The mindful state is commonly characterized by an elevated awareness of the present moment. An intriguing and rather widespread phenomenon that requires the attention to the present moment is Synchronicity Awareness. This phenomenon refers to the sense of a profound psychological connection between an internal event (e.g., thought, image, or dream) and external events. Whereas mindfulness and its underlying cognitive processes have been well documented, synchronicity awareness, despite its deep roots, has been scarcely examined empirically, and little is known about the cognitive mechanisms underlying it. The present study aimed to further validate the recently developed Synchronicity Awareness and Meaning Detection (SAMD) scale and explore its potential relationship with various mindfulness measures. To this end, 572 participants engaged in an online survey, incorporating the SAMD, Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire, Mindful Awareness and Attention Scale, Langer’s Mindfulness Scale, and Encoding Style Questionnaire. The results revealed that synchronicity awareness, meaning detection, and mindfulness are distinct constructs. A significant association between synchronicity and core facets of mindfulness was observed, indicating that participants with higher SAMD scores were more sensitive to inner sensations, more novelty-seeking, and engaged in their actions. Additionally, SAMD scores were linked to internal encoding style, suggesting a top-down processing of experiences. However, synchronicity was not associated with outwards-directed mindful awareness, suggesting that it might involve an intrinsic attentional process, influenced by internal cues. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Loneliness is the perceived feeling of lack of significant social relationships and has a significant impact on the wellbeing and physical health throughout lifespan.It has been suggested that the feeling of loneliness occupies the cognitive system by inducing hypervigilance to social-cues, as positive or negative facial expressions, thus impairing functions as attention and memory.However, to date, levels of loneliness are assessed solely using self-report questionnaires, which are sensitive to response bias and thus may yield biased assessments.The aim of this presentation is to review and discuss the efficacy of employing commonly used, non-responsive, cognitive tasks in order to assess loneliness.Specifically, this notion will be explored through the presentation of initial findings from a pilot study in which tasks of memory and attention were employed.Overall, the findings indicate that loneliness may be assessed to some extent using cognitive tasks.However, these tasks may be sensitive to some technological constraints, as type of computerized platform or the environment in which the test is taking place, as well as to some personal factors as technological literacy.

Background : Many young children do not participate in sufficient physical activity for promoting optimal bone growth. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of young children who participated in a school-based intervention program on bone properties. The program included structured physical activity, with a focus on the application of mechanical loads on the upper and lower limbs. Methods : A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted, in which classes were randomly assigned to the intervention or control groups. A total of 295 (50.17% girls) children from the second and third grades from 12 classes in Israel were randomly allocated to an intervention consisting of three 10-minute weekly medium- to high-intensity activities throughout one academic year or to a treatment as usual control group. Bone properties were measured at the distal radius and tibia shaft using speed of sound, before and after the intervention. Results : Distal radius properties improved significantly for both boys and girls in the intervention group (boys: mean pre = 3769.95, mean post = 3875.08, Δ = 2.80%; girls: mean pre = 3766.27, mean post = 3890.83, Δ = 3.30%; d = 1.03); whereas, tibia shaft properties only significantly improved for boys (mean pre = 3663.98, mean post = 3732.75, Δ = 1.90%; d = 1). Conclusions : These findings indicate that distal radius properties of children can be positively affected by a short, easy to implement intervention program that does not require special resources.

The present study examined the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the experience of loneliness among school-age children in the context of COVID-19 social restrictions, and was specifically aimed to identify risk and protective factors that might help reduce loneliness. We hypothesized that parents of children with ADHD (compared to without) would perceive their children as experiencing higher levels of loneliness, and that perceived executive functions deficits, parents' social involvement, parental hope, and family cohesion would mediate this relationship. 280 parents of children (166 with ADHD, 114 without) completed questionnaires concerning their child. Children with ADHD were perceived by their parents as lonelier compared to their non-ADHD peers. Individual and parental factors fully mediated the association between ADHD and loneliness. Family cohesion moderated the association between executive function deficits and child's loneliness. We discuss this moderated mediation model in terms of the importance of parental resources for child's well-being in the face of COVID-19-related challenges.

The present study examines the mechanisms of the halo effect and the scepticism effect as alternative explanations for the association between a firm's corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement and consumers' perceptions of its tax behaviour. The authors conduct two experimental studies to examine the impact of a company's CSR domain on consumers' perceptions of its tax practices (Study 1) and the impact of a company's CSR engagement and tax practices on consumers' evaluations of that company (Study 2). It was found that consumers' perceptions of a firm's tax practices critically depend on CSR domains. Specifically, when inferring tax perceptions from CSR engagement, consumers factor in their perceptions of the greater direct reputational benefits that firms derive from external CSR engagement (environmental and philanthropic CSR) compared with those they derive from internal CSR engagement (activities focused on intraorganisational stakeholders). Suggestions for managerial implications and future research are also discussed.

Postural stability was previously associated with academic achievements among primary school children, but only little is known on how cognitive-motor processes underlie academic achievements. This research was primarily aimed at investigating cognitive-motor performance (e.g., single vs. dual-task gait) and it correlates with achievements in math and language-arts. Fifth-graders (N = 86) performed several motor tasks while their mediolateral trunk sway was assessed using a Kinect 3D sensor. Achievements in math and language-arts were assess one's comply with motor task demands using standardized tests.

Mindfulness and motor performance are theoretically related through attention and awareness, yet little research has been conducted to date. The present study was aimed at exploring the role of facets of mindfulness in static and dynamic balance tasks. Specifically, 103 college students and staff completed the five facets of mindfulness questionnaire (which assesses awareness, non-reacting, non-judging, observing, and describe) and participated in eight motor tasks (e.g. standing on 1 ft, tandem walk, etc.). Motor performance was assessed by measuring participants’ mediolateral trunk sway. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that the facet of observing was associated with more stable performance in the absence of visual information. Furthermore, predisposed awareness was associated with less stable performance when attention was divided and in the absence of visual information. Moreover, awareness interacted with attention deficit disorder, such that as compared to non-ADD/ADHDs, participants diagnosed with ADD/ADHD performed worse in static balance tasks if their awareness was low but performed better if their awareness was high. However, an opposite pattern was found for dual-task gait performance, thus indicating on stereotype threat effect. These findings are discussed from the perspectives of recent mindful movement and the fringe consciousness frameworks.

Memory and mindfulness are intimately related; in the Buddhist tradition, mindfulness and memory share the same meaning, and mindfulness seems to tap onto key elements in memory, such as attention and consciousness. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on mindfulness and memory and to propose a unifying model describing the pathways through which mindfulness is associated with memory. To this end, studies on mindfulness and memory were assessed and presented in terms of the memory system examined: working memory, procedural, autobiographical, semantic, and episodic. We argue that although mindfulness seems to be associated with memory performance, the nature of this association may be determined by the type of memory system examined. Furthermore, it is suggested that decision-making processes may play a crucial role in the effects of mindfulness on memory.

Previous research has indicated that adopting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities may license unethical tax reporting behavior. By applying the Legitimacy Theory as a framework, this study examined the licensing effect from the consumer’s perspective, exploring whether consumers assume that a company known to invest in CSR activities would engage in aggressive tax avoidance practices. To this end, 331 college students rated their perceptions of major companies drawn from various sectors, regarding their CSR engagements and their tax avoidance practices. Findings demonstrated that consumers perceived companies to be more aggressive in tax avoidance practices when these companies were rated high in investment in extrinsic CSR (environmental protection and community relations). This effect was not found for intrinsic CSR (corporate governance, working environment and business ethics).

The present study examined the experience of loneliness and the ways of coping with its pain as utilized by people with chronic pain and caregivers. Specifically, a large sample (N=827) recruited in two major pain clinics in Israel, completed the Loneliness and the Coping with loneliness questionnaires. Results indicated that patients had higher scores than caregivers in Emotional distress, Social inadequacy and alienation, Interpersonal isolation, and in Self-alienation. There was no significant difference between the groups in the Growth and discovery subscale. Comparing patients and caregivers on coping with loneliness, patients had higher scores than caregivers in Reflection and acceptance, and in Self-development and understanding. No significant difference between the groups was found in Social support, Distancing and denial, Religion and faith, and on Increased activity.

This study examined the feasibility of the Microsoft Kinect sensor for assessing mediolateral trunk sway and its associations with cognitive abilities. To this end, young adults and elderlies were sampled and performed various gait and balance tasks under single- and dual-task paradigms. Although reliable, Kinect's ability to assess cognition through movement was not conclusive.

Mindfulness has recently been associated with “fringe consciousness”: an increased sensitivity to metacognitive feeling evoked from the processing of information. In three studies, we examined this notion from the scope of recognition memory. In study 1, the effect of fluency of processing on recognition memory was examined among mindfulness and control groups. Results revealed that control participants showed the typical fluency effect, in which fluency increased both hits and false alarms. However, in the mindfulness group, fluency solely increased hits. In study 2, a recognition test was conducted for positive, negative, and neutral valence words among mindfulness and mind-wandering groups. Here, estimations of recollection—a contextual retrieval process—and familiarity—a feeling of memory-based retrieval process, were assessed using the remember/know procedure. Results revealed that whereas group and valence did not interact for recollection, they did for familiarity. Critically, compared to mind-wandering controls, mindfulness increased familiarity-based retrieval of neutral words. Finally, study 3 examined whether and how facets of mindfulness are associated with recollection and familiarity. Regression analyses revealed that the facet of observing positively predicted rates of familiarity. Altogether, these findings support the notion of mindfulness as a promoter of increased sensitivity to feeling of memory at the fringe of consciousness.

Caring for a chronically-ill family member is often taking its toll in increased burden, changes in daily schedule, and increased loneliness for caregivers. This study was aimed at investigating the manner to which caregivers of chronic-pain patients cope with loneliness and other care-related effects. To this end, 247 caregivers were sampled in two major chronic pain clinics in Israel. They completed the coping with loneliness, the burden assessment scale, caregiving reaction assessment, and activities of daily living questionnaires. Data were submitted to several multiple regressions, which showed that women were more likely than men to adopt the Reflection and acceptance coping style. This pattern was not evident among older caregivers. In addition, the analyses revealed that increased daily activity predicted high levels of distancing and denial, but only among caregivers with one child or none. These findings are discussed within the framework of coping with loneliness and the mediating role of caregiver’s characteristics in coping. Correspondence to: Ami Rokach, Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada, Tel: 4167365125; E-mail: arokach@yorku.ca

Mindfulness practice is the cultivation of awareness to the present moment and has been shown in recent years to have beneficial effects on cognition. However, to date, the data regarding the impact of mindfulness on memory--and specifically on memory distortions--is scarce and incomplete. The present study was aimed to examine whether mindfulness practice would have an effect on true and false memories. To this end, the effect of mindfulness meditation practice on memory performance was examined in two experiments in which false memories were provoked using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm (Roediger & McDermott, 1995). In Experiment 1, college students were randomly divided into either a 5-week mindfulness-practice group (n = 29) or a waitlist control group (n = 22). In Experiment 2, college students were randomly divided into either a brief mindfulness session (n = 21) or a mind-wandering control group (n = 19). The results indicated that mindfulness increased the recognition of true memories with no effect on spontaneous false-memories, yet increased the rate of provoked false-memories. These findings are discussed in terms of memory sensitivity and response bias, and it is argued that mindfulness may have a lesser effect on encoding processes than previously suggested.

The practice of mindfulness has been argued to increase attention control and improve memory performance. However, it was recently suggested that the effect of mindfulness on memory may be due to a shift in response-bias, rather than to an increase in memory-sensitivity. The present study examined the mindfulness-attention-memory triad. Participants filled in the five-facets of mindfulness questionnaire, and completed two recognition blocks; in the first attention was full, whereas in the second attention was divided during the encoding of information. It was found that the facet of non-judging (NJ) moderated the impact of attention on memory, such that responses of high NJ participants were less biased and remained constant even when attention was divided. Facets of mindfulness were not associated with memory sensitivity. These findings suggest that mindfulness may affect memory through decision making processes, rather than through directing attentional resources to the encoding of information.

The goals of the study were to examine personal resources and social distress during the first month in college among students with learning disabilities (LD) and to compare their experiences with non-LD peer. The sample consisted of 335 first-year undergraduate students falling into two groups: 85 students with LD and 250 non-LD students. Questionnaires assessed hope, dispositional optimism and loneliness. We hypothesised that, after participation in a single-session hope intervention workshop, the hope and optimism levels of both students with LD and without LD would increase, while their loneliness would decrease. However, after a month of facing the academic and social demands of their new college environment, we expected that the hope and optimism scores of students with LD would be lower than their peers without LD and that their loneliness scores would be higher. As hypothesised, both groups reported enhanced hope and optimism, as well as lower loneliness, immediately after the workshop. However, students with LD - but not their peers - returned to baseline levels of hope and loneliness after a month. Loneliness after a month predicted lower hope, after controlling predictors from the beginning of the year.

The transition to college enhances feelings of loneliness, and lonely students typically underperform academically due to the depletion of cognitive resources. Mindfulness practice has been demonstrated to improve certain cognitive abilities. The current study examined whether mindfulness practice may moderate the relations between perceived loneliness and academic performance. In this study we combined data from two separate studies. In the first, loneliness, optimism, and academic self-efficacy were measured at the beginning of the academic year. In the second, mindfulness workshops were conducted in order to examine their impact on memory performance. In all, 73 college students in their first semester participated in the conjoint study (N = 50 mindfulness practice and N = 23 control). Their grades at the end of the semester and at the end of the year were also collected. Regression analyses were conducted in order to examine whether mindfulness moderated the effect of loneliness on academic achievements, and revealed that: a) loneliness was negatively correlated with recognition memory performance and with grades; b) grades were higher in the mindfulness group than in the control group; c) mindfulness and loneliness interacted, such that loneliness negatively predicted academic grades only for students who did not practice mindfulness. The results suggested that mindfulness practice may reduce the outcomes of loneliness on academic achievements in the first year of college.

In this article, we investigated the effects of variations at encoding and retrieval on recollection. We argue that recollection is more likely to be affected by the processing that information undergoes at encoding than at retrieval. To date, manipulations shown to affect recollection were typically carried out at encoding. Therefore, an open question is whether these same manipulations would also affect recollection when carried out at retrieval, or whether there is an inherent connection between their effects on recollection and the encoding stage. We therefore manipulated, at either encoding or retrieval, fluency of processing (Experiment 1)-typically found not to affect recollection-and the amount of attentional resources available for processing (Experiments 2 and 3)-typically reported to affect recollection. We found that regardless of the type of manipulation, recollection was affected more by manipulations carried out at encoding and was essentially unaffected when these manipulations were carried out at retrieval. These findings suggest an inherent dependency between recollection-based retrieval and the encoding stage. It seems that because recollection is a contextual-based retrieval process, it is determined by the processing information undergoes at encoding-at the time when context is bound with the items-but not at retrieval-when context is only recovered.