An intelligent, curious, open-minded individual is very much more likely to practice mindfulness than someone who's averse to self-reflection, denies any need to change, and is content to conform to the status quo. Interestingly, mindfulness practice further cultivates the attributes of the - already healthiest - informational identity style.
"Identity is defined as ‘an internal, self-constructed, dynamic organization of drives, abilities, beliefs & individual history’. ... a clear & committed sense of identity provides the personality coherency necessary to adapt positively to the demands of adulthood.
Defense mechanisms are patterns of involuntary thoughts, feelings, & behaviors that function to hide or alleviate anxiety-causing stressors. Although some defenses (e.g., denial) can be maladaptive because their use involves disregarding or distorting reality, other defenses are considered to be adaptive in that they represent a form of involuntary coping with stressful life events that provides a means for adjustment. Thus, the maturity of defense use can be viewed as an indicator of adaptive adjustment to life stress.
... an individual’s sense of identity is formed & maintained by a preferred style of social-cognitive processing, along with related dispositional & behavioral characteristics. ... three different styles that individuals typically use to process and adapt to self-relevant information:
Defense mechanisms are patterns of involuntary thoughts, feelings, & behaviors that function to hide or alleviate anxiety-causing stressors. Although some defenses (e.g., denial) can be maladaptive because their use involves disregarding or distorting reality, other defenses are considered to be adaptive in that they represent a form of involuntary coping with stressful life events that provides a means for adjustment. Thus, the maturity of defense use can be viewed as an indicator of adaptive adjustment to life stress.
... an individual’s sense of identity is formed & maintained by a preferred style of social-cognitive processing, along with related dispositional & behavioral characteristics. ... three different styles that individuals typically use to process and adapt to self-relevant information:
• information-oriented or informational identity style is used by individuals who actively confront self-relevant questions and problems by critically evaluating information.
• norm-oriented or normative identity style is used by individuals who conform to the expectations of significant others in dealing with personal decisions and identity relevant issues and, thus, they are presumed to be defensive about self-relevant feedback.
• diffuse-avoidant identity style is used by individuals who tend to be low in self-awareness and avoid dealing with identity issues.
Generally speaking, the diffuse-avoidant identity style was found to be associated with maladjustment whereas the normative & informational styles were associated with positive adjustment. For example, individuals who prefer to use a diffuse-avoidant style reported poorer adjustment to university, lower self-esteem, & greater life distress & depressive symptomatology ...
personality & cognitive characteristics underlying the informational identity style appears to provide the basis for better adjustment than does the normative style. For example, in addition to having committed beliefs, individuals with an informational identity style are high in openness, self-reflectiveness, introspection, need for cognition, & cognitive complexity whereas normative individuals are less open, self-reflective, cognitively flexible, and have a high need for closure.
... the informational style has also been found to be uniquely & positively related to emotional intelligence, proactive coping, personal growth, hardiness, & personal wisdom. In contrast ... individuals who prefer a normative identity style might employ avoidant coping strategies & operate in a defensive manner."
Seaton CL, Beaumont SL. Identity processing styles and defense styles during emerging adulthood: Implications for life distress. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research 2011; 11(1): 1-24.
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