#47 Towards a quiet ego

     “many phenomena of interest to positive psychology share a common feature that involves a particular pattern of self-relevant cognitive activity. This hypo-egoic state is responsible both for the sense of well-being that tends to accompany many positive psychological experiences (such as flow, meditation, and transcendence) and for prosocial beliefs and actions in which people behave in ways that benefit other people, sometimes at cost to themselves.”

       Leary MR, Guadagno J. "The role of hypo-egoic self-processes in optimal functioning and subjective well-being." in: Sheldon KM, Kashdan TB, Steger MF. eds. "Designing positive psychology: Taking stock and moving forward." Oxford University Press, NY, 2011.

     “For decades social scientists have observed that Americans are becoming more selfish, headstrong, and callous. Instead of lamenting a cultural slide toward narcissism (there is) comprehensive research on both the problems of egocentrism and ways of transcending it. … theories and research suggest two paths to this transcendence: balancing the needs of self and others in one's everyday life and developing compassion, nondefensive self-awareness, and interdependent self-identity. At the end of these converging paths lies a quiet ego an ego less concerned with self-promotion than with the flourishing of both the self and others.”

       Wayment HA, Bauer JJ eds. “Transcending Self-Interest: Psychological Explorations of the Quiet Ego.” American Psychological Association, Washington DC, 2008.

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