Effects of expectancy on physiological responsivity in novice meditators.
Biological Psychology September 1, 1985 DOI: 10.1016/0301-0511(85)90009-2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled experiment with within-subject ABAB comparison Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Non-meditating adult women |
| Intervention | Meditation |
| Keywords | Autonomic nervous system Humans Cognition Arousal Galvanic skin response Skin temperature Blood pressure Heart rate Rest Adult Female Relaxation therapy |
| Key findings | First-time meditation was associated with marginally lower psychophysiological arousal than rest for systolic blood pressure, heart rate, skin conductance level, and digital skin temperature. Deliberately fostering positive expectations of meditation was associated with lower physiological arousal in diastolic and systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and skin conductance level. |
Abstract
Forty non-meditators were randomly assigned to 4 experimental cells devised to control for order and expectation effects. The subjects (all female) were continuously monitored on 7 physiological measures during both meditation and rest. Each subject was her own control in an 'abab' experimental paradigm comparing meditation to rest. The subjects, meditating for the first time, showed marginally lower psychophysiological arousal during the meditation than rest condition for systolic blood pressure, heart rate, skin conductance level and digital skin temperature. Deliberately fostering positive expectations of meditation was associated with lower physiological arousal in terms of diastolic and systolic blood pressure, heart rate and skin conductance level.
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Cites 11
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- AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF MEDITATION PSYCHOLOGIA 1976
- Autonomic Stability and Transcendental Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 1973
- Physiological and subjective effects of Zen meditation and demand characteristics. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1977
and 6 more in the library