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Mindfulness Reduces Information Avoidance

Author

Listed:
  • Ash, Elliott

    (ETH Zurich and ESRC CAGE Centre)

  • Sgroi, Daniel

    (University of Warwick, ESRC CAGE Centre and IZA Bonn)

  • Tuckwell, Anthony

    (University of Warwick, ESRC CAGE Centre and Alan Turing Institute)

  • Zhuo, Shi

    (University of Warwick)

Abstract

Mindfulness meditation has been found to influence various important outcomes such as health, stress, depression, productivity, and altruism. We report evidence from a randomised controlled trial on a previously untested effect of mindfulness: information avoidance. We find that a relatively short mindfulness treatment (two weeks, 15 minutes a day) is able to induce a statistically significant reduction in information avoidance – that is, avoiding information that may cause worry or regret. Supplementary evidence supports mindfulness’s effects on emotion regulation as a possible mechanism for the effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Ash, Elliott & Sgroi, Daniel & Tuckwell, Anthony & Zhuo, Shi, 2021. "Mindfulness Reduces Information Avoidance," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1372, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:wrk:warwec:1372
    as

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    File URL: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/research/workingpapers/2021/twerp_1372_-_sgroi.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alem, Yonas & Behrendtz, Hannah & Belot, Michele & Bíró, Anikó, 2016. "Mind, Behaviour and Health - a Randomised Experiment," Working Papers in Economics 663, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    2. Roland Bénabou & Jean Tirole, 2016. "Mindful Economics: The Production, Consumption, and Value of Beliefs," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 30(3), pages 141-164, Summer.
    3. Marreiros, Helia & Tonin, Mirco & Vlassopoulos, Michael & Schraefel, M.C., 2017. "“Now that you mention it”: A survey experiment on information, inattention and online privacy," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 1-17.
    4. Russell Golman & David Hagmann & George Loewenstein, 2017. "Information Avoidance," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 55(1), pages 96-135, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    mindfulness ; information avoidance ; randomized controlled trial JEL Classification: D91 ; I31 ; C91;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior

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