Does Mindful Decision-Making Matter? A Study of Legislators' Decision-Making

Abstract

The foundation of our society depends on proper legislative leadership, making well-deliberated decisions and tough choices on policy on behalf of its citizens. This presentation explores if mindfulness influences legislative policymaking and legislative effectiveness. It considers the role of gender and mindful decision-making. Gender affects judgment through the style, ethics, and values of legislators and, in turn, the policymaking process. The goal of this presentation is to explore the use of mindfulness by state legislators and whether mindful decision-making improves the quality and effectiveness of legislative decision-making. Additionally, we will examine whether there is a difference in gender of mindful legislative decision-making. This presentation is a qualitative study with 31 state legislators of various backgrounds, tenure, and leadership roles within their party. This research found that mindful legislative decision-making has a significant impact on legislative deliberation and policy votes. Furthermore, we discovered that mindful decision-making increases effectiveness and confidence in the legislators’ policy decisions and that women use mindful decision-making at a higher rate than men.