Mindfulness and intergroup bias: A systematic review

Abstract

People’s proclivity for favoring their ingroups over outgroups has negative consequences for individuals, groups, and societies. Social psychologists have explored a variety of techniques to reduce these intergroup biases. Emerging research suggests that mindfulness may be effective for this purpose. Mindfulness is defined as present-moment attention and awareness with an accepting attitude, and it is often cultivated through meditation. Our systematic review of the mindfulness-intergroup literature suggests that, across the heterogeneity of paradigms, mindfulness attenuates intergroup bias. Supporting this supposition, for all studies in the current review, regardless of operationalization of mindfulness (i.e., mindfulness-based intervention, brief mindfulness induction, expert meditators, dispositional mindfulness), the overall effect size was g = +.29 ( k-number of studies = 36; 95% CI [0.20, 0.39]; Z = 5.94, p < .0001), suggesting a small but significant effect of mindfulness on improved levels of intergroup bias. In the current work, we review the eligible studies and their findings in detail and conclude by discussing critical issues and implications for future research.

Effects of an 8-Week Mindfulness Course on Affective Polarization

“…Using a randomized waitlist control design, we investigated whether an 8-week mindfulness program had an effect on affective polarization among Remainers and Leavers. The mindfulness arm showed a significant decrease in the trajectory of change over time relative to the waitlist control arm, which corresponds with previous findings on the relationships between mindfulness training and other types of intergroup bias (Oyler et al, 2021). It suggests that sustained mindfulness training may be an effective intervention to reduce affective polarization, at least modestly.…”

“…The meditation inductions were brief and therefore left open the possibility that effects were staterelated and short-lived. While other research suggests that mindfulness training may reduce intergroup bias more generally (Oyler et al, 2021), the effects of sustained mindfulness training on affective polarization measured outside the context of a practice session and at longer-term follow-up so far remain unknown.…”

Mindful Attention as a Skillful Means toward Intergroup Prosociality

“…However, training in mindfulness meditation has been found to have a practical benefit for a range of interpersonal outcomes including prosocial behavior and emotion, as well as attenuated aggression and antisocial behaviors (see Karremans & Papies, 2017 for review). Furthermore, a recent metaanalysis examining the effects of mindfulness training on intergroup (and other) prosocial behaviors have found reliable small-to-medium mean difference effect sizes as compared to active and inactive controls (CI(g) [.30, .62]; Berry et al, 2020; also see Oyler et al 2021). Thus, diverse kinds of contemplative training may share features that enhance prosociality.…”

Questioning the Universality of Mindfulness-Based Programs: Reflections From a Self-Construal Perspective

“…On the behavioral side, mindfulness has shown a small but significant effect on reducing intergroup bias (Oyler et al, 2021 ), and it could potentially increase cooperation in a negotiation situation (Masters-Waage et al, 2021 ). At the same time, mindfulness meditation is effective for some prosocial behaviors (Berry et al, 2020 ) and has a medium effect when used as an intervention (Donald et al, 2019 ).…”