Most people are not persuaded by rational arguments due to motivated reasoning and cognitive biases
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 78/100
Extensive psychological and cognitive research demonstrates that human judgment is frequently driven by motivated reasoning, cognitive biases, and identity protection rather than purely rational evaluation of arguments.
Evidence for · 8
The Dark Side of Moral Conviction-Integrating Political Psychology, Cognitive Science, and Neuroscience.
2025 · cited by 2
Moral conviction fosters dogmatism and prevents objective evaluation of evidence.
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More for · 7
When Rituals Fail: Rationalization, Bayesianism, and Predictive Processing.
2025 · cited by 2
Bayesian-rational processes and auxiliary hypotheses shield central beliefs from disconfirming evidence.
Emotion as a cross-layer mechanism in filter bubbles: a social-psychological perspective.
2025 · cited by 0
Motivated cognitive processing and emotional cues drive information filtering rather than objective reasoning.
Susceptibility to digital health misinformation: a multi-level narrative review.
2026 · cited by 0
Identity-driven reasoning and reduced cognitive reflection increase susceptibility to misinformation.
Rating our certainty: how confidence judgments amplify belief polarization.
2026 · cited by 0
Confidence judgments and selective rationalization exacerbate extreme subjective beliefs instead of promoting open-minded evaluation.
Cognitive-Affective Dynamics of Political Attitude Polarization: EEG-Based Behavioral Evidence from a COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Task.
2025 · cited by 0
Identity-driven cognitive-affective dynamics influence policy evaluations and lead to polarization.
Motivated reasoning in the field: polarization of prose, precedent, and policy in U.S. Circuit Courts, 1891-2013.
2025 · cited by 0
Judges exhibit motivated reasoning and partisan slant in their professional legal opinions.
Intelligent Systems, Vulnerable Minds: A Framework for Radicalization to Violence in the Age of AI.
2026 · cited by 0
Filter bubbles and cognitive biases leverage human vulnerabilities to strengthen extreme beliefs and insulate users from alternative views.