Attentional processes and meditation.
Holley S Hodgins, Kathryn C Adair
Consciousness and Cognition April 28, 2010 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2010.04.002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adult meditators and non-meditators |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Flicker fusion Orientation Awareness Pattern recognition, visual Psychomotor performance Attention Middle aged Female Young adult Discrimination, psychological |
| Key findings | Meditators outperformed non-meditators on change detection (noticing more changes and faster), a challenging counting task, identifying alternative perspectives, and selective attention (less interference from invalid cues), but the groups did not differ on sustained inattentional blindness. The authors suggest that regular meditation is associated with better visual attention that extends beyond meditation practice. |
Abstract
Visual attentional processing was examined in adult meditators and non-meditators on behavioral measures of change blindness, concentration, perspective-shifting, selective attention, and sustained inattentional blindness. Results showed that meditators (1) noticed more changes in flickering scenes and noticed them more quickly, (2) counted more accurately in a challenging concentration task, (3) identified a greater number of alternative perspectives in multiple perspectives images, and (4) showed less interference from invalid cues in a visual selective attention task, but (5) did not differ on a measure of sustained inattentional blindness. Together, results show that regular meditation is associated with more accurate, efficient, and flexible visual attentional processing across diverse tasks that have high face validity outside of the laboratory. Furthermore, effects were assessed in a context separate from actual meditation practice, suggesting that meditators' better visual attention is not just immediate, but extends to contexts separate from meditation practice.
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 76
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin May 14, 2012
- Investigating the phenomenological matrix of mindfulness-related practices from a neurocognitive perspective. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Regular, brief mindfulness meditation practice improves electrophysiological markers of attentional control Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Focused attention, open monitoring and loving kindness meditation: effects on attention, conflict monitoring, and creativity – A review Frontiers in Psychology September 23, 2014
and 71 more in the library
Cites 8
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- Mental Training Affects Distribution of Limited Brain Resources PLoS Biology May 4, 2007
- Visual Sensitivity and Mindfulness Meditation Perceptual and Motor Skills June 1, 1984
- Age effects on attentional blink performance in meditation. Consciousness and Cognition September 2009
- The enhancement of visuospatial processing efficiency through Buddhist Deity meditation. Psychological Science May 1, 2009
and 3 more in the library