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Improving creativity performance by short-term meditation
Behavioral and Brain Functions
Short Title: Behav Brain Funct
Format: Journal Article
Publication Date: Nov 30, 2013
Pages: 9
Sources ID: 109691
Visibility: Public (group default)
Abstract: (Show)
Background: One form of meditation intervention, the integrative body-mind training (IBMT) has been shown to improve attention, reduce stress and change self-reports of mood. In this paper we examine whether short-term IBMT can improve performance related to creativity and determine the role that mood may play in such improvement.Methods: Forty Chinese undergraduates were randomly assigned to short-term IBMT group or a relaxation training (RT) control group. Mood and creativity performance were assessed by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) questionnaire respectively. Results: As predicted, the results indicated that short-term (30 min per day for 7 days) IBMT improved creativity performance on the divergent thinking task, and yielded better emotional regulation than RT. In addition, cross-lagged analysis indicated that both positive and negative affect may influence creativity in IBMT group (not RT group). Conclusions: Our results suggested that emotion-related creativity-promoting mechanism may be attributed to short-term meditation.