Mindfulness Meditation Influences Implicit but Not Explicit Coding of Temporal Simultaneity

In a meditative state, time seems to slow and the present moment feels expanded. This study tested whether a mindfulness intervention changes the minimal duration of the psychological moment—the measurable "now." Participants completed a simultaneity-detection task before and after either a mindfulness exercise or listening to classical music. No overall difference in the psychological moment was found between groups or before versus after the interventions. However, a bias against reporting simultaneity after a subthreshold asynchrony—which normally shortens the psychological moment—was reduced after mindfulness. This suggests that brief mindfulness meditation can sharpen attentional focus and help normalize the perception of psychological time.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract In the meditative state time appears to slow down and in the present moment it expands. However, to date, there is no investigation of the effect of meditative state on the structure of the “psychological moment”; this is the measurable, minimal duration of the moment “now.” In this study, we examined the effect on the psychological moment of a mindfulness intervention against an intervention in which participants listened to classical music. The psychological moment was measured using a simultaneity-detection paradigm from which the threshold between reports that two targets changed luminance simultaneously or with an asynchrony is normally taken as the duration of the moment. In line with previous research, this paradigm allowed for examination of the effects of the subthreshold synchronized, or asynchronized target onsets, which occurred prior to the luminance change of the targets. While there was no overall difference in the psychological moment pre- and post-, and as a function of the type of intervention, a bias against reporting simultaneity following presentation of a subthreshold asynchrony, which lowered thresholds and so shortened the psychological moment, was reduced after the mindfulness intervention. From this we conclude that even brief mindfulness meditation can encourage a more focalized attentional response, which can in turn be used to normalize psychological time.