The enhancement of visuospatial processing efficiency through Buddhist Deity meditation.
Maria Kozhevnikov, Olga Louchakova, Zoran Josipovic, Michael A Motes
Psychological Science May 1, 2009 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02345.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental comparison with control groups Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Practitioners of Buddhist meditation divided by preferred style (Deity Yoga or Open Presence), plus control participants who rested or performed visuospatial tasks |
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Yoga Orientation Awareness Imagination Memory, short-term Pattern recognition, visual Space perception Attention Reaction time Religion and psychology Adult Middle aged Female Discrimination, psychological |
| Key findings | After meditating, Deity Yoga practitioners showed a dramatic increase in mental-imagery task performance compared with Open Presence meditators and controls, despite equal baseline performance. The authors suggest Deity Yoga specifically trains access to heightened visuospatial processing resources rather than generally improving visuospatial imagery. |
Abstract
This study examined the effects of meditation on mental imagery, evaluating Buddhist monks' reports concerning their extraordinary imagery skills. Practitioners of Buddhist meditation were divided into two groups according to their preferred meditation style: Deity Yoga (focused attention on an internal visual image) or Open Presence (evenly distributed attention, not directed to any particular object). Both groups of meditators completed computerized mental-imagery tasks before and after meditation. Their performance was compared with that of control groups, who either rested or performed other visuospatial tasks between testing sessions. The results indicate that all the groups performed at the same baseline level, but after meditation, Deity Yoga practitioners demonstrated a dramatic increase in performance on imagery tasks compared with the other groups. The results suggest that Deity meditation specifically trains one's capacity to access heightened visuospatial processing resources, rather than generally improving visuospatial imagery abilities.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEG Alpha Blocking Correlated with Perception of Inner Light During Zen Meditation Zen-Buddhist practitioners who had been practicing meditation for years | 2003 | Experimental study | |
| Zen meditation and ABC relaxation theory: An exploration of relaxation states, beliefs, dispositions, and motivations Experienced Zen meditators and college students | 2001 | Controlled experimental study | n = 83 |
| Exploring Emptiness and its Effects on Non-attachment, Mystical Experiences, and Psycho-spiritual Wellbeing: A Quantitative and Qualitative Study of Advanced Meditators. Advanced Buddhist meditators | 2019 | Within-subjects experimental design with qualitative analysis | n = 25 |
| Ready to help, no matter what you did: Responsibility attribution does not influence compassion in expert Buddhist practitioners. Expert Buddhist practitioners and trained novices | 2024 | Experimental study | |
| ZEN MEDITATION AND TIME-EXPERIENCE | 1989 | Experimental study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 57
- Mindfulness Training Improves Working Memory Capacity and GRE Performance While Reducing Mind Wandering Psychological Science March 28, 2013
- The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin May 14, 2012
- Meditation Experience Predicts Introspective Accuracy PLoS One September 25, 2012
- Mindfulness in cultural context Transcultural Psychiatry August 1, 2015
- Defining Contemplative Science: The Metacognitive Self-Regulatory Capacity of the Mind, Context of Meditation Practice and Modes of Existential Awareness Frontiers in Psychology November 17, 2016
and 52 more in the library
Cites 6
- Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 8, 2004
- Neural correlates of attentional expertise in long-term meditation practitioners Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences June 28, 2007
- Studying the Well-Trained Mind Science October 2, 2003
- Attention regulation and monitoring in meditation. Trends in Cognitive Sciences April 1, 2008
- Mindfulness training modifies subsystems of attention. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience June 2007
and 1 more in the library