Psychologists from St Petersburg University test the effects of meditation on conscious forgetting

For a long time, forgetting was regarded as a negative aspect of memory and an involuntary process. However, scientists have since reconsidered this view. "Forgetting also has a positive function — it helps the psyche eliminate unnecessary or traumatic memories. There is also an assumption that forgetting can be consciously controlled," said Olga Shcherbakova, Leading Research Associate at St Petersburg University. Becoming aware of one's own cognitive processes and learning how to manage them effectively may help in this regard.

The research findings are published in the Psychological Journal.

According to Olga Shcherbakova, from a metacognitive perspective, successful memory performance depends on monitoring and control, and forgetting is equivalent to not recalling information under their influence. The researchers hypothesised that meditation, as a form of mental training, could help develop the ability to intentionally forget.

To test this hypothesis, the psychologists from St Petersburg University conducted an experiment using open monitoring meditation, in which individuals continuously observe their thoughts without evaluation. The study involved 106 volunteers aged 18 to 35.  All participants were familiar with this mental practice but did not practise it regularly.

The volunteers were divided into three groups. The first group completed 30 meditation sessions of approximately 20 minutes each over five weeks. The second group performed an equal number of pseudo-meditations — activities structurally similar to meditation but not actual meditation — for the same duration. The third group did neither. The researchers from St Petersburg University independently produced audio recordings of the texts the participants listened to during the experiment.

Before and after the mental training, the volunteers performed the "think/not think" task, which required them to suppress emerging memories. They also took the Stroop test, in which they had to quickly identify the name of a colour while it was printed in a mismatched font colour. For example, the word "green" could be written in any colour other than green. The experts also conducted a structured interview, in which the participants selected intentional forgetting strategies they had used during the tests. Examples included: "Make sure you know the second word in the pair and try not to think about it."

In the end, the researchers did not find a pronounced effect of meditation, but they observed some differences in the size of the Stroop effect (i.e., the delay in reaction time when reading words) and in the effectiveness of intentional forgetting before and after the meditation sessions.

"Thus, we have only indirect evidence that meditation influences intentional forgetting.  Judging by the numerical data, the participants did not become better at forgetting information or faster at completing the Stroop test," said Olga Shcherbakova. "However, after analysing the structured interview data, we found that the participants changed their forgetting strategies — shifting from those that hindered forgetting to those that facilitated it."

According to Olga Shcherbakova, despite the negative results, the study provided a better understanding of how intentional forgetting functions.

St Petersburg University, the oldest university in Russia, was founded on 28 January (8 February) 1724. This is the day when Peter the Great issued a decree establishing the University and the Russian Academy of Sciences. Today, St Petersburg University is an internationally recognised centre for education, research and culture. In 2024, St Petersburg University celebrated its 300^th anniversary.

The plan of events during the celebration of the anniversary of the University was approved at the meeting of the Organising Committee for the celebration of St Petersburg University’s 300^th anniversary. The meeting was chaired by Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Among the events are: the naming of a minor planet in honour of St Petersburg University; the issuance of bank cards with a special design; and the branding of the aircraft of the Rossiya Airlines to name just a few. To mark the 300^th anniversary of St Petersburg University, a postage stamp depicting the Twelve Collegia building and the monument to Count Sergey Uvarov was issued. Also, a Soyuz rocket bearing the symbols of the University was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

By the decision of the Governor of St Petersburg Alexander Beglov, 2024 was a year of the 300^th anniversary of St Petersburg University in St Petersburg. On the day of the University’s 300th anniversary torches were lit on the Rostral Columns on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island. St Petersburg University flags were raised on the Palace Bridge. The city public transport was decorated with the University’s symbols. During St Petersburg’s City Day celebrations in May 2024, St Petersburg University acted as a participating venue. Additionally, the University launched a website dedicated to the anniversary. The website contains information about outstanding University staff, students, and alumni; scientific achievements; and details of events held as part of the celebration of the 300^th anniversary of the University.