Moral development, executive functioning, peak experiences and brain patterns in professional and amateur classical musicians: interpreted in light of a Unified Theory of Performance.
Frederick Travis, Harald S. Harung, Yvonne Lagrosen
Consciousness and Cognition December 2011 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2011.03.020 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Professional and amateur classical musicians matched for age, gender, and education |
| Measures | Stroop color-word test, auditory ERP task, paired reaction-time tasks, Gibbs Sociomoral Reflection questionnaire, Brain Integration Scale |
| Topics | Mystical experience |
| Key findings | Professional musicians showed lower Stroop color-word interference, faster P3b categorization of rare expected stimuli (with a trend for faster P3a processing of rare unexpected stimuli), higher Sociomoral Reflection scores, and more frequent peak experiences during rest, tasks, and sleep than matched amateur musicians; both groups scored high on the Brain Integration Scale. The authors interpret these differences as consistent with a Unified Theory of Performance linking effectiveness to mind-brain development. |
Abstract
This study compared professional and amateur classical musicians matched for age, gender, and education on reaction times during the Stroop color-word test, brainwaves during an auditory ERP task and during paired reaction-time tasks, responses on the Gibbs Sociomoral Reflection questionnaire, and self-reported frequencies of peak experiences. Professional musicians were characterized by: (1) lower color-word interference effects (Stroop task), (2) faster categorization of rare expected stimuli (P3b), and a trend for faster processing of rare unexpected stimuli (P3a), (3) higher scores on the Sociomoral Reflection questionnaire, and (4) more frequent peak experiences during rest, tasks, and sleep. Both groups had high values on the Brain Integration Scale. These findings are interpreted in light of a Unified Theory of Performance, which posits that effectiveness in any area is influenced by one's level of mind-brain development-emotional, cognitive, moral, ego and cortical development-with higher mind-brain development supporting greater effectiveness in any domain.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on mystical experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neural correlates of a mystical experience in Carmelite nuns Carmelite nuns | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| EEG activity in Carmelite nuns during a mystical experience Carmelite nuns | 2008 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |
| Neural correlates of mystical experience Vietnam veterans with penetrating traumatic brain injury and matched healthy controls | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 148 |
| The Peak Experience Variable in DPT-Assisted Psychotherapy with Cancer Patients Cancer patients | 1977 | Observational study | n = 128 |
| Psilocybin-Induced Mystical-Type Experiences are Related to Persisting Positive Effects: A Quantitative and Qualitative Report Healthy volunteers | 2022 | Observational cohort | n = 28 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
- Possible Anti-Aging and Anti-Stress Effects of Long-Term Transcendental Meditation Practice: Differences in Gene Expression, EEG Correlates of Cognitive Function, and Hair Steroids. Biomolecules February 20, 2025
- Long-Term Changes in Experienced Yoga Practitioners Advances in Medical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care August 10, 2017
- A Three-Fold Integrated Perspective on Healthy Development: An Opinion Paper. Brain Sciences May 25, 2023
- Cultural cures for the disconnected mind. Journal of Behavioral Addictions February 15, 2023
- Field-Effects of Consciousness: A Seventeen-Year Study of the Effects of Group Practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programs on Reducing National Stress in the United States World Journal of Social Science December 20, 2022
and 5 more in the library
Cites 6
- A unified theory of leadership Leadership & Organization Development Journal November 1, 1995
- Higher psycho-physiological refinement in world-class Norwegian athletes: brain measures of performance capacity. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports February 1, 2011
- A self-referential default brain state: patterns of coherence, power, and eLORETA sources during eyes-closed rest and Transcendental Meditation practice. Cognitive Processing February 1, 2010
- Effects of Transcendental Meditation practice on brain functioning and stress reactivity in college students. International Journal of Psychophysiology February 1, 2009
- Psychological and physiological characteristics of a proposed object-referral/self-referral continuum of self-awareness. Consciousness and Cognition June 2004
and 1 more in the library