Implicitly Activating Mindfulness Promotes Positive Responses Following an Ego Threat

Abstract

Across three studies, we investigated the emotional and cognitive buffering effects of implicitly activating mindfulness in response to an ego threat. Studies 1A (N = 41) and 1B (N = 113) investigated the effects of implicitly activating mindfulness on psychological wellbeing in response to failing an anagrams task. Results showed that, after failing at anagrams, participants in the implicit mindfulness condition reported greater positive affect than those in the control condition. Study 2 (N = 88) investigated the buffering effects of the implicit mindfulness and mindful self-focus exercise on recalling a very negative personal event. Study 2 results again showed the effects on positive affect in addition to showing that participants in the implicit mindfulness condition reported lower negative self-reported physiological arousal and exhibited a lower attentional bias toward negative information. Results also show the potential pitfalls of the mindful self-focus condition in the context of recalling a hi...