[2F3-OS-4b] [Organized Session] OS-4

[2F3-OS-4b-03] Meditation Changes the Time Required for Attention Shifting from Mind-Wandering

〇Issaku Kawashima^1,2, Toru Takahashi^1,3, Masahiro Fujino^3,4, Hiroaki Kumano² (1. Graduate School of Human Sciences, Waseda Univ., 2. Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda Univ., 3. Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 4. Graduate School of Education, Kyoto Univ.)

Keywords:Mind-Wandering, Mindfulness, Electroencephalogram

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.