Clarifying the relationship between trait mindfulness and objective performance
Cristina Goilean, Francisco Javier Gracia, Inés Tomás-Marco
Current Psychology December 15, 2021 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-02414-y (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 139 |
| Population | University students |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 10 |
| Key findings | Trait mindfulness was not related to objective indicators of performance on an attention task, except for the detection of unexpected stimuli. Intelligence played an important role in performance outcomes, and task complexity did not moderate the relationship between mindfulness and objective performance. |
Abstract
Abstract The present study focused on the relationship between trait mindfulness and the outcome component of performance, evaluated with objective indicators. In particular, four objective performance indicators were studied: accuracy, reaction time, variability in reaction times, and detection of unexpected stimuli. Because attention and awareness have been described as core components of mindfulness, and previous research suggests that mindfulness is associated with improved attention skills, this study predicted that trait mindfulness would be positively related to objective indicators of high performance (accuracy, detection of unexpected stimuli) and negatively related to objective indicators of low performance (reaction time, variability in reaction time), on an attention task. Moreover, the study predicted that the relationship between trait mindfulness and objective performance would be modulated by task complexity. University students (139) completed mindfulness, intelligence, and personality questionnaires and completed an adapted Stroop task (Stroop, 1935) in E-prime 2 software. To test our hypotheses, we performed hierarchical multiple regression analyses in SPSS. Our results revealed that trait mindfulness is not related to objective indicators of performance in an attention task, except for the detection of unexpected stimuli. Going further with our analyses, we also confirmed the important role of intelligence in performance outcomes. Finally, task complexity was not playing a moderator role in the relationship between mindfulness and objective performance. Our research contributes to the literature on mindfulness and objective performance, providing empirical evidence for the relationship between trait mindfulness and the detection of unexpected stimuli. Study limitations and avenues for future research are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Electroencephalographic neural correlates and deep learning analysis of a single brief focused mindfulness meditation in young adults: A pilot study. Digital health 2025
- Measuring Mindfulness in Business School Students: A Comparative Analysis of Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and Langer's Scale. Behavioral Sciences January 30, 2023
Cites 12
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Mindfulness, by any other name…: trials and tribulations of sati in western psychology and science Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
- The impact of a brief mindfulness meditation intervention on cognitive control and error-related performance monitoring Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2013
and 7 more in the library