The DOI matches its Crossref record; 11 of the 11 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 11 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.
Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era
Open accessAbstract
This paper examines two self-tracking apps inspired by Buddhist ideas and practices but designed for the broader public: Mitra: Track What Matters Most and Stop, Breathe & Think. It shows how the apps enable users to develop greater emotional and ethical awareness, and it argues that their minimalist and customizable design features help mitigate against users becoming dependent on the technology itself. It then illustrates ways that other apps like Calm instead seek to lure users into their technology and keep them there. It concludes with a discussion of how such hooks and attention-economic strategies strengthen habits of consumption.
Overview
Integrity signals
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Claims the paper makes
22 Own interpretation · 7 No basis given · 4 Sources not found · 4 Not checked yet · 4 Own result · 1 No full text of the sources
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“they said the tracking felt superficial since it did not address why they had such emotions or values”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Conclusion
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Rests on an assumption: Users' self-reports about their increased introspection and behavior change are accurate and meaningful.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“they also felt a lack of engagement or stimulation by them”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Conclusion
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Rests on an assumption: Users' self-reports about their increased introspection and behavior change are accurate and meaningful.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“many students said Mitra influenced their behavior: for example, those who identified family as a value found themselves calling and connecting with their parents more frequently.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Conclusion
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Rests on an assumption: Users' self-reports about their increased introspection and behavior change are accurate and meaningful.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Such alerts seek to externally trigger certain actions that will eventually become habits.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Instead of fostering deeper awareness of one's physical, mental, and emotional state, it employs every means at its disposal to induce relaxing and somniferous states.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Conclusion
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
In the paper
“Emotions are powerful triggers that establish and maintain our digital habits.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Introduction
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Eyal 2014
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Not matched
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“It shows how the apps enable users to develop greater emotional and ethical awareness”
- Also stated in: § Introduction · plain
“Unlike other apps designed to foster dependency on the technology itself, these apps facilitate greater emotional and ethical awareness for their users.”
- Also stated in: § Conclusion · plain
“Whereas Mitra and Stop, Breathe & Think seek to improve users' emotional literacy, reflective capacity, and ethical compass”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Abstract
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Rests on an assumption: App design features can cause or mitigate user dependence on the technology.
- Rests on an assumption: Emotional and ethical awareness are valuable goals that apps should promote.
- Also stated in: § Introduction · plain
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Mindfulness is sold and marketed as a vehicle for self-improvement or self-optimization instead of liberation for all sentient beings.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“it does not empower users as much as make them reliant on technology to become calm”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Conclusion
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Satisfying desires instantaneously with the touch of a screen can prevent one from discerning the role of craving in perpetuating suffering”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Introduction
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
In the paper
“many Buddhist traditions encourage training of the mind as an antidote to such vulnerability to emotional triggers”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Introduction
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Goleman 2003
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Not matched
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Digital devices can fuel cravings that Buddhists seek to dissipate.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Introduction
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Once the user associates the app with calm and sleep, they themselves will trigger the cycle.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“It concludes with a discussion of how such hooks and attention-economic strategies strengthen habits of consumption.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Abstract
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: unclear — It is unclear why the paper says it holds.
- Rests on an assumption: The attention economy's strategies strengthen habits of consumption.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“the app design seeks to draw the user's attention toward the screen rather than directing it toward their present bodily, mental, or emotional experience”
- Also stated in: § Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm · plain
“The sleek visuals and ambient sounds of Calm draw the user's attention toward the screen rather than making them more mindful of their own embodied experience”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Rests on an assumption: The author's interpretation of app design intentions matches the designers' actual intentions.
- Also stated in: § Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm · plain
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“their minimalist and customizable design features help mitigate against users becoming dependent on the technology itself”
- Also stated in: § Minimalist and Customizable Features of Mitra · plain
“its minimalist and customizable features mitigate against users becoming dependent or constrained by the app”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Abstract
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Rests on an assumption: App design features can cause or mitigate user dependence on the technology.
- Also stated in: § Minimalist and Customizable Features of Mitra · plain
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“As we have seen, some mindfulness apps seek to lure users in and make them dependent on the app itself.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Both apps connect mindfulness with ethical development, the former through its focus on identifying core values and aligning values with emotions, and the latter with its goal of developing kindness, compassion, and self-compassion.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Conclusion
plaincorrelational- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“It shares ten percent of its net revenue with Tools for Peace for its school programs for at-risk youth.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Conclusion
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- The quote only partly states this claim. 5
- Probably not a substantial claim. 12
- It may state two separate claims as one. 17
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Users report feeling more self-aware after they track their emotions and values regularly.”
- Also stated in: § Conclusion · plain
“In my research study of college students who used Mitra and Stop, Breathe & Think, they reported increased introspection and daily reflection after using the apps”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Introduction
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
The quote only partly states this claim.
- Rests on an assumption: Users' self-reports about their increased introspection and behavior change are accurate and meaningful.
- Rests on an assumption: The effects observed in the author's college student study generalize to the broader public.
- Also stated in: § Conclusion · plain
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Having used these apps, I can attest to the appeal of sleek visuals and soothing impact of ambient sounds in Calm, and I can vouch that maintaining a daily log of emotions and values requires much greater self-discipline.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Conclusion
plainSingle case- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The app graphs emotions and values over a period of time, showing interesting correlations between your emotional states and the values driving you”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Minimalist and Customizable Features of Mitra
plaincorrelational- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may state two separate claims as one.
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“Calm's default setting of a lake with mountains in the background and sounds of nature, with birds chirping and rivers flowing, evokes a sense of calm”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The quote only partly states this claim.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The presumption-and preliminary finding-is that when your core values are honored in your life, you will experience more of these joyful emotions; when those values are getting challenged, or you are not in alignment with them, then your emotional state will reflect that.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Minimalist and Customizable Features of Mitra
hedgeddirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: fails — The paper may give no reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper may give no reason why it holds. It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Calm and Headspace have certainly reached a wide audience, skillfully introducing many people to meditation and bringing therapeutic benefit.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
boosteddirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: fails — The paper may give no reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds. It may state two separate claims as one.
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“He suggests that delusion functions as one of the three poisons alongside our present economic system, which can be understood as institutionalized greed, and our militarism, which institutionalizes aggression”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
What the sources say
- Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Loy 2016 source
- Not matchedcites Loy 2008
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
hedged- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“However, in contrast with Mitra and Stop, Breathe & Think, they not only overlook ethics, but actively employ techniques such as external triggers and celebrity endorsements to entice users into their apps.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: unclear — It is unclear why the paper says it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one. The quote only partly states this claim.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“it offers little indication that it ever wants those training wheels taken off.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Conclusion
hedged- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: fails — It may be too vague to check against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: fails — The paper may give no reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may be too vague to check against evidence. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“resembles the Buddhist chain of dependent origination that describes the process through which one's craving turns into clinging and ultimately suffering.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Introduction
plaincorrelational- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: fails — It may be too vague to check against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may be too vague to check against evidence.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“It then illustrates ways that other apps like Calm instead seek to lure users into their technology and keep them there.”
- Also stated in: § Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm · plain
“By contrast, other apps like Calm use addictive feedback loops to lure users into an app and keep them there.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Abstract
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
- Rests on an assumption: The author's interpretation of app design intentions matches the designers' actual intentions.
- Also stated in: § Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm · plain
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“The twelve steps of codependent consumerism begin with shopping, which leads to the accumulation of material objects, which require storing and lead to the purchase of a house, which necessitates having a vehicle to transport one's possessions, which requires that one buy gas, which contributes to debt and the need for employment, which generates stress, which prompts the desire for relaxation and”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
What the sources say
- Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Loy 2016 source
- Not matchedcites Loy 2008
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
In the paper
“it maintains privacy by not monitoring its users”
- Also stated in: § Minimalist and Customizable Features of Mitra · plain
“The developers also decided against enabling sharing of emotional states to encourage greater data privacy”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Minimalist and Customizable Features of Mitra
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Priyadarshi, telephone interview by author, August 18, 2019
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirectSingle case- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
- Also stated in: § Minimalist and Customizable Features of Mitra · plain
In the paper
“New media advertising techniques fueled by the power of 'Big Data' subject us to a constant flow of solicitations custom-tailored to inflame our desire, to strengthen our existing consumption habits and expand them to new types of goods, and to convince us that our wants and needs are one and the same”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
What the sources say
- Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Vallor 2016 source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“these limitations seek to safeguard privacy and allow users greater self-determination”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Minimalist and Customizable Features of Mitra
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one. The quote only partly states this claim.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“from Buddhism, it's been stripped of the teachings on ethics that accompanied it, as well as the liberating aim of dissolving attachment to a false sense of self while enacting compassion for all other beings”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
In the paper
“they designed Mitra to be opened once or twice a day”
- Also stated in: § Minimalist and Customizable Features of Mitra · plain
“unlike many apps that fuel addiction in their design by encouraging users to constantly return to them”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Minimalist and Customizable Features of Mitra
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Priyadarshi, telephone interview by author, August 18, 2019
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirectSingle case- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
- Also stated in: § Minimalist and Customizable Features of Mitra · plain
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“When apps alleviate such negative feelings, people form strong positive associations with them and habituate themselves to use them when they experience such negative internal triggers.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Introduction
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“David Loy has argued that in the United States, our (corporate) media institutionalize delusion, because their primary focus is profiting from advertising and consumerism, rather than informing us about the crucial issues of our day.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Enticing and Entangling User Attention in Calm
What the sources say
- Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Loy 2016 source
- Not matchedcites Loy 2008
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Whereas Mitra and Stop, Breathe & Think seek to improve users' emotional literacy, reflective capacity, and ethical compass so that users might use their apps as a springboard to act more compassionately and ethically in the world”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Conclusion
hedgeddirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This attention to ethics and free distribution through nonprofit organizations (the Center for Ethics at MIT and Tools for Peace, respectively) set Mitra and Stop, Breathe & Think apart from other subscription-based mindfulness apps.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Conclusion
plaincorrelational- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one. The quote only partly states this claim.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“a non-profit organization founded in 2000 by Venerable Lama Chödak Gyatso Nubpa that seeks to strengthen social and emotional learning by providing practical methods for developing compassion, peace, and well-being.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Introduction
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“two self-tracking apps inspired by Buddhist ideas and practices but designed for the broader public: Mitra: Track What Matters Most and Stop, Breathe & Think.”
§ Buddhist-inspired Self-tracking Apps: Tracking Emotions and Values in a Digital Era > Abstract
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper relies on this without support.
App design features can cause or mitigate user dependence on the technology.
“its minimalist and customizable features mitigate against users becoming dependent or constrained by the app”
The paper relies on this without support.
Users' self-reports about their increased introspection and behavior change are accurate and meaningful.
“they reported increased introspection and daily reflection after using the apps”
The paper relies on this without support.
The author's interpretation of app design intentions matches the designers' actual intentions.
“Calm employs a variety of external triggers to hook the user”
The paper relies on this without support.
Emotional and ethical awareness are valuable goals that apps should promote.
“increase emotional awareness”
The paper relies on this without support.
The attention economy's strategies strengthen habits of consumption.
“such hooks and attention-economic strategies strengthen habits of consumption”
The paper relies on this without support.
The effects observed in the author's college student study generalize to the broader public.
“Users report feeling more self-aware after they track their emotions and values regularly.”
Citations
Cites
Technology and the Virtues: A Philosophical Guide to a Future Worth Wanting
Vallor, S. (2016) · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190498511.001.0001 · Cited by 910
Neff, G., & Nafus, D. (2016) · The MIT Press eBooks · doi:10.7551/mitpress/10421.001.0001 · Cited by 434
Co-evolving with self-tracking technologies
Kristensen, D. B., & Ruckenstein, M. (2018) · New Media & Society · doi:10.1177/1461444818755650 · Cited by 157
Hyland, T. (2017) · Journal of Transformative Education · doi:10.1177/1541344617696972 · Cited by 144
Lofton, K. (2017) · University of Chicago Press eBooks · doi:10.7208/chicago/9780226482125.001.0001 · Cited by 139
Gleig, A. (2019) · Yale University Press eBooks · doi:10.12987/9780300245042 · Cited by 106
Grieve, G. P. (2016) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781315645858 · Cited by 17
Buddhist Apps: Skillful Means or Dharma Dilution?
Wagner, R., & Accardo, C. (2014) · Digital Collections - Ithaca College Library (Ithaca College) · doi:10.4324/9781315862989-15 · Cited by 8
The Challenge of Mindful Engagement
Loy, D. R. (2016) · Mindfulness in Behavioral Health · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-44019-4_2 · Cited by 7
GLEIG, A. (2019) · doi:10.2307/j.ctvbnm3w7 · Cited by 6
Research works printed but not linked: 6
- “ Ericka D .” 2017. Review of “Mitra”. Common Sense Education. Updated February 2017. https://www.commonsense.org/education/app/mitra-track-what-matters-most.
- Eyal, Nir . 2014. Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. New York: Penguin.
- Gardner, Howard , and Katie Davis . 2014. The App Generation: How Today’s Youth Navigate Identity, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World . New Haven: Yale University Press.
- Turkle, Sherry . 2015. Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age . New York: Penguin.
- Veidlinger, Daniel . 2015. “Introduction.” In Buddhism, the Internet, and Digital Media: The Pixel in the Lotus, edited by Gregory P. Grieve and Daniel Veidlinger, 1–20. New York: Routledge.
- Winston, Diana . 2002. “ Filling Our Heads and Instant Fulfillment: A Buddhist Muses on the Internet. ” ReVision 24 (4): 4–6.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Design Patterns for the Common Good: Building Better Technologies Using the Wisdom of Virtue Ethics
Conwill, L., Levis, M., Badillo-Urquiola, K. A., & Scheirer, W. J. (2025) · CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · doi:10.1145/3706598.3713546 · Cited by 6
Co-Designing Islamic AI Ethics: Insights from the UK Muslim Community
Campbell-Esen, R., Mahoney, J., & Talhouk, R. (2026) · CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · doi:10.1145/3772318.3790413 · Cited by 6
“McGuire [85] identify that tracking apps designed based on Buddhist values promote emotional awareness and ethical reflection, contrasting with mainstream apps’ use of attention-grabbing design tactics that create dependence.”
Meditating Online ‘Alone Together’: Two Case Studies of Digital Buddhist Practice
FALCONE, J. (2024) · Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies · doi:10.15239/hijbs.07.01.01
Metadata
- Authors
- McGuire, B.
- Corresponding author
- McGuire, Beverley
- ORCID
- McGuire, Beverley
- Venue
- Journal of the Japanese Association for Digital Humanities
- Published
- 2020-12-25
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 43-60
- ISSN
- 2188-7276 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3115133067
- Cited by
- 2
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of the Japanese Association for Digital Humanities (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Innovative Human-Technology Interaction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Communication › Digital Media and Philosophy
- Keywords
- Buddhism, emotion monitoring, emotional awareness, moral consciousness, mindfulness apps, CALM, technology addiction, attention economy, habit formation, minimalist design
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
A language model drew the claims from the paper on 2026-10-05, under version 3 of the claim definition (model deepseek-v4.1-flash, prompt extract-v3).
A second model labelled each claim on 2026-10-05 (model jev-1.13-20260917, definition revision gold-guideline-v0.2).
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
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