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The effect of mindfulness meditation on time perception

Kramer, Robin S.S., Weger, Ulrich W., Sharma, Dinkar (2013) The effect of mindfulness meditation on time perception. Consciousness and Cognition, 22 (3). pp. 846-852. ISSN 1053-8100. (doi:10.1016/j.concog.2013.05.008) (Access to this publication is currently restricted. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:47729)

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2013.05.008

Abstract

Research has increasingly focussed on the benefits of meditation in everyday life and performance. Mindfulness in particular improves attention, working memory capacity, and reading comprehension. Given its emphasis on moment-to-moment awareness, we hypothesised that mindfulness meditation would alter time perception. Using a within-subjects design, participants carried out a temporal bisection task, where several probe durations are compared to “short” and “long” standards. Following this, participants either listened to an audiobook or a meditation that focussed on the movement of breath in the body. Finally, participants completed the temporal bisection task for a second time. The control group showed no change after the listening task. However, meditation led to a relative overestimation of durations. Within an internal clock framework, a change in attentional resources can produce longer perceived durations. This meditative effect has wider implications for the use of mindfulness as an everyday practice and a basis for clinical treatment.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.concog.2013.05.008
Uncontrolled keywords: Mindfulness; Meditation; Time perception; Temporal bisection; Attention; Arousal
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Dinkar Sharma
Date Deposited: 19 Mar 2015 10:07 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:19 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/47729 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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