A wandering mind is a less caring mind: Daily experience sampling during compassion meditation training
Hooria Jazaieri, Ihno A. Lee, Kelly Mcgonigal, Thupten Jinpa, James R. Doty, James J. Gross, Philippe R. Goldin
The Journal of Positive Psychology March 24, 2015 DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2015.1025418 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA nine-week compassion meditation program reduced mind wandering to neutral topics and increased self-directed caring behaviors among 51 adults. More frequent meditation practice was linked to less mind wandering to unpleasant topics and more mind wandering to pleasant topics, and both changes were associated with increased caring behaviors for oneself and others. Overall, mind wandering did not mediate the relationship between meditation frequency and caring behaviors when all topics were combined, but topic-specific mind wandering did play a role.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort with experience sampling Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 51 |
| Population | Adults in a compassion meditation program |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Mind-wandering Compassion Experience sampling method |
| Citations | 90 |
| Key finding | Compassion meditation decreased mind wandering to neutral topics and increased caring behaviors towards oneself, and path analysis showed that greater meditation frequency reduced mind wandering to unpleasant topics and increased mind wandering to pleasant topics, both linked to increased caring behaviors. |
Abstract
Mind wandering, or the tendency for attention to drift to task-irrelevant thoughts, has been associated with worse intra- and inter-personal functioning. Utilizing daily experience sampling with 51 adults during 9-weeks of a compassion meditation program, we examined effects on mind wandering (to neutral, pleasant, and unpleasant topics) and caring behaviors for oneself and others. Results indicated that compassion meditation decreased mind wandering to neutral topics and increased caring behaviors towards oneself. When collapsing across topics, mind wandering did not serve as an intermediary between the frequency of compassion meditation practice and caring behaviors, though mind wandering to pleasant and unpleasant topics was linked to both variables. A path analysis revealed that greater frequency of compassion meditation practice was related to reductions in mind wandering to unpleasant topics and increases in mind wandering to pleasant topics, both of which were related to increases in caring behaviors for oneself and others.