Motivated Reasoning

Motivated Reasoning refers to the unconscious tendency of individuals to fit their processing of information to conclusions that suit some end or goal. describes the role of motivation in cognitive processes such as decision-making and attitude change in a number of paradigms. It is best understood as a description or characterization of a process and not an explanation in and of itself. Motivated reasoning are a type of inferred justification strategy which is used to mitigate cognitive dissonance.