Seeing attractive faces challenges inhibitory control, especially when mindful.
Previous studies have suggested positive effects of mindfulness on inhibitory control (stopping behaviour). However, scarce previous studies suggest the relationship may depend on context. We provide first evidence that inhibitory control is challenged when perceiving attractive faces, especially wh...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2022-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273913 |
| _version_ | 1798000992747257856 |
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| author | Zsófia Logemann-Molnár Anna Veres-Székely Zsolt Demetrovics H N Alexander Logemann |
| author_facet | Zsófia Logemann-Molnár Anna Veres-Székely Zsolt Demetrovics H N Alexander Logemann |
| author_sort | Zsófia Logemann-Molnár |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous studies have suggested positive effects of mindfulness on inhibitory control (stopping behaviour). However, scarce previous studies suggest the relationship may depend on context. We provide first evidence that inhibitory control is challenged when perceiving attractive faces, especially when being mindful. Specifically, we investigated the relationship between mindfulness and inhibitory control and the moderating role of a social reward context (being exposed to attractive opposite sex faces). Participants (n = 50) between 18-43 years old (M = 25, SD = 5.4) filled out questionnaires assessing standard demographic variables and dispositional mindfulness. Subsequently, they performed a Go/No-go task with a neutral condition and attractive faces condition. Results showed that inhibitory control was challenged in the attractive condition relative to the neutral condition, p = 0.019. Dispositional mindfulness was negatively correlated with inhibitory performance, but only in the attractive faces condition (r = -0.32, p = 0.024). Results did not support a moderating role of gender. Finally, though post-hoc, higher mindfulness was associated with reduced perceived attractiveness of presented faces (r = -0.33, p = 0.019). However, the relationship between mindfulness and reduced inhibitory control could not be explained by mindfulness associated reduced attractiveness. Taken together, results show that mindfulness challenges inhibitory control when perceiving attractive faces. This implies that mindfulness interventions aimed at enhancing inhibitory control, may not render the desired effect in a context of being exposed to attractive faces. Though certainly plausible, it remains an open question whether results generalize to other reward contexts as well. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:30:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2b074680b80d4aabb6659a24e61dbbc0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:30:01Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-2b074680b80d4aabb6659a24e61dbbc02022-12-22T04:26:11ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-01179e027391310.1371/journal.pone.0273913Seeing attractive faces challenges inhibitory control, especially when mindful.Zsófia Logemann-MolnárAnna Veres-SzékelyZsolt DemetrovicsH N Alexander LogemannPrevious studies have suggested positive effects of mindfulness on inhibitory control (stopping behaviour). However, scarce previous studies suggest the relationship may depend on context. We provide first evidence that inhibitory control is challenged when perceiving attractive faces, especially when being mindful. Specifically, we investigated the relationship between mindfulness and inhibitory control and the moderating role of a social reward context (being exposed to attractive opposite sex faces). Participants (n = 50) between 18-43 years old (M = 25, SD = 5.4) filled out questionnaires assessing standard demographic variables and dispositional mindfulness. Subsequently, they performed a Go/No-go task with a neutral condition and attractive faces condition. Results showed that inhibitory control was challenged in the attractive condition relative to the neutral condition, p = 0.019. Dispositional mindfulness was negatively correlated with inhibitory performance, but only in the attractive faces condition (r = -0.32, p = 0.024). Results did not support a moderating role of gender. Finally, though post-hoc, higher mindfulness was associated with reduced perceived attractiveness of presented faces (r = -0.33, p = 0.019). However, the relationship between mindfulness and reduced inhibitory control could not be explained by mindfulness associated reduced attractiveness. Taken together, results show that mindfulness challenges inhibitory control when perceiving attractive faces. This implies that mindfulness interventions aimed at enhancing inhibitory control, may not render the desired effect in a context of being exposed to attractive faces. Though certainly plausible, it remains an open question whether results generalize to other reward contexts as well.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273913 |
| spellingShingle | Zsófia Logemann-Molnár Anna Veres-Székely Zsolt Demetrovics H N Alexander Logemann Seeing attractive faces challenges inhibitory control, especially when mindful. PLoS ONE |
| title | Seeing attractive faces challenges inhibitory control, especially when mindful. |
| title_full | Seeing attractive faces challenges inhibitory control, especially when mindful. |
| title_fullStr | Seeing attractive faces challenges inhibitory control, especially when mindful. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seeing attractive faces challenges inhibitory control, especially when mindful. |
| title_short | Seeing attractive faces challenges inhibitory control, especially when mindful. |
| title_sort | seeing attractive faces challenges inhibitory control especially when mindful |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273913 |
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