Ecological moment assessment (EMA)
Ecological
moment assessment (EMA), also called “experience sampling,” is a method that
involves repeatedly collecting real-time data from participants to capture
their thoughts, feelings, and behavior as they actually occur. We are using EMA
with roughly 100 regular practitioners of lectio divina to understand the
actual forms and functions of the contemplative practice in their day-to-day
lives. Rather than teach or prescribe a certain way of implementing lectio
divina, we rely on a discovery-oriented approach that seeks to understand the
forms and functions of their routine practice.
Primary
research questions:
-What are the
typical ways of practicing lectio divina in the modern world?
-What are
the proximal emotional, spiritual, and relational outcomes of practicing lectio
divina?
-Are
certain features or ways of engaging with the lectio divina process associated
with improved flourishing on a day-to-day basis?
Data
collection:
Our
participants complete
online minisurveys four times per day (morning, early afternoon, late
afternoon, and evening) over a three-week (21-day) period with invitations sent
to their smartphones with a text messaging-based system called InSIGHT (Dvorak
et al., 2023). First, when participants had practiced lectio divina since their
last assessment, they report the specific circumstances and details of the
recent session. Second, at every assessment, participants complete measures of
psychospiritual states—present-moment psychological or spiritual experiences
(depressed affect, anxious affect, positive affect, connectedness with God and
other people).
Getting Involved:
