“Mind the trap”: Mindfulness Practice Associated with Reduced Cognitive Rigidity Jonathan Greenberg Under the supervision of Prof. Nachshon Meiran

Learning from experience is often crucial for our adaptive functioning and survival

“…The tendency to form and perseverate in the use of mental and behavioral sets” (Schultz & Searman, 2002, pp. 1) May experience hinder adaptive responding? Rigidity

Rigidity may play a key role in psychopathology: Suicidal Ideation Suicidal Ideation Depression Depression Mania Mania Eating disorders Eating disorders OCD OCD Alcoholism Alcoholism ADHD ADHD

A method for decreasing such rigidity may be of value regarding treatment of these and other conditions

Mindfulness Practice “Paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994) “Paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994)

Mindfulness associated with alleviation of symptoms in: Suicidal tendencies Suicidal tendencies Depression Depression Mania Mania Eating disorders Eating disorders OCD OCD Alcoholism Alcoholism ADHD ADHD Psoriasis Psoriasis PTSD PTSD Chronic pain Chronic pain Cancer Cancer Heart desease Heart desease GAD GAD

Mindfulness and cognitive rigidity: Stroop Task Stroop Task Stroop Task Stroop Task Nonsensical sentence completion (Hayling task) Nonsensical sentence completion (Hayling task)Hayling taskHayling task Verbal fluency Verbal fluency

The present study Rigidity Mindfulness practice Overcoming recently formed habits

Hypothesis: Mindfulness meditators will exhibit lower levels of rigidity than non-meditators, due to more of a “Beginners mind”. Hypothesis: Mindfulness meditators will exhibit lower levels of rigidity than non-meditators, due to more of a “Beginners mind”.

Participants 12 Long term mindfulness meditators 12 Long term mindfulness meditators 9.32 years of practice on average 9.32 years of practice on average Practicing 4 hours a week on average Practicing 4 hours a week on average 13 “Pre-meditators” 13 “Pre-meditators” Non-meditators who are registered for their 1 st mindfulness retreat Non-meditators who are registered for their 1 st mindfulness retreat Equivalent in age, academic degree, academic abilities (PET score) Equivalent in age, academic degree, academic abilities (PET score)

Eisntellung water jar task: “Please solve the following problems. Try to solve rather quickly, yet make sure you use the shortest and simplest solution”. “Please solve the following problems. Try to solve rather quickly, yet make sure you use the shortest and simplest solution”. (Luchins, 1942)

Eisntellung water jar task 6 “set” trials 6 “set” trials 3 “critical” or “trap” trials 3 “critical” or “trap” trials 2 “extinction” trials 2 “extinction” trials Rigidity score - 1 point for each: Rigidity score - 1 point for each: Long solution on a “critical” or “extinction” trial Long solution on a “critical” or “extinction” trial “Extinction” trial solved in more than 90 seconds “Extinction” trial solved in more than 90 seconds

RESULTS RESULTS

(p<0.01)

Long term meditation associated with reduced rigidity Long term meditation associated with reduced rigidity Willing and able to let go of habits, and utilize alternatives when appropriate Willing and able to let go of habits, and utilize alternatives when appropriate

Mindfulness and treatment of psychiatric symptoms Many conditions characterized by a stereotyped or undifferentiated view of the environment “Things always go wrong”’ “There is no other way” “The world is dangerous, I must always be alert and prepared” Need for “un-learning” thought patterns and responses

Current Work Randomized experimental study design 8 week mindfulness intervention Participators vs. waiting list Pre-intervention: Alphabet maze Post-intervention: Water Jar task

Alphabet maze (Cowen, Wiener, & Hess, 1953)

Thanks: Prof. Nachchson Meiran Prof. Nachchson Meiran Thank you for listening Thank you for listening

Self reported measures

Hayling Task “Please complete the sentence with an unrelated, nonsensical word as quickly as possible”: “The captain decided to stay with the sinking…”   Paperclip? (e.g Heeren,Van Broeck, & Philippot, 2009)

Stroop Task: Congruent Condition Green Yellow Red Blue Incongruent Condition Green Yellow Red Blue (Moore, & Malinowski, 2009) “Please name the colour of the ink”:

Verbal Fluency “Say as many words as you can think of beginning with the letters F, A, and S” (e.g Zeidan, et al, 2010; Heeren,Van Broeck, & Philippot, 2009)