Effects of praying and a working memory task in participants trained in meditation and controls on the occurrence of spontaneous thoughts

Author(s): Muzur, A., Bellen, R., Calacione, R., Bava, A.

Journal/Book: Percept Mot Skills. 1999; 88: PO Box 9229, Missoula, MT 59807, USA. Perceptual Motor Skills. 765-770.

Abstract: So-called ''intrusive thoughts'' appear independently from external stimuli and are the cause of severe disturbances in depressed patients. Following Baddeley's 1986 discoveries regarding ''articulatory suppression,'' we investigated the in fluence of praying and of a working memory task on the number of spontaneous thoughts reported by 20 subjects compared to the control (quiet) state. Two groups of subjects were tested. Those trained in meditation and controls. Significant reduction in simultaneous thought arousal was obtained during both the working memory task and the recitation of prayer In all three experimental conditions, meditation practitioners reported significantly hu er spontaneous thoughts.

Note: Article Muzur A, Univ Trieste, Dipartimento Fisiol & Patol, Via A Fleming 22, I-34127 Trieste, ITALY

Keyword(s): AUDITORY HALLUCINATIONS; SPEECH

Zurück | Weiter