Minimizing Self-Interest in Our Decisions
Decades of research have shown that our information processing and decision-making are biased in decidedly self-serving and self-prioritizing ways. For example, material related to the self is more accessible to detect, classify, and remember than comparable items about other people. Based on these findings, it has been argued that the prioritization of processing of self-relevant information and self-prioritization is an inescapable facet of mental life. But is that always true? Recent research findings, with their potential to reshape our understanding of decision-making, have suggested that self-prioritization is not a mandatory information-processing outcome.
It may be possible to weaken self-prioritization. Brief mindfulness-based meditation may exert just such an influence. Emphasizing the nonjudgmental appraisal of present-moment thinking, mindfulness-based meditation wields a substantial impact on cognition and behavior, even among individuals with no prior meditative experience. Even brief (e.g., 5–10 min) periods of mindfulness have been shown to affect a range of psychological processes, including awareness of emotion, action control, empathy, and social perception.
Decentering of Self
The decentering of self, an essential aspect of mindfulness's benefits, directly relates to the weakening of self-referential processing. Findings from two experiments (Golubickis et al., 2023) confirmed that self-bias can be abolished following a brief period of mindfulness-based meditation. This indicates that mindfulness-based meditation increased response caution during decisional processing. Specifically, whereas the rate of information uptake was faster for self-owned compared with friend-owned objects among participants in the control condition (i.e., self > friend), this effect was reversed (i.e., self < friend) for those who performed mindfulness meditation. Thus, following a brief mindfulness-based meditation, a combination of response and stimulus-related effects contributed to eliminating the self-ownership effect.
The role of attention in mindfulness meditation is crucial. Recent meta-analytic work has revealed that mindfulness meditation enhances core attention components. One intriguing possibility is that mindfulness cultivates a level of meta-awareness in which identification with the self is reduced and all experiences are treated equally. In other words, sensations, thoughts, and feelings are handled as if one were a dispassionate (i.e., nonevaluative) external observer, a state of mind that would naturally lessen egocentrism and the emergence of self-bias.
In conclusion, recent experimental research proves that self-prioritization in decision-making is malleable. Following a brief period of mindfulness-based meditation, at least in the context of an object-ownership task, it is possible not to put yourself first. This reiterates the potential of mindfulness to influence decision-making, challenging our traditional understanding of self-prioritization.
Elevate Decision-Making with Mindfulness
Research shows that our decision-making processes are often biased by self-interest, making it challenging to view situations objectively. But it doesn’t have to be that way. At Levelhead, we understand how mindfulness can reshape decision-making, reducing self-prioritization and leading to more balanced and intentional choices.
Our programs are designed to help you or your organization develop the mindfulness skills needed to minimize self-bias and enhance decision-making quality. Whether you're looking to improve personal decision-making or foster better outcomes within your team, our tailored mindfulness training can make a significant difference.
Ready to rethink how decisions are made? Contact me directly at saundra@getlevelhead.com to learn how our mindfulness-based programs can benefit you and your organization. Explore the potential of making decisions that consider the bigger picture, not just self-interest.
