Using a False Memory Paradigm to Understand the Cognitive Effects of Meditation

Some previous research has determined that mindfulness meditation improves cognitive abilities, whereas other research has observed impairments in cognitive processes after mindfulness meditation. The purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of mindfulness (guided body scan), mind-wandering, and breathing-focused meditation on susceptibility to false memories.

Participants studied 6 Deese-Roediger-McDermott word lists and completed a recall test after each list. They then received one of the three meditation interventions and then studied 6 more DRM word lists, again with a recall test after each. Twenty-four hours later, participants completed a recognition test.

Our results suggest that the meditation intervention reduced delayed correct and false recognition, but had no effect on immediate correct or false recall.

Despite following a similar procedure, we failed to replicate findings of previous research. Potential explanations for this discrepancy are discussed, including adoption of a conservative response strategy and possible mood influence of the presented list items.