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IB SL/HL Pyschology (biological approaches to behaviour): Examine one interaction between cognition and physiology in terms of behaviour.$7.39
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Examine one interaction between cognition and physiology in terms if behaviour.
This essay will attempt to uncover the interrelationships of interaction between
cognition and physiology in terms of meditation. Meditation is a state of thoughtless
awareness; it is a state of profound, deep peace that occurs when the mind is calm
and silent, yet completely alert. There are many different meditation techniques,
beginners are often advised to find a peaceful environment, sit in a comfortable
position, close their eyes and follow their breathing. It requires a lot of time and
practice and eventually expert meditators are able to achieve a sense of tranquillity
and peace regardless of their environment. Meditation interacts directly with cognition
due to the concentration and attention required, the physiological effects that will be
discussed in this essay are changes in gamma wave production and structural
changes in areas of the brain.
The Biological level of analysis assumes the brain has the capability to change its
neural pathways and synapses as a result of changes in behaviour, environment,
neural processes, thinking, emotion and changes due to bodily injury. I shall now
examine studies which demonstrate how the concentration of meditation can cause
long-term or short-term changes in the brain, illustrating the interaction between
cognition and physiology.
Davidson et al aimed to investigate whether meditation could change brain activity.
Davidson studied eight Buddhist monks who had over 10,000 hours of mediation
practice and a control group of ten volunteers who has been trained in meditation for
only one week. All of the participants were told to meditate on love and compassion.
Cognitive activities including meditation produce electrical activity when neurons fire,
this was recorded by the EEG which records electrical activity as brain waves. The
EEG results for two controls and all the monks showed an increase in the number of
gamma rays in the brain. The higher the gamma rays in the brain the higher the
reasoning faculties. As soon as the volunteers stopped meditating their gamma wave
production returned to normal, however the monks did not experience a decrease in
gamma rays. Also the synchronized gamma- wave area of the monk/s brain during
meditation on love and compassion was found to be larger than the activation of the
volunteers’ brains. Gamma waves are associated with a higher level of information
processing, quicker thinking and enhanced perception of reality. People with higher
amount of gamma tend to show advanced learning abilities and better retention and
memory. People with learning disabilities have lower amounts of gamma brainwave
patterns, people with depression has significantly lower levels of gamma brain wave
patterns. Davidson concluded that the high production of gamma waves in the monks
was a result of the practice of meditation. This level of cognition changes brain
activity at the time but also has long term effects as the monk’s brain changed
showing brain plasticity.
The major strength of this study was that Davidson had a control group of novice
meditators who all had the same level of expertise. The primary difference between
the volunteers and the monks was the number of hours of meditation practice. This
supports that meditation caused the difference in gamma wave production and brain
structure in the monks. However, more research would need to be done into this
subject area to establish that the change in brain waves was caused by the hours of
training as opposed to individual differences before training, for example a natural
high production of gamma waves. However, the findings of this study cannot be
generalised to other groups of people, for example those who do have more 10,000
hours of meditation experience. This may mean that the results and progress in their
brains may not be the same as the monks. All participants were told to mediate on
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