SHORT TERM EFFECTS OF MEDITATION VERSUS RELAXATION ON COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING

Abstract

The aim of this investigation was to examine the immediate effects of meditation on cognitive performance. Twenty-seven experienced meditators and twenty-seven non-meditators were tested and compared for differences in cognitive performance immediately following either a short meditation session (meditators) or a relaxation session (non-meditators). Meditators were hypothesised to perform significantly better than non-meditators on a battery of seven tests of cognitive function. However, meditation was not found to be more effective than relaxation on any of the test measures. Even though there is evidence that meditation provides immediate emotional and physiological benefits, results from the present study suggest that these benefits do not extend into the realms of cognition to any significant degree.