More than attention: brief practice of focused-attention meditation suppresses automatic word meaning processing
Tate Pan, Jiaqiu Vince Sun, Xing Tian
PsyArXiv November 11, 2025 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/pnd47_v2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Between-groups randomized experiment |
|---|---|
| Population | Meditation novices |
| Interventions | Focused attention (FA) meditation Mind-wandering control condition |
| Duration | Brief (10-minute) guided FA session |
| Measures | Stroop task |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | A brief 10-minute guided focused-attention meditation reduced the Stroop congruency facilitation effect compared with a mind-wandering control condition, while no such reduction occurred on two non-semantic control tasks. The authors argue this selective pattern indicates that FA meditation temporarily inhibits automatic semantic processing rather than enhancing reactive control or general selective attention, and that even short-term practice can modulate automatic cognition in novices. |
Abstract
Mindfulness practice is often described as yielding a “quieter mind,” yet the specific cognitive mechanisms underlying this experience remain understudied. This research investigates how focused attention (FA) meditation influences automatic semantic processing through a series of conflict-based tasks (e.g., Stroop). In a between-groups design, participants were randomly assigned to either brief FA meditation or mind-wandering control conditions. Results demonstrated that, compared to the control group, FA meditation significantly reduced the Stroop congruency facilitation effect in the classic color-word task. Crucially, this reduction in facilitation was not observed in two additional non-semantic control tasks (administered solely to FA participants). This selective pattern suggests that FA meditation temporarily inhibits automatic semantic processing rather than enhancing reactive control or general selective attention. Notably, these effects emerged in meditation novices following a brief (10-minute) guided FA session, indicating that even short-term meditation can modulate automatic cognitive processes. These findings provide empirical support for the role of mindfulness in reducing automatic thought processes and contribute to our understanding of its underlying cognitive mechanisms, offering insights into how brief meditation interventions might help individuals better manage intrusive thoughts and automatic cognitive processes in daily life.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |