Motivated Reasoning Theory

Motivated Reasoning Theory suggests that people's beliefs and judgments are often influenced by their desires or emotions, leading them to favor information that supports what they already want or believe. Instead of being purely objective, individuals tend to interpret evidence in a way that aligns with their preferences, which can distort their perception of reality. This bias helps protect their self-esteem or worldview but can also hinder open-minded thinking and rational decision-making. Essentially, our motivations can steer us to see the world in a way that confirms our existing attitudes rather than objectively evaluating facts.