Motivated Reasoning

A Motivated Reasoning is a psychological reasoning that involves selectively interpreting information to support preexisting beliefs.

• Context:
  • It can typically align Motivated Reasoning Evidence Selection with motivated reasoning belief preservation.
  • It can often mitigate Motivated Reasoning Cognitive Conflict through motivated reasoning justification mechanisms.
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  • It can range from being a Subtle Motivated Reasoning to being an Extreme Motivated Reasoning, depending on its motivated reasoning bias strength.
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  • It can influence Motivated Reasoning Decision-Making via motivated reasoning information filtering.
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• Example(s):
  • Motivated Reasoning Applications, such as:
    • Political Motivated Reasoning in rejecting contradictory facts.
    • Personal Motivated Reasoning in self-justification.
  • Motivated Reasoning Studies, such as:
    • Experimental Motivated Reasoning showing bias in evidence evaluation.
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• Counter-Example(s):
  • Objective Reasoning, which evaluates evidence without motivated reasoning bias.
  • Critical Thinking, which challenges beliefs unlike motivated reasoning preservation.
• See: Cognitive Dissonance Theory, Confirmation Bias, Psychological Bias.

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