Influence of Transcendental Meditation upon Autokinetic Perception

Abstract

Unpaid, normal volunteers (20 men and 20 women) were administered the autokinetic test, the embedded-figures test (EFT), and the rod-and-frame test (RFT) prior to meditation instruction. After 3 mo. of instruction in Transcendental Meditation, Ss were retested and demonstrated increased ego distance and field independence on all of the above tests. These variations in an autonomic, enduring response clarify several issues in research on perceptual style and meditation.