An integrative framework for the mechanisms underlying mindfulness-induced cognitive change
Luis Cásedas, Jonathan W. Schooler, Miguel A Vadillo, Juan Lupiáñez
PsyArXiv April 16, 2025 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/jtqmu_v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Proposes the capacity-efficiency mindfulness (CEM) framework, arguing that mindfulness training modulates cognitive function by minimizing cognitive-affective interference during task performance rather than by increasing overall cognitive resources, with mind-wandering and negative affect as key disruptors of efficient cognitive control. |
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation has drawn increasing attention in psychological research over the past two decades, including growing interest in its potential cognitive benefits. Meta-analytic evidence suggests that mindfulness training might improve cognitive performance, but the mechanisms underlying these benefits have not been fully characterised. In this Perspective, we integrate empirical and theoretical advances in mindfulness research with established knowledge about the mechanisms and limitations of cognitive training. We introduce the capacity-efficiency mindfulness (CEM) framework, which posits that mindfulness training modulates cognitive function by minimizing cognitive-affective interference during task performance, rather than by increasing overall cognitive resources. This framework emphasises the critical role of mind-wandering and negative affect in disrupting efficient cognitive control and outlines key mechanisms by which mindfulness training might mitigate these factors. We review initial evidence in support of the framework, discuss its predictions and suggest future research directions to test them.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |