Brief mindfulness practice influences the self-reference effect by caring for others

The self-reference effect (SRE) describes enhanced memory and perception for self-related information. Using a perceptual matching paradigm across three experiments, this study examined the SRE and two associated phenomena in a Chinese sample: self-retention (difficulty updating self-associations) and self-obstruction (interference from self-cues). Study 1 established the basic SRE, revealing comparable advantages for self and friend-related information. Study 2 demonstrated self-retention through performance costs during rule-switching, while Study 3 identified self-obstruction via distraction from task-irrelevant self-cues. A 15-minute mindfulness intervention attenuated all three effects by enhancing processing efficiency for stranger-related stimuli rather than suppressing self-prioritization. These findings suggest mindfulness mitigates SRE through attentional reorientation from self to others, offering new insights into modifiable mechanisms of self-referential processing.