People who are more considerate of others show less “me first” bias in quick decisions
People usually recognize their own belongings faster than someone else’s, even when the items are just pens and pencils. A study found this self-bias was weaker among people who were more attentive to others’ needs and choices.
A study from the U.K. reveals that individuals who are more socially mindful—meaning they consider other people's needs and choices—display less egocentric bias when making rapid decisions. This bias, commonly known as self-bias, leads people to recognize objects associated with themselves more quickly and accurately than those belonging to others.
The research, published in Consciousness and Cognition, involved 91 adult participants at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Participants completed two tasks: one assessing self-bias and another measuring social mindfulness. The self-bias task involved categorizing objects, such as pens and pencils, as belonging either to the participant or a best friend.
The object-selection task measured social mindfulness by having participants choose between identical items or a unique one, with the latter preserving a partner's ability to choose. Results showed that participants responded faster and more accurately to objects they owned, confirming self-prioritization. However, this effect was weaker among those who were more socially mindful, suggesting that greater consideration for others reduces the cognitive advantage typically given to self-related information.
Study author Marius Golubickis and his team propose that this effect is due to a weaker default-to-self assumption in socially mindful individuals, indicating reduced egocentrism. While the study provides insights into the malleability of self-prioritization and its computational underpinnings, it was limited to trivial objects and did not establish causation.
Written by urgent.news from PsyPost's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
