“Mind the Trap”: Mindfulness Practice Reduces Cognitive Rigidity
A Chiesa, A Chiesa, A Chiesa, A Heeren, A Heeren, Antoine Lutz, A Moore, A Wells, A Zgierska, AH Zohar, AJ Clark, AJ Whitmer, AS Luchins, B Nevo, CM Steele, CM Steele, D Coleman, DJ Miklowitz, EL Cowen, EL Garland, EN Shearin, ER Watkins, EV Sullivan, F Faul, Fadel Zeidan, H Wenk-Sormaz, H Wenk-Sormaz, HS Hodgins, J Cangemi, J Everett, Jon Kabat‐zinn, J Piet, J Schwartz, Jonathan Greenberg, Keren Reiner, L Rapgay, L Roemer, L Zylowska, Leonardo Fontenelle, LJ Seidman, M Fischer, M Levenson, M Rokeach, MC Williams, ME Harrer, MM Linehan, MT Miró, N Meiran, N Meiran, Nachshon Meiran, ND Anderson, NJ Cepeda, P Beljan, P Grossman, P Schultz, P Schultz, Richard Chambers, R Gross-Isseroff, R Wanden-Berghe, S Nolen-Hoeksema, SC Hayes, SR Bishop, T Kingston, TB Kashdan, TE Ellis, TS Nelson, W Ramel, ZV Segal
PLoS One May 15, 2012 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036206 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Experienced mindfulness meditators and non-meditators |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Duration | Eight meeting mindfulness program |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Mindfulness practice Meditators Mindfulness program Cognitive flexibility Cognitive rigidity Thinking flexibility Adaptive thinking Mental flexibility Overcoming bias Less rigidity Problem solving Water jar puzzle Solution finding Adaptive responses Decision making Cognitive bias Mental traps Past experience bias Rigidity bias Fixed thinking Habitual thinking Blinded by experience |
| Citations | 217 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness meditation reduces cognitive rigidity by decreasing the tendency to be blinded by past experience. |
Abstract
Two experiments examined the relation between mindfulness practice and cognitive rigidity by using a variation of the Einstellung water jar task. Participants were required to use three hypothetical jars to obtain a specific amount of water. Initial problems were solvable by the same complex formula, but in later problems (“critical” or “trap” problems) solving was possible by an additional much simpler formula. A rigidity score was compiled through perseverance of the complex formula. In Experiment 1, experienced mindfulness meditators received significantly lower rigidity scores than non-meditators who had registered for their first meditation retreat. Similar results were obtained in randomized controlled Experiment 2 comparing non-meditators who underwent an eight meeting mindfulness program with a waiting list group. The authors conclude that mindfulness meditation reduces cognitive rigidity via the tendency to be “blinded” by experience. Results are discussed in light of the benefits of mindfulness practice regarding a reduced tendency to overlook novel and adaptive ways of responding due to past experience, both in and out of the clinical setting