The two most common types of mindfulness are open monitoring (OM) meditation, describing the awareness of internal and external states, and focused attention (FA) meditation, when one fixates on a...Show moreThe two most common types of mindfulness are open monitoring (OM) meditation, describing the awareness of internal and external states, and focused attention (FA) meditation, when one fixates on a single stimulus while avoiding distractions. The effects of mindfulness have been well explored and show many beneficial effects. Theta oscillations, associated with learning and memory, increase during OM meditation. Mindfulness is also positively correlated with the trait novelty seeking, as well as openness to experience (OTE). In previous studies, these three variables have been found to interact. The influence of mindfulness on exploratory behaviour has not yet been explored, and research suggests that mindfulness may increase such behaviour. A sample of 39 participants took part in the current study, which was conducted over two consecutive days. Participants received a brief mindfulness intervention on day one or two, after which they explored either a familiar or novel virtual environment. Electroencephalogram (EEG) measures were recorded throughout. Theta power was found to be higher during the OM meditation compared to the control condition, eyes open at rest, suggesting that the current mindfulness intervention was successful in eliciting a mindfulness state by altering the levels of theta power in the brain. Regarding exploratory behaviour, no significant difference was found between those who experienced the meditation and those who did not. Additionally, no difference was found in terms of exploratory behaviour between those in the novel or familiar environment, after receiving the mindfulness intervention. Some reasons for this may be the nature of the mindfulness intervention being brief or not targeted enough at novelty. Further research avenues include exploring additional brain rhythm fluctuations during OM meditation, the influence of different experience levels with mindfulness on different behaviours, as well as whether age affects the influence mindfulness has on exploration behaviour and novelty.Show less
ABSTRACT This thesis examined the possibility of a relationship between exploratory behaviour and executive functions (i.e. cognitive development) in 137 children (76 boys and 61 girls (Mpre = 5.3...Show moreABSTRACT This thesis examined the possibility of a relationship between exploratory behaviour and executive functions (i.e. cognitive development) in 137 children (76 boys and 61 girls (Mpre = 5.3 years; SD = .6; Mpost = 6.3 years; SD = .6)). Additionally, the effect of an intervention, aimed at improving children’s executive functioning, on their exploratory behaviour was examined using a pretest posttest intervention design. This question was tested on a sample of 247 children containing 137 boys and 110 girls (Mpre = 5.3 years; SD = .6; Mpost = 6.3 years; SD = .6). Parents were randomly assigned to the intervention- or control group. Parents of forty children were trained on how to stimulate their children’s social- and cognitive functioning, with a major focus on executive functioning, and parents of 207 children were not. Executive functions are known to be trainable and believed to be related to the development of exploratory behaviour. Playhouse, a newly developed task, assesses the quality of exploration. The executive functions; inhibition, working memory and attention, were measured with the Amsterdam Psychological Tasks. The results suggest that a relationship between children’s executive functioning and their quality of exploratory behaviour exists. However, these relationships had a small effect. Additionally, it was found that children’s executive functioning and quality of exploratory behaviour depend on their age. However, it remains unclear whether the improved executive functions with increasing age affect the increasing quality of exploratory behaviour with increasing age. Furthermore, the results in this study suggest that training parents to stimulate their children’s social- and cognitive functioning, with a major focus on executive functioning does not affect their quality of exploratory behaviour. Further research in this area is necessary in order to get a more accurate understanding of the relationship between children’s executive functioning and their explorative behaviour, and the psychometric properties of Playhouse.Show less
