Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Prospective Memory Under Different Attentional Load Conditions
Tongyang Nie, Tong-Xuan Dang, Yun-Fei Guo
Applied Cognitive Psychology September 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1002/acp.70111 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Between-subjects experiment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 109 |
| Population | 109 participants assigned to a mindfulness meditation group or a control group |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Mindfulness meditation enhanced prospective memory performance primarily by improving the prospective component, and this benefit was significant under low attentional load but not under high attentional load. The authors suggest mindfulness meditation mainly aids prospective memory when attentional demands are lower. |
Abstract
Prospective memory is the ability to execute delayed intentions at the appropriate moment. Mindfulness meditation serves as a training modality to enhance attentional control and foster a flexible, self‐regulated attentional state, which can significantly enhance prospective memory performance through refined attentional control. The study aimed to investigate the effects of mindfulness meditation on prospective memory and its underlying processing mechanisms under different attentional loads. In the present study, a total of 109 participants were enrolled in a 2 (groups: mindfulness meditation group, control group) × 2 (attentional load: low load, high load) between‐subjects design. The results indicated that mindfulness meditation enhances prospective memory performance primarily by improving the prospective component. This positive effect manifests significantly under the low attentional load condition. The findings suggest that mindfulness meditation primarily enhances prospective memory in scenarios with lower attentional demands.