How Mindfulness Modulates Attention: a Balance Between Self- and Other-Related Processing in Vipassana Practitioners

• Published in: Mindfulness 2022, Vol.13 (1), p.104-111
• Main Authors: Shi, Zhan, He, Liguo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavior; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child and School Psychology; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive Psychology; Hormones; Meditation; Mindfulness; Original Paper; Pediatrics; Psychology; Public Health; Social Sciences
• ISSN: 1868-8527; 1868-8535
• DOI: 10.1007/s12671-021-01773-8

Objectives This study aimed to examine how mindfulness modulates the electrophysiological correlates of self- and other-related processing. Methods Twenty-one mindfulness meditators and 21 matched controls were visually presented with four categories of stimuli: self-related possessive pronoun (SRPP) “wo de” (Chinese for “my”), other-related possessive pronoun (ORPP) “ta de” (Chinese for “his”), small circle, and big circle using a three-stimulus oddball paradigm. The P300 amplitudes elicited by the SRPP minus those elicited by the ORPP, i.e., the self-other bias, were measured. Results The results showed that the P300 amplitudes elicited by the SRPP were smaller in mindfulness meditators than those in matched controls, while the P300 amplitudes elicited by the ORPP were larger in mindfulness meditators than those in matched controls. There were no differences between the P300 amplitudes elicited by the SRPP and ORPP in mindfulness meditators. The self-other bias was negatively correlated with the total hours of meditation. Conclusions The findings indicate that, relative to matched controls, self-related neural activity is attenuated but other-related neural activity is strengthened in mindfulness meditators. The effects implicate that mindfulness practice cultivates a balance between self- and other-related neural activity and the balance is a long-term trait effect, which is relevant to the hours of meditation practice. The findings are discussed regarding selflessness and self-other control.