Hypo‐Egoic Self‐Regulation: Exercising Self‐Control by Diminishing the Influence of the Self

2006/10/04 by Mark R. Leary, Claire E. Adams, Eleanor B. Tate · 143 citations
Neuroscience · Psychology · #Behavioral Health and Interventions #Cognitive psychology #Concreteness #Control (management) #Ego depletion #Interoception #Meditation #Mindfulness #Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions #Mindset #Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports #Neuroscience #Psychology #Psychotherapist #Rumination #Self #Self-control #Social psychology

paper · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00429.x

published in Journal of Personality 74(6), 1803-1832 (Wiley)

openalex publication_date 2006/10/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/02

Abstract

Theory and research dealing with self-regulation have focused primarily on instances of self-regulation that involve high levels of self-reflection and effortful self-control. However, intentionally trying to control one's behavior sometimes reduces the likelihood of achieving one's goals. This article examines the process of hypo-egoic self-regulation in which people relinquish deliberate, conscious control over their own behavior so that they will respond more naturally, spontaneously, or automatically. An examination of spontaneously occurring hypo-egoic states (such as flow, deindividuation, and transcendence) suggests that hypo-egoic states are characterized by lowered self-awareness and/or an increase in concrete and present-focused self-thoughts. In light of this, people may intentionally foster hypo-egoism via two pathways-(a) taking steps to reduce the proportion of time that they are self-aware (such as repeating a behavior until it is automatic or practicing meditation) or (b) increasing the concreteness of their self-thoughts (such as inducing a concrete mindset or practicing mindfulness). In this way, people may deliberately choose to regulate hypo-egoically when effortful control might be detrimental to their performance.

Citations

• The unbearable automaticity of being.

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