Predictive Processing

A neuroscientific theory and its benefits for understanding meditation

Abstract

This article describes the central assumptions of predictive processing, a current neuroscientific theory with significant explanatory power for a variety of psychological processes. According to this theory, predictions based on past experiences, as well as models of the self and the world, are crucial for perception and behavior control. Various phenomena that typically occur during meditation practice can be reinterpreted and understood in the context of this theory: (1) the difficulty of focusing attention non-judgmentally on the present moment, (2) the emergence of distressing memories and feelings during self-reflection, and (3) the intense experience of an unfiltered reality in the context of spiritual experiences of unity. For the practice of meditation with its phases of self-regulation, self-reflection, and self-realization, predictive processing thus offers a comprehensive theory that explains difficulties and provides rational explanations of how different techniques alter the brain and consciousness with specific objectives.