Self-distancing improves interpersonal perceptions and behavior by decreasing medial prefrontal cortex activity during the provision of criticism

Abstract

Previous research suggests that people show increased self-referential processing when they provide criticism to others, and that this self-referential processing can have negative effects on interpersonal perceptions and behavior. The current research hypothesized that adopting a self-distanced perspective (i.e. thinking about a situation from a non-first person point of view), as compared with a typical self-immersed perspective (i.e. thinking about a situation from a first-person point of view), would reduce self-referential processing during the provision of criticism, and in turn improve interpersonal perceptions and behavior. We tested this hypothesis in an interracial context since research suggests that self-referential processing plays a role in damaging interracial relations. White participants prepared for mentorship from a self-immersed or self-distanced perspective. They then conveyed negative and positive evaluations to a Black mentee while electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. Source analysis revealed that priming a self-distanced (vs self-immersed) perspective predicted decreased activity in regions linked to self-referential processing (medial prefrontal cortex; MPFC) when providing negative evaluations. This decreased MPFC activity during negative evaluations, in turn, predicted verbal feedback that was perceived to be more positive, warm and helpful. Results suggest that self-distancing can improve interpersonal perceptions and behavior by decreasing self-referential processing during the provision of criticism.

An experimental study of a virtual reality counselling paradigm using embodied self-dialogue

“…Leitner, et al . 29 shows that participants following a self-distancing technique when administering criticism tend to show decreased activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), associated also with the giving of helpful feedback. This is similar to our argument in 2 that the self-distancing involved in adopting the embodied standpoint of Freud would be likely to be associated with the ability to see the self and the problem from the outside.…”

“…A review of self-distancing theory and methods can be found in 30 . It has been applied to many situations – for example, helping people in the US cope with worries during the Ebola crisis 31 , coping with criticism 29 , post-traumatic stress disorder 32 , emotional regulation 33 , and it has been shown self-distancing can even reduce bias in assessing probabilities of lotteries 34 . Hence overall there is ample evidence that the self-distancing technique can result in positive outcomes with respect to decision making, conflict resolution and addressing personal and psychological issues.…”

Stepping Outside the Self Promotes Pro-Environmental Behaviors

“…Thus, embracing the self-distanced perspective is broadly seen as an ability to transcend one's egocentric viewpoint of an event [7], and to allow individuals to think objectively [11]. The self-distanced perspective has also been linked to an open and inclusive mindset, considering opposing viewpoints from others and positive interpersonal perceptions [12,13].…”

Reducing negative affect and increasing rapport improve interracial mentorship outcomes

“…Supporting this possibility, research indicates that majority-group individuals in intergroup interactions often experience distress [ 22 ], and feel anxious that they will be perceived as prejudiced [ 23 ]. As feelings of distress can, in turn, promote excessive self-focus that disrupts intergroup interactions [ 24 – 26 ], mentors who experience more negative affect during mentoring interactions may provide poorer mentorship (e.g., provide feedback that is less warm and helpful). Thus, it would be important to understand whether strategies that reduce negative affect would improve outcomes for mentees and mentors in interracial relationships.…”