Mindful awareness of feelings increases neural performance monitoring

Abstract

Mindfulness has been associated with enhanced performance monitoring; however, little is known about the processes driving this apparent neurocognitive benefit. Here, we tested whether focusing present-moment awareness toward the nonjudgmental experience of emotion facilitates rapid neural responses to negative performance outcomes (i.e., mistakes). In particular, we compared whether directing present-moment awareness toward emotions or thoughts would enhance the neurophysiological correlates of performance monitoring: the error-related negativity (ERN) and the error positivity (Pe). Participants were randomly assigned to either a thought-focused or an emotion-focused group, and first they completed a preinduction go/no-go task. Subsequently, the groups followed inductions that promoted mindful attention toward either thoughts or emotions, before completing a final postinduction go/no-go session. The results indicated that emotion-focused participants demonstrated higher neural sensitivity to errors in the time course of the ERN, whereas focusing on thoughts had no effect on performance monitoring. In contrast, neither induction procedure altered the amplitude of the later Pe component. Although our manipulations also induced changes in behavior, the ERN effects remained significant after controlling for performance. Thus, our results suggest that mindfulness meditation boosts early neural performance monitoring (ERN amplitude), specifically through meditation's influence on affective processing.

The emotive nature of conflict monitoring in the medial prefrontal cortex

“…Disgust in response to distressing stimuli, for example, can be reduced by viewing the eliciting scene from a cold, analytical, and emotionless perspective (Gross, 1998). (Saunders, Rodrigo, & Inzlicht, 2016). These results strongly suggest that neural conflict monitoring is systematically moderated by factors that vary the intensity of affect.…”

Mindfulness meditators do not show differences in electrophysiological measures of error processing

“…For example, a university student cohort exposed to a brief single session of mindful breathing training showed a reduced Pe amplitude but no changes to the ERN (Larson, Steffen, & Primosch, 2013). In contrast, brief single session training in mindful awareness of emotions lead to increased differences in the ERN window between error and correct trials (but no changes in the Pe window) (Saunders, Rodrigo, & Inzlicht, 2016). Within this same study, training to mindful awareness of thoughts showed no changes to either the ERN or Pe (Saunders et al, 2016).…”

“…In contrast, brief single session training in mindful awareness of emotions lead to increased differences in the ERN window between error and correct trials (but no changes in the Pe window) (Saunders, Rodrigo, & Inzlicht, 2016). Within this same study, training to mindful awareness of thoughts showed no changes to either the ERN or Pe (Saunders et al, 2016). Bing-Canar et al (2016) showed no differences in ERN and Pe amplitudes in university students exposed to a brief single session mindful breathing training.…”

Allvarliga idrottsskador hos svenska manliga akademifotbollsspelare

“…Enkelte studier har funnet en positiv sammenheng mellom mindfulness og prestasjon på responsinhibisjon (Cheyne et al, 2006;Jha et al, 2015;Jha, Morrison, Parker, & Stanley, 2017;Josefsson & Broberg, 2010;Sahdra et al, 2011;Schmertz, Anderson, & Robins, 2009). Andre studier viser en negativ sammenheng (Larson, Steffen, & Primosch, 2013;Saunders, Rodrigo, & Inzlicht, 2015), eller ingen sammenheng (MacCoon, MacLean, Davidson, Saron, & Lutz, 2014). En mulig forklaring på de motstridene funnene kan vaere at disse studiene har benyttet en samlet mindfulness-score, og ikke skilt mellom de ulike fasettene.…”

“…Det er heller ikke i tråd med mindfulness-teori (Bishop et al, 2004), selv om enkelte har hevdet at det å innta en ikke-dømmende holdning kan komme i veien for tilstedevaerelse (Rapgay & Bystrisky, 2009). Én mulighet er at motivasjonsmessige faktorer har ført til at respondenter ofrer nøyaktigheten for å respondere raskere på inhibisjonstester (Saunders et al, 2015), for eksempel ved at de som scorer høyt på ikke-dømme, unnlater å gjøre sitt beste, eller at de ikke tar oppgaven på alvor. Det er verdt å nevne at ikke-dømme-fasetten er et element i mindfulness som oppfattes som noe problematisk å forstå verdien av i idrettsmiljøer (Birrer et al, 2012) og andre høyprestasjonsmiljøer .…”