Electrophysiological and Behavioural Markers of Novice State Mindfulness in Relation to Trait Mindfulness, Values, Personality Traits and Academic Dispositions
Annals of Neurosciences September 8, 2025 Mannu Brahmi, Abira Sharma, Harshita Jain et al. 3 citations
In novice meditators, the personality trait Acting with Awareness was linked to less mind-wandering and greater theta brainwave activity during breath-focused meditation, suggesting improved attention. Discontinuity of Mind—a measure of fragmented thinking—correlated with higher alpha and beta brainwaves, indicating effortful mentation. Planning-related thinking was associated with early STEM proficiency and reduced delta and alpha power, implying unnecessary mental activity during meditation. Individuals with higher Stimulation values showed lower prefrontal alpha power, possibly reflecting heightened alertness. Extraversion and Emotional Stability also showed modest connections to state mindfulness. These findings suggest that pre-existing traits and academic background shape how beginners engage in meditation, though the predictive power was weak.