motivated reasoning

The different standards explanation or Motivated reasoning refers to the validity of arguments.

This section focuses on two theories that elucidate the mechanisms involved in motivated reasoning.

One review of the research develops the following theoretical model to explain the mechanism by which motivated reasoning results in bias.

Motivated reasoning is an emotion-biased decision-making phenomenon studied in cognitive science and social psychology.

When people form and cling to false beliefs despite overwhelming evidence, the phenomenon is labeled "motivated reasoning".

Hot cognition is a motivated reasoning phenomenon in which a person's responses (often driven by emotion) to stimuli are heightened.

These last two conditions introduce the construct that accuracy goals include a conscious process of utilizing cognitive strategies in motivated reasoning.

Factors such as these affect perceptions; and results confirm that motivated reasoning affects decision-making and estimates.

It seems to be assumed by social scientists that motivated reasoning is driven by a desire to avoid cognitive dissonance.

Mutual influences between the implicit and explicit self-concepts: The role of memory activation and motivated reasoning.

The processes of motivated reasoning are a type of inferred justification strategy which is used to mitigate cognitive dissonance.

Neuroscientific research suggest that "motivated reasoning is qualitatively distinct from reasoning when people do not have a strong emotional stake in the conclusions reached."

Although the data don't provide a clear demonstration of causation, they're clearly not consistent with the sort of motivated reasoning that some have suggested drives climate confusion.

The outcomes of motivated reasoning derive from "a biased set of cognitive processes - that is, strategies for accessing, constructing, and evaluating beliefs.

Motivated reasoning responds defensively to contrary evidence, actively discrediting such evidence or its source without logical or evidentiary justification.

Historically, motivated reasoning theory identifies that directional goals enhance the accessibility of knowledge structures (memories, information, knowledge) that are consistent with desired conclusions.

This distinction is sometimes described as "Hot cognition" versus "Cold Cognition", as motivated reasoning can involve a state of arousal.

Research on motivated reasoning tested accuracy goals (i.e., reaching correct conclusions) and directional goals (i.e., reaching preferred conclusions).

At least one study in neuroscience does not support the use of cognitive processes in motivated reasoning lending greater support to affective processing as a key mechanism in supporting bias.

Her paper "The Case for Motivated Reasoning," published in Psychological Bulletin in 1990, posthumously received the Scientific Impact Award from the Society of Experimental Social Psychology.

Elections: Kim (2011) has modeled a psychological model of judgement from previous research (notably featuring motivated reasoning), and compared the statistical regularities of the simulation with empirical observations of voter behavior; others have compared delegation methods.

A construct which is called into question by later neuroscience research which concludes that motivated reasoning is qualitatively distinct from reasoning (in instances when there is no strong emotional stake in the outcomes), (Weston, 2006 ).

More recent theories endorse cognitive processes as partial explanations of motivated reasoning but have also introduced motivational or affective processes to further illuminate the mechanisms of the bias inherent in cases of motivated reasoning.

The authors note that the behavior of Fox viewers is consistent with what they term "biased processing" (which seems to be another term for motivated reasoning), as "Fox News' dismissive view of global warming appears to resonate most with those who share the network's partisan perspective."

To further complicate the issue, the first neuro-imaging study designed to test the neural circuitry of individuals engaged in motivated reasoning found that motivated reasoning 'was not associated with neural activity in regions previously linked with cold reasoning tasks [Bayesian reasoning] and conscious (explicit) emotion regulation."