““Mind the trap”: Mind the trap”: Mindfulness Practice Mindfulness Practice

Associated with Associated with Reduced Cognitive Reduced Cognitive

Rigidity Rigidity Jonathan GreenbergJonathan Greenberg

Under the supervision of Prof. Under the supervision of Prof. Nachshon MeiranNachshon Meiran

Learning from experience is often Learning from experience is often crucial for our adaptive crucial for our adaptive functioning and survivalfunctioning and survival

“…“…TThe tendency to form and he tendency to form and perseverate in the use of mental perseverate in the use of mental and behavioral setsand behavioral sets””(Schultz & Searman, 2002, pp. 1)(Schultz & Searman, 2002, pp. 1)

May experience May experience hinderhinder adaptive adaptive responding?responding?

RigidityRigidity

Rigidity may play a key role Rigidity may play a key role in psychopathology:in psychopathology:

Suicidal IdeationSuicidal Ideation DepressionDepression ManiaMania Eating disordersEating disorders OCDOCD AlcoholismAlcoholism ADHDADHD

A method for decreasing such A method for decreasing such rigidity may be of value regarding rigidity may be of value regarding treatment of these and other treatment of these and other conditionsconditions

Mindfulness PracticeMindfulness Practice

““Paying attention in a particular Paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally” moment and non-judgmentally” (Kabat-(Kabat-Zinn, 1994)Zinn, 1994)

Mindfulness associated Mindfulness associated with alleviation of with alleviation of

symptoms in:symptoms in: Suicidal Suicidal

tendenciestendencies DepressionDepression ManiaMania Eating disordersEating disorders OCDOCD AlcoholismAlcoholism ADHDADHD

PsoriasisPsoriasis PTSDPTSD Chronic painChronic pain CancerCancer Heart deseaseHeart desease GADGAD

Mindfulness and cognitive Mindfulness and cognitive rigidity:rigidity:

Stroop TaskStroop Task Nonsensical sentence completion Nonsensical sentence completion

(Hayling task)(Hayling task) Verbal fluency Verbal fluency

The present studyThe present study

Rigidity Mindfulness practice

Overcoming recently formed habits

Hypothesis: Mindfulness meditators will Hypothesis: Mindfulness meditators will exhibit lower levels of rigidity than non-exhibit lower levels of rigidity than non-meditators, due to more of a “Beginners meditators, due to more of a “Beginners mind”.mind”.

ParticipantsParticipants

12 Long term mindfulness 12 Long term mindfulness meditatorsmeditators 9.32 years of practice on average9.32 years of practice on average Practicing 4 hours a week on averagePracticing 4 hours a week on average

13 “Pre-meditators” 13 “Pre-meditators” Non-meditators who are registered for their Non-meditators who are registered for their

11stst mindfulness retreat mindfulness retreat Equivalent in age, academic degree, academic Equivalent in age, academic degree, academic

abilities (PET score)abilities (PET score)

Eisntellung water jar Eisntellung water jar task:task:

““Please solve the following Please solve the following problems. Try to solve rather problems. Try to solve rather quickly, yet make sure you use the quickly, yet make sure you use the shortest and simplest solution”.shortest and simplest solution”.

(Luchins, 1942)

Eisntellung water jar Eisntellung water jar tasktask

6 “set” trials6 “set” trials 3 “critical” or “trap” trials3 “critical” or “trap” trials 2 “extinction” trials2 “extinction” trials

Rigidity score - 1 point for each: Rigidity score - 1 point for each: Long solution on a “critical” or Long solution on a “critical” or

“extinction” trial“extinction” trial ““Extinction” trial solved in more than 90 Extinction” trial solved in more than 90

secondsseconds

RESULTSRESULTS

Rigidity Scores

Pre-Meditators Long term m editators

G roup

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

Rigidity scores

Covariate m eans :A ge: 33.23077

(p<0.01)

Long term meditation associated Long term meditation associated with reduced rigidity with reduced rigidity

Willing and able to let go of habits, Willing and able to let go of habits, and utilize alternatives when and utilize alternatives when appropriateappropriate

Mindfulness and treatment of psychiatric symptoms

Many conditions characterized by a stereotyped or undifferentiated view of the environment “Things always go wrong”’ “There is no other way” “The world is dangerous, I must always

be alert and prepared” Need for “un-learning” thought

patterns and responses

Current Work

Randomized experimental study design

8 week mindfulness intervention Participators vs. waiting list Pre-intervention: Alphabet maze Post-intervention: Water Jar task

Alphabet maze

(Cowen, Wiener, & Hess, 1953)

Thanks:Thanks:

Prof. Nachchson MeiranProf. Nachchson Meiran Thank you for listeningThank you for listening

Self reported measuresSelf reported measures

Correlations (Real Luchins)Marked correlations are significant at p < .05000N=18 (Casewise deletion of missing data)

Variable MeansStd.Dev.Rןgidity ScoreFMI ScoreMAAS ScoreRigidity ScoreFMI ScoreMAAS Score

1.611111.8515141.000000-0.011909-0.14556537.277788.151547-0.0119091.0000000.6606863.503330.750075-0.1455650.6606861.000000

Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory ScoresCurrent effect: F(1, 17)=10.596, p=.00466

Pre-Meditators Meditators

Group

30

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

FM

I S

core

Mindfulness Attention and Awareness Scale ScoresCurrent effect: F(1, 16)=7.7034, p=.01351

Pre-Meditators Meditators

Group

3.0

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

3.5

3.6

3.7

3.8

3.9

4.0

4.1

MA

AS

Sco

re

Hayling Task

“Please complete the sentence with an unrelated, nonsensical word as quickly as possible”:

“The captain decided to stay with the sinking…” Paperclip?

(e.g Heeren,Van Broeck, & Philippot, 2009)

Stroop Task:

Congruent Condition

GreenYellowRedBlue

Incongruent Condition

GreenYellowRedBlue

(Moore, & Malinowski, 2009)

“Please name the colour of the ink”:

Verbal Fluency

“Say as many words as you can think of beginning with the letters F, A, and S”

(e.g Zeidan, et al, 2010; Heeren,Van Broeck, & Philippot, 2009)

Not Forming sets, or better in overcoming them?Current effect: F(1, 17)=2.0780, p=.16760

Pre-meditators Meditators

1st set RT last set RT

Set Trial Position

45000

50000

55000

60000

65000

70000

75000

80000

85000

90000

95000

1E5

1.05E5

Sol

ving

Tim

e