A wandering mind is a less caring mind: Daily experience sampling during compassion meditation training
Hooria Jazaieri, Ihno A. Lee, Kelly Mcgonigal, Thupten Jinpa, James R Doty, James J. Gross, Philippe R. Goldin
The Journal of Positive Psychology March 24, 2015 DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2015.1025418 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort with experience sampling Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 51 |
| Population | Adults in a compassion meditation program |
| Intervention | Compassion meditation |
| Duration | 9-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Mind-wandering Compassion Experience sampling method Cognitive psychology Psychotherapist Cognition |
| Citations | 90 |
| Key findings | Compassion meditation decreased mind wandering to neutral topics and increased caring behaviors towards oneself, and path analysis showed that greater meditation frequency reduced mind wandering to unpleasant topics and increased mind wandering to pleasant topics, both linked to increased caring behaviors. |
Abstract
Mind wandering, or the tendency for attention to drift to task-irrelevant thoughts, has been associated with worse intra- and inter-personal functioning. Utilizing daily experience sampling with 51 adults during 9-weeks of a compassion meditation program, we examined effects on mind wandering (to neutral, pleasant, and unpleasant topics) and caring behaviors for oneself and others. Results indicated that compassion meditation decreased mind wandering to neutral topics and increased caring behaviors towards oneself. When collapsing across topics, mind wandering did not serve as an intermediary between the frequency of compassion meditation practice and caring behaviors, though mind wandering to pleasant and unpleasant topics was linked to both variables. A path analysis revealed that greater frequency of compassion meditation practice was related to reductions in mind wandering to unpleasant topics and increases in mind wandering to pleasant topics, both of which were related to increases in caring behaviors for oneself and others.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 20
- Meditation training influences mind wandering and mindless reading. Psychology of Consciousness Theory Research and Practice March 1, 2016
- Mind full of kindness: self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence as vehicles for compassion. BMC Psychology July 29, 2022
- Compassionate hearts protect against wandering minds: Self-compassion moderates the effect of mind-wandering on depression. Spirituality in Clinical Practice August 2, 2018
- The effects of mindfulness on eudaimonic well-being and its theoretical explanation Advances in Psychological Science 2023
- Effect of the Intervention of the Compassion Cultivation Training on the Level of Self-Criticism and Self-Compassion Психиатрия психотерапия и клиническая психология January 23, 2023
and 15 more in the library
Cites 12
- Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Mindfulness Training Improves Working Memory Capacity and GRE Performance While Reducing Mind Wandering Psychological Science March 28, 2013
- Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. Emotion February 6, 2012
- Effects of Meditation Experience on Functional Connectivity of Distributed Brain Networks Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
and 7 more in the library