Moral & Motivated Cognition

We don't always evaluate an idea with an open mind. What we want to be true, the groups we belong to, and our sense of right and wrong can all affect how we think.

This section looks at those influences through concepts such as motivated reasoning, moral judgment, and identity-protective cognition. It covers how people defend beliefs, justify their actions, and respond when evidence threatens something they care about. The same person can demand strong evidence for an unwelcome claim and accept a welcome one with very little scrutiny.