2. The Potential Benefits of Guided Imagery for Executive Function and Attentional Control and Research Hypotheses
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Guided imagery offers a distinct experiential approach to mindfulness and mental well-being. Although meditation primarily focuses on cultivating present-moment awareness and detachment from thoughts, guided imagery involves actively engaging the imagination to create vivid sensory experiences. This approach can be particularly helpful for individuals who find it challenging to quieten the mind or those who benefit from more structured practices. A further exploration of guided imagery is interesting as it broadens our understanding of mindfulness, offers customization, and provides a complementary practice to enhance mental health.Overall, mindful meditation and GI practices can be effective for improving attention control and cognitive performance; however, the specific benefits and mechanisms of action differ depending on the practice. Mindfulness meditation develops greater awareness and control over the mind [The main research hypothesis of this study was that a short-term GI session would reduce stress levels in healthy male participants without prior experience with such sessions or a history of chronic medical conditions. To test this hypothesis, 30 participants were randomly selected to undergo a GI session, and the effectiveness of the session in reducing stress was assessed through monitoring beta power reductions and alpha state increases using EEG data recordings and self-reported questionnaires.In addition to evaluating the effectiveness of the GI session, this study aimed to investigate whether the results of attentional tasks (Stroop, Go/No-go, and anti-saccades tests) could differentiate between the group of participants who underwent the GI session and another group of 30 randomly selected male participants who completed a mental task. Specifically, the number of errors made on these tasks between the two groups was compared.Furthermore, the study hypothesized that changes in alpha power might mediate the relationship between the utilization of GI and the decrease in errors on the Stroop and anti-saccade tests. To test this hypothesis, a mediation analysis was conducted to explore the possible relationship between these variables.