Does meditation swamp working memory?
Behavioral and Brain Sciences December 1, 2006 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x06009472 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMeditation is better understood as ritualized action that occupies working memory rather than as a technique for emptying the mind, a common assumption in religious studies. Boyer and Lienard's theory of ritualized action as 'swamping' working memory may explain meditation's effects without attributing experiential goals that practitioners do not actually hold.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Argues that meditation is ritualized action that swamps working memory, explaining its effects without assuming experiential goals. |
Abstract
Religionists often presuppose that “mysticism” aims at somehow emptying the mind. In the light of evidence, however, meditation seems rather to consist of ritualized action without an explicit emphasis on subjective experience. Boyer & Lienard's (B&L's) theory of ritualized action as “swamping” working memory thus might help explain the effects of meditation without postulating experiential goals the “mystics” obviously do not have.