Leiden University Scholarly Publications

Persistent URL of this record https://hdl.handle.net/1887/3766104

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Zhang, W. (2024)

Metacontrol in the brain: investigating neural mechanisms of persistence and flexibility states during meditation and creative thinking using EEG and fMRI techniques

Doctoral Thesis
To cope with environmental changes, humans need to adjust their cognitive control states to meet different challenges. Two important cognitive control states are cognitive persistence and cognitive flexibility. Persistence is a state of maintaining stable attention, while flexibility is a state where attention can switch freely. These two states are antagonistic to each other; one cannot switch attention flexibly while being focused, and one cannot focus on a single stimulus while switching attention flexibly. Our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying these cognitive control states is still limited. Therefore, in this dissertation, we used two brain science research techniques, EEG and fMRI, to study brain activities associated with these two states. To induce these states, the dissertation employed two creative thinking tasks, namely convergent thinking and divergent thinking, and two meditation techniques, focused attention meditation and open monitoring meditation....Show moreTo cope with environmental changes, humans need to adjust their cognitive control states to meet different challenges. Two important cognitive control states are cognitive persistence and cognitive flexibility. Persistence is a state of maintaining stable attention, while flexibility is a state where attention can switch freely. These two states are antagonistic to each other; one cannot switch attention flexibly while being focused, and one cannot focus on a single stimulus while switching attention flexibly. Our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying these cognitive control states is still limited. Therefore, in this dissertation, we used two brain science research techniques, EEG and fMRI, to study brain activities associated with these two states. To induce these states, the dissertation employed two creative thinking tasks, namely convergent thinking and divergent thinking, and two meditation techniques, focused attention meditation and open monitoring meditation. The results discuss EEG and fMRI indicators related to these states, providing preliminary evidence for research in this field.
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Metacontrol
Creativity
Meditation
EEG
fMRI
All authors
Zhang, W.
Supervisor
Hommel, B.
Co-supervisor
Sjoerds, Z.
Committee
Hulst, H.E.; Kret, M.E.; Rombouts, S.A.R.B.; Wee, N.J.A. van der; Beste, C.; Vugt, M.K. van
Qualification
Doctor (dr.)
Awarding Institution
Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University
Date
2024-07-03

Funding

Sponsorship
This research was partly funded by an Advanced Grant of the European Research Council (ERC-2015-AdG-694722) to Bernhard Hommel.