Meditation Changes the Time Required for Attention Shifting from Mind-Wandering

Abstract

Mindfulness-based interventions might improve the flexibility of mind-wandering, that is, the ability to shift attention from mind-wandering, and well-being. Since the mindfulness-based intervention, which instructs participants to be aware of the occurrence of mind-wandering, might change the bias on self-reports of mind wandering, a measurement method that does not rely on subjects’ verbal report is needed. Therefore, we estimated mind-wandering intensity using one-second electroencephalogram samples and a machine learning model developed previously. We observed fluctuations in mind-wandering during a 14-minute meditation and classified it into four conscious phases and validated it with subjects’ report. Then we defined the time required to shift attention from mind-wandering as an index of mind-wandering flexibility. The experiment revealed that flexibility of mind-wandering was correlated with the extent of meditation experience.