Differences in Visual Sensitivity among Mindfulness Meditators and Non-Meditators
Daniel Brown, Michael Forte, Michael Dysart
Perceptual and Motor Skills June 1, 1984 DOI: 10.2466/pms.1984.58.3.727 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Practitioners of Buddhist mindfulness meditation (three groups) and non-meditator controls |
| Intervention | Buddhist mindfulness meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 89 |
| Key findings | Meditation practitioners detected light flashes of shorter duration than non-meditators, suggesting a lower visual detection threshold, with no differences among the three meditator groups. No group differences appeared in discriminating closely spaced successive flashes. The authors suggest the threshold difference may reflect an enduring sensitivity increase from long-term mindfulness practice. |
Abstract
Tachistoscopic presentation of light flashes was used to test for differences in visual sensitivity among 3 groups of practitioners of Buddhist mindfulness meditation and non-meditator-controls. Meditation practitioners were able to detect light flashes of shorter duration than the non-meditators. There were no differences among the meditator groups. There were no differences among the groups in ability to discriminate between closely spaced successive light flashes. The lower detection threshold for single light flashes for the meditators may reflect an enduring increase in sensitivity, perhaps the long-term effects of the practice of mindfulness meditation on certain perceptual habit patterns. The lack of significant differences in the discrimination of successive light flashes probably reflects the resistance of other perceptual habit patterns to modification. The results support the statements found in Buddhist texts on meditation concerning the changes in perception encountered during the practice of mindfulness.