Just Open Your Mind? A Randomized, Controlled Study on the Effects of Meditation on Creativity

Standard

Just Open Your Mind? A Randomized, Controlled Study on the Effects of Meditation on Creativity. / Bashmakova, Iana ; Shcherbakova, Olga.

In: Frontiers in Psychology, Vol. 12, 663881, 11.07.2021.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

BibTeX

@article{ba2ed95481404662916cad9d84209466,

title = "Just Open Your Mind? A Randomized, Controlled Study on the Effects of Meditation on Creativity",

abstract = "Creativity is a crucial prerequisite for innovation, successful problem solving, and self-expression, but how do we affect creative thinking in a positive way? The present study investigated the effects of open monitoring meditation (OMM) on creativity. We proposed that OMM will benefit creativity in metaphor production by cognitive flexibility (CF) enhancement. In the main study, participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: meditation, active, and passive controls. The first two groups performed an audio-guided task (real meditation or a narrative on house plants) for 2 weeks, and the third one had no task. Pre- and post-tests included measures of metaphor production, CF, state, sustained attention, attention shifting, and intelligence. We found no significant intra- or intergroup differences that would suggest OMM effects on creativity. Further, no links were found between measures of metaphor creativity and CF. Findings reveal potential challenges of using meditation as a cognitive enhancement tool. Methodological issues concerning meditation research, as well as creativity and CF measures, are discussed.",

keywords = "cognitive control, cognitive flexibility, creativity, meditation, metaphor production, DEFINITION, ATTENTION, COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY, NETWORK, MODE, CONVERGENT, MOOD, METAPHOR, MINDFULNESS, DEFAULT",

author = "Iana Bashmakova and Olga Shcherbakova",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Copyright {\textcopyright} 2021 Bashmakova and Shcherbakova.",

year = "2021",

month = jul,

day = "11",

doi = "10.3389/fpsyg.2021.663881",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

journal = "Frontiers in Psychology",

issn = "1664-1078",

publisher = "Frontiers Media S.A.",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Just Open Your Mind? A Randomized, Controlled Study on the Effects of Meditation on Creativity

AU - Bashmakova, Iana

AU - Shcherbakova, Olga

PY - 2021/7/11

Y1 - 2021/7/11

N2 - Creativity is a crucial prerequisite for innovation, successful problem solving, and self-expression, but how do we affect creative thinking in a positive way? The present study investigated the effects of open monitoring meditation (OMM) on creativity. We proposed that OMM will benefit creativity in metaphor production by cognitive flexibility (CF) enhancement. In the main study, participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: meditation, active, and passive controls. The first two groups performed an audio-guided task (real meditation or a narrative on house plants) for 2 weeks, and the third one had no task. Pre- and post-tests included measures of metaphor production, CF, state, sustained attention, attention shifting, and intelligence. We found no significant intra- or intergroup differences that would suggest OMM effects on creativity. Further, no links were found between measures of metaphor creativity and CF. Findings reveal potential challenges of using meditation as a cognitive enhancement tool. Methodological issues concerning meditation research, as well as creativity and CF measures, are discussed.

AB - Creativity is a crucial prerequisite for innovation, successful problem solving, and self-expression, but how do we affect creative thinking in a positive way? The present study investigated the effects of open monitoring meditation (OMM) on creativity. We proposed that OMM will benefit creativity in metaphor production by cognitive flexibility (CF) enhancement. In the main study, participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: meditation, active, and passive controls. The first two groups performed an audio-guided task (real meditation or a narrative on house plants) for 2 weeks, and the third one had no task. Pre- and post-tests included measures of metaphor production, CF, state, sustained attention, attention shifting, and intelligence. We found no significant intra- or intergroup differences that would suggest OMM effects on creativity. Further, no links were found between measures of metaphor creativity and CF. Findings reveal potential challenges of using meditation as a cognitive enhancement tool. Methodological issues concerning meditation research, as well as creativity and CF measures, are discussed.

KW - cognitive control

KW - cognitive flexibility

KW - creativity

KW - meditation

KW - metaphor production

KW - DEFINITION

KW - ATTENTION

KW - COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY

KW - NETWORK

KW - MODE

KW - CONVERGENT

KW - MOOD

KW - METAPHOR

KW - MINDFULNESS

KW - DEFAULT

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85108940333&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.663881

DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.663881

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85108940333

VL - 12

JO - Frontiers in Psychology

JF - Frontiers in Psychology

SN - 1664-1078

M1 - 663881

ER -

ID: 76082242