Dr. Ellen Langer

It's one way, and I'm not demeaning it. I did some research in the 80s on meditation. It's wonderful. It's just different. And they're not mutually exclusive. You can do both. And part of the advantage of meditating... possibly has nothing to do with the meditation. You know, why are you going to meditate? You say you want to be a kinder, nicer person.

It's one way, and I'm not demeaning it. I did some research in the 80s on meditation. It's wonderful. It's just different. And they're not mutually exclusive. You can do both. And part of the advantage of meditating... possibly has nothing to do with the meditation. You know, why are you going to meditate? You say you want to be a kinder, nicer person.

It's one way, and I'm not demeaning it. I did some research in the 80s on meditation. It's wonderful. It's just different. And they're not mutually exclusive. You can do both. And part of the advantage of meditating... possibly has nothing to do with the meditation. You know, why are you going to meditate? You say you want to be a kinder, nicer person.

You could just be kinder or nicer, but now if you're going to go to this trouble 20 minutes twice a day, you're going to sit up and take notice and be a kinder, nicer person.

You could just be kinder or nicer, but now if you're going to go to this trouble 20 minutes twice a day, you're going to sit up and take notice and be a kinder, nicer person.

You could just be kinder or nicer, but now if you're going to go to this trouble 20 minutes twice a day, you're going to sit up and take notice and be a kinder, nicer person.

But they're not mutually exclusive. So I'm not denying some of the more inherent properties, let's say. But there's this other piece to it.

But they're not mutually exclusive. So I'm not denying some of the more inherent properties, let's say. But there's this other piece to it.

But they're not mutually exclusive. So I'm not denying some of the more inherent properties, let's say. But there's this other piece to it.

There's so much there. I don't know where to go. I mean, we want to talk about that, the research. Yeah, let's talk about the study. Before we go to the study, though, let's go to the reason for the study, way back when. All right, so there's so many paths I can take here. Let's take them all. Okay, we'll start with one. So I did some research back in the 70s with people in nursing homes.

There's so much there. I don't know where to go. I mean, we want to talk about that, the research. Yeah, let's talk about the study. Before we go to the study, though, let's go to the reason for the study, way back when. All right, so there's so many paths I can take here. Let's take them all. Okay, we'll start with one. So I did some research back in the 70s with people in nursing homes.

There's so much there. I don't know where to go. I mean, we want to talk about that, the research. Yeah, let's talk about the study. Before we go to the study, though, let's go to the reason for the study, way back when. All right, so there's so many paths I can take here. Let's take them all. Okay, we'll start with one. So I did some research back in the 70s with people in nursing homes.

Why did I do that? Because I had somebody in the family who was in a nursing home. It was very distressing to see people just sitting there doing nothing and barely existing. So we had the idea that if we gave people choices— that might get them more engaged in their living. And so we did that.

Why did I do that? Because I had somebody in the family who was in a nursing home. It was very distressing to see people just sitting there doing nothing and barely existing. So we had the idea that if we gave people choices— that might get them more engaged in their living. And so we did that.

Why did I do that? Because I had somebody in the family who was in a nursing home. It was very distressing to see people just sitting there doing nothing and barely existing. So we had the idea that if we gave people choices— that might get them more engaged in their living. And so we did that.

We gave people encouragement to decide where to see people, whether to visit them in your room, in the lounge. You have to remember, you can't go into an establishment, a business, and turn the whole power structure around. So within reason, we came up with choices people could make. We gave them an opportunity to see a movie. You could see it on Tuesday or Thursday.

We gave people encouragement to decide where to see people, whether to visit them in your room, in the lounge. You have to remember, you can't go into an establishment, a business, and turn the whole power structure around. So within reason, we came up with choices people could make. We gave them an opportunity to see a movie. You could see it on Tuesday or Thursday.

We gave people encouragement to decide where to see people, whether to visit them in your room, in the lounge. You have to remember, you can't go into an establishment, a business, and turn the whole power structure around. So within reason, we came up with choices people could make. We gave them an opportunity to see a movie. You could see it on Tuesday or Thursday.

We gave him a plant to take care of, all right? The comparison group, the tender loving care group, we told them, you know, people will be visiting you and we'll set it up so you'll be visiting in the lounge. Everything was controlled that way. You can see a movie and we'll let you know if you're going to see it on Tuesday or Thursday. Here's a plant and the nurses will care for it for you.

We gave him a plant to take care of, all right? The comparison group, the tender loving care group, we told them, you know, people will be visiting you and we'll set it up so you'll be visiting in the lounge. Everything was controlled that way. You can see a movie and we'll let you know if you're going to see it on Tuesday or Thursday. Here's a plant and the nurses will care for it for you.