Mindfulness training reduces the preference for proenvironmental outcomes

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Environmental Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Theoretical models suggest mindfulness enhances proenvironmental behavior.
• Previous interventions failed to demonstrate mindfulness increasing self-reported proenvironmental actions.
• Existing research lacks experimental evidence on mindfulness's effect on actual proenvironmental decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally test if a 31-day mindfulness intervention strengthens preferences for proenvironmental outcomes.
• To investigate the psychological mechanisms by examining mindfulness's impact on prosociality and future orientation.
• To assess how mindfulness training influences decisions with conflicting self-interest and environmental benefits.

Main Methods:

• A 31-day mindfulness intervention was administered.
• Participants completed decision tasks involving self-interest versus environmental benefit conflicts.
• Prosociality and future orientation were measured to explore psychological mediators.

Main Results:

• Contrary to hypotheses, the mindfulness intervention decreased preferences for proenvironmental and prosocial outcomes.
• No significant effects of the intervention were found on future orientation.
• Baseline proenvironmental and prosocial preferences correlated, supporting a link between these behaviors.

Conclusions:

• The study challenges the assumption that mindfulness directly promotes proenvironmental behavior.
• Mindfulness interventions may have unintended negative effects on proenvironmental and prosocial preferences.
• The relationship between mindfulness, proenvironmental behavior, and prosociality is more complex than previously understood.