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Ancient rhetorical trick gains modern psychological backing
Referring to oneself in the third person-known as illeism-can sharpen reasoning and temper emotional bias, recent research reveals. Once dismissed as pompous, the practice is now linked to measurable gains in wisdom-related thinking.
From Caesar to cognitive science
Historically, illeism has been a tool of statesmen and chroniclers. Julius Caesar, for instance, wrote "Caesar avenged the public" instead of "I avenged the public," lending his account an air of impartiality. Contemporary psychology suggests this linguistic shift may do more than project objectivity-it could actively reshape how we process personal dilemmas.
Solomon's paradox: wisdom for others, folly for oneself
University of Waterloo psychologist Igor Grossmann identified a striking pattern in human reasoning: people consistently demonstrate greater wisdom when advising others than when confronting their own problems. He termed this discrepancy Solomon's Paradox, after the biblical king renowned for sagacious counsel yet plagued by poor personal choices.
Grossmann's studies measured wisdom through "metacognitive components" such as intellectual humility, openness to opposing views, and pursuit of compromise. Participants scored significantly higher on these metrics when analyzing strangers' dilemmas than when reflecting on their own. The gap, researchers argue, stems from emotional immersion-embarrassment, defensiveness, or anxiety-that clouds self-assessment.
Illeism as a cognitive tool
Grossmann and University of Michigan collaborator Ethan Kross tested whether illeism could bridge this gap. Participants who described their personal challenges in the third person exhibited marked improvements in wise reasoning: greater intellectual humility, broader perspective-taking, and increased willingness to seek compromise. The linguistic distance appeared to simulate the detachment people naturally apply to others' problems.
Lasting benefits of regular practice
In a month-long diary study, Grossmann's team instructed half the participants to chronicle daily experiences in the third person. By the study's end, this group showed sustained increases in wise-reasoning scores, while the first-person group saw no change. The third-person diarists also reported more balanced emotional responses to stress, focusing less on negative feelings and more on constructive outcomes.
Practical applications
Science writer David Robson, author of The Expectation Effect, now employs illeism for decisions large and small. "Whether facing workplace trials or family conflicts," he notes, "a few moments of third-person reflection help clarify the issue." The strategy requires no special training-just a deliberate shift in pronouns.
"Illeism encourages us to step outside our immediate emotions and view problems with the same objectivity we'd apply to a friend's situation."
Igor Grossmann, University of Waterloo
Key takeaways
- Illeism reduces emotional bias by creating psychological distance from personal dilemmas.
- Regular use correlates with improved wise-reasoning scores over time.
- The technique is accessible to anyone and requires no tools beyond self-awareness.
