the data were not supported by statistical significance. These case data seem to preliminarily support the idea that long-term practice of traditional marital arts can improve at least some dimensions of interoceptive awareness. The data may also be associated with the enhanced dispositional mindfulness and psychological health outcomes that were previously suggested in the population of practitioners of Japanese traditional martial arts.

• 武道の熟達による心身変容の心理学的基礎

  2018   村松　聡, 小村　優太, 石川　遥至, 丸山　貴彦

  　View Summary

  Martial arts refer to the physical/mental practices based on the historical combat techniques of Japan. The present study examined psychological status and interoceptive awareness (preliminary experiments) in practitioners of martial arts based on Japan’s traditions. In Study 1, a questionnaire survey was conducted to assess whether practitioners of martial arts show enhanced mindfulness and relevant psychological traits. Participants included thirty-three practitioners of martial arts whose practice period ranged from 0.6 to 35.0 years, and 66 non-practitioners as controls. Compared with the non-practitioners, the practitioners self-reported significantly higher scores on mindfulness and subjective well-being and significantly lower scores on depression. Among the practitioners, period of practice was significantly correlated positively with scores of mindfulness and well-being and negatively with those of depression. These data are consistent with those previously obtained for Japanese yoga practitioners (Miyata et al., 2015), and support the view that continued training in various Eastern traditional mind-body practices can cause desirable changes to the psychological status. In Study 2, a preliminary investigation of interoceptive awareness was conducted by involving university students. Heartbeat detection task and an original breath counting task were introduced, which could be used in the forthcoming experiments to compare practitioners and non-practitioners of martial arts.

• 瞑想的実践による自律神経機能の制御

  2017  

  　View Summary

  Contemplative training has been suggested to cause plastic changes to the brain. How can somatic physiological functions change through long-term meditative practice? The present study examined control of autonomic nervous system activities during yoga sitting meditation. A Japanese yoga expert (female, 50 years) with 25 years of yoga practice and two university students participated. During each session, a two-minute resting period was followed by a four-minute meditation period, which was repeated four times. Participants engaged in two types of traditional yoga meditation in a pseudorandomized order. Breath meditation involved sustaining attention on the breath. Mantra meditation involved covertly repeating a common mantra phrase Om Namah Shivaya. Cardiovascular activities (photoplethysmogram) and skin conductance were measured by using a multisensor measurement system NeXus-4. For the expert, heart rate decreased by 2.05 bpm and 0.45 bpm from the resting to the meditation periods, for the breath and mantra meditation respectively. For all the measures and groups, statistically significant outcomes failed to be observed. These results seem consistent with the notion that at least breath meditation can elicit increase in parasympathetic nervous system activities. I made multiple oral and poster presentations on relevant topics, and published a technical report on a preceding study.

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Syllabus 【 display / non-display 】

Syllabus 【 display / non-display 】

• Life World and the Body

  School of Culture, Media and Society

  2021   fall semester

• Mind-Body Theory

  School of Culture, Media and Society

  2021   spring semester

• Contemporary Human Studies 1

  School of Culture, Media and Society

  2021   fall semester

• Core Lecture 2(RE)

  School of Culture, Media and Society

  2021   fall semester

• Core Lecture 1

  School of Culture, Media and Society

  2021   spring semester

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Teaching Experience 【 display / non-display 】

Teaching Experience 【 display / non-display 】

• Graduation Research

  School of Culture, Media and Society, Waseda Universtiy  

  2019.04

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  Now

   

• Seminar on Human Mind and Body (Mind and Body) B

  School of Culture, Media and Society, Waseda Universtiy  

  2019.04

  -

  Now

   

• Seminar on Human Mind and Body (Mind and Body) A

  School of Culture, Media and Society, Waseda University  

  2019.04

  -

  Now

   

• Contemporary Human Studies 2

  Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University  

  2019.04

  -

  Now

   

• Contemporary Human Studies 1

  Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University  

  2019.04

  -

  Now

   

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Committee Memberships 【 display / non-display 】

Committee Memberships 【 display / non-display 】

• 2020.04

  -

  Now

  Japan Association of Somatics & Somatic Psychology  Steering Committee