A research institute studying cognitive flexibility and aliveness in the age of AI
What is aliveness?
AI can think. Aliveness is uniquely human.
Aliveness is what distinguishes humans from machines.
It's your ability to think when you need to think, feel when you need to feel, see when you need to see, and be when you need to be. This flexibility gives you access to the ways of knowing that drive breakthrough performance: intuition that guides decisions beyond what data shows, insight that connects patterns others miss, wisdom that comes from lived experience, creativity that generates novel solutions, and the empathy and presence that build genuine connection.
These capabilities aren't separate skills. They emerge naturally when you can move between analytical thinking and embodied experience—stepping out of pure abstraction when the situation demands it.
Why aliveness? Why now?
As AI automates analytical work, human value is shifting.
“AI is rapidly automating analytical work—workers can expect that 39% of their existing skill sets will be transformed or become outdated by 2030” (World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025)
"Skills rooted in social and emotional intelligence such as interpersonal conflict resolution and design thinking will remain uniquely human, demanding empathy, creativity, and contextual understanding" (McKinsey Global Institute)
"Creative thinking, resilience, flexibility and agility, along with curiosity and lifelong learning, are expected to continue to rise in importance over the 2025-2030 period" (World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025)
“Organizations that prioritize developing human capabilities are nearly twice as likely to have workers that feel their work is meaningful and twice as likely to have better financial and business results” (Deloitte, 2025 Global Human Capital Trends)
The competitive advantage is shifting to cognitive flexibility—the capacity to access intuition, creativity, wisdom, and presence.
How we restore aliveness
The foundation: Cognitive Flexibility
Aliveness emerges when cognitive flexibility is fully restored. Cognitive flexibility is your capacity to move between abstract analytical thinking and concrete embodied presence—to step off the ladder of abstraction back onto the ground, where intuition, wisdom, and connection naturally emerge.
Modern knowledge work systematically trains this flexibility away, keeping you trapped in abstract thinking even when you need to feel, sense, and be present.
Why traditional approaches fall short
Our research reveals that cognitive training and environmental redesign are both required to restore cognitive flexibility.
Most interventions fail because they address only one:
Cognitive training alone gives you practices but doesn't change the work environments that suppress flexibility
Environmental changes alone may improve conditions but don't rebuild the cognitive capacity that's been trained away
Our approach integrates both—grounded in peer-reviewed research on how modern environments systematically impair cognitive flexibility.
Research foundation
Our approach is grounded in rigorous scientific research using principles from industrial-organizational psychology, cognitive science, and environmental psychology.
Published peer-reviewed research:
The Abstraction Habituation Model of Burnout (Frontiers in Psychology, 2026). Demonstrates how chronic abstract processing reduces cognitive flexibility, trapping knowledge workers in analytical modes and impairing their ability to recover.
Framing the Mind (Frontiers in Social Psychology, 2025). Examines how cultural and technological frames constrain cognitive flexibility by narrowing the range of processing modes we habitually access.
The Environmental Model of Mindfulness (Frontiers in Social Psychology, 2024). Identifies four environmental factors that restore cognitive flexibility without meditation or deliberate training.
We present regularly at industry conferences (e.g., Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, PATH International), and our research directly informs everything we do—from assessment design to training methodology to organizational interventions.
We are innovators leading both the research and the applied practice in this emerging field.
Our publications
We publish openly to advance understanding of cognitive flexibility and make our insights actionable.
The Alive Letter
Weekly long-form research essays exploring cognitive flexibility and human capability in the age of AI.
Subscribe on Substack →
The Alive Papers
Monthly white papers synthesizing current research into structured frameworks.
Read our papers →
The Alive Conversations
Podcast featuring researchers, practitioners, educators, and L&D leaders exploring what makes humans irreplaceable.
Listen on Spotify →
Three ways to work with us
1. Workshop
Cognitive Flexibility: The Human Skill AI Can't Replace
Format: Half-day interactive workshop (3-4 hours)
Group size: 12-20 participants
Investment: $4,500
What's included:
Introduction to the science of cognitive flexibility
Hands-on experiential exercises with The Aliveness Kit
Introduction to the three aliveness factors (Place, Pursuits, Perspective)
Personal action planning for immediate implementation
Outcomes:
Direct experience of the difference between analytical and embodied problem-solving
Understanding of what drives or suppresses cognitive flexibility
Specific actions and changes participants can implement immediately
Ideal for: Leadership teams, L&D decision-makers, and teams exploring cognitive flexibility training
2. Training Program
The Aliveness Advantage: 4-Week Cognitive Flexibility Program
Format: 4 weekly 60-minute sessions plus daily individual practice
Group size: 8-12 participants
Investment: $15,000
What's included:
Pre/post assessment using the Aliveness Questionnaire (AQ)
Four structured weekly sessions covering Place, Pursuits, and Perspective
Daily practice prompts and experiential exercises
Individual progress tracking
Final summary report with team-level insights
Outcomes:
Measurable improvement in cognitive flexibility (pre/post assessment)
Sustainable adjustments to daily work patterns
Enhanced decision-making combining analysis and intuition
Reduced cognitive depletion and improved recovery capacity
Ideal for: Individual contributors, managers, and leadership cohorts committed to developing cognitive flexibility as a measurable skill
3. Organizational Assessment
The Aliveness Initiative: Organizational Assessment & Implementation
Format: 1-6 month engagement (based on scope)
Organization size: Small to medium
Investment: $25,000 - $75,000+
What's included:
Comprehensive organizational assessment using the Aliveness Questionnaire
Environmental audit identifying what drives or suppresses cognitive flexibility
Team-level and organizational-level analysis
Leadership workshop and stakeholder presentations
Executive summary report with strategic recommendations
Implementation tier adds:
Environmental redesign
Org-wide training
Follow-up measurement
Outcomes:
Data-driven understanding of cognitive flexibility across the organization
Identification of systemic barriers and opportunities
Strategic roadmap for embedding cognitive flexibility into culture and operations
Leadership alignment on priorities and approach
Ideal for: Organizations committed to systemic change and recognizing cognitive flexibility as strategic advantage
Who we work with
We partner with individuals, teams, and organizations in knowledge-intensive industries—where cognitive flexibility is most at risk.
Why knowledge-intensive work?
Our research shows that certain types of work systematically train people away from cognitive flexibility:
Professional services (consulting, legal, accounting)
Technology and software development
Financial services and analysis
Healthcare administration and research
Education and academic institutions
Government and policy work
These industries share common patterns: extensive screen time, sustained abstract thinking, high cognitive load, and complex analytical demands. While valuable, these conditions systematically suppress access to concrete, embodied processing—and with it, intuition, creativity, wisdom, and presence.
Our Clients
Individuals who recognize they've lost touch with intuition and presence—and want to restore their full human capacity
Teams experiencing innovation plateaus, decision fatigue, or disconnection—seeking to rebuild adaptability and effectiveness
Organizations committed to developing future-ready workforces who can bring irreplaceable human value in the age of AI
About us
The Alive Institute was founded by James Meaden, M.A. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from George Mason University, with 15+ years of experience in psychometric assessment and organizational research.
James's career spans both sides of the abstract-concrete divide.
For the past decade, James has worked in AI and machine learning—assessing and developing the technical skills needed to work with these technologies. As Head of Assessment R&D at Codility, he develops validated assessments for AI capabilities. His own hands-on experience includes working with early language models (GPT-2, Word2Vec) and machine learning systems, giving him deep insight into the nature of abstract, computational work.
Simultaneously, James invested in developing the concrete side—becoming a certified mindfulness teacher and PATH International certified equine-assisted learning facilitator. This dual expertise positions him uniquely to understand both what modern knowledge work demands and what it costs.
James's research has been published in Frontiers in Social Psychology and Frontiers in Psychology. He presents regularly at SIOP (Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology) and PATH International conferences.
The Alive Institute's mission is to restore human aliveness in the age of AI—helping individuals and organizations develop the cognitive flexibility that makes humans irreplaceable in their work and deeply fulfilled in their lives.
Ready to explore?
For Organizations:
Interested in developing cognitive flexibility in your teams?
For Individuals:
Want to explore our research and training programs?
Subscribe to The Alive Letter →
For Researchers:
Interested in collaboration or learning more about our work?
Get in touch →
The Alive Institute LLC
james@thealive.institute
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