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Mindfulness Meditation Improves Visual Short-Term Memory

Youngs, Molly A., Lee, Samuel E., Mireku, Michael O., Sharma, Dinkar, Kramer, Robin S. S. (2020) Mindfulness Meditation Improves Visual Short-Term Memory. Psychological Reports, . ISSN 0033-2941. (doi:10.1177/0033294120926670) (KAR id:81368)

Abstract

Research into the effects of mindfulness meditation on behavioral outcomes has received much interest in recent years, with benefits for both short-term memory and working memory identified. However, little research has considered the potential effects of brief mindfulness meditation interventions or the nature of any benefits for visual short-term memory. Here, we investigate the effect of a single, 8-minute mindfulness meditation intervention, presented via audio recording, on a short-term memory task for faces. In comparison with two control groups (listening to an audiobook or simply passing the time however they wished), our mindfulness meditation participants showed greater increases in visual short-term memory capacity from pre- to post-intervention. In addition, only mindfulness meditation resulted in significant increases in performance. In conclusion, a single, brief mindfulness meditation intervention led to improvements in visual short-term memory capacity for faces, with important implications regarding the minimum intervention necessary to produce measurable changes in short-term memory tasks.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1177/0033294120926670
Uncontrolled keywords: Mindfulness, meditation, visual short-term memory, faces, intervention
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Dinkar Sharma
Date Deposited: 26 May 2020 09:26 UTC
Last Modified: 04 Mar 2024 16:49 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/81368 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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