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Motivated reasoning -

Motivated reasoning occurs when we lose our objectivity. We selectively seek out or interpret information in a way that supports our ideas and construct arguments so as to reach a preferred conclusion.

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Feeling threatened -

For example, we all want to be right. It's an unpleasant feeling when you realize you were totally wrong about something and can leave your self-esteem a little bruised. Some people feel this 'threat' more strongly than others.

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Common experience - This sounds like an extreme state, but most people experience this every day. It usually occurs when we experience some kind of threat to ourselves or our ideas.

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Oops - Imagine you're angry at your family for misplacing your car keys when you're in a rush, only to realize they were in your bag the whole time.

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Can't let go -

Sometimes we even try to justify our anger after it becomes clear we were totally in the wrong because it can be so hard to accept fault.

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Challenge -

Another kind of motivated reasoning can occur when you're watching a sports game and the referee gives your team a foul. You'll naturally look for the reasons he was wrong and why the decision was unfair.

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Acceptance -

If he calls a foul on the opposite team, you're much happier to accept the ruling without examining it too closely.

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Motivated reasoning in politics -

We see motivated reasoning in all walks of life. For example, politicians who deny the need for action against climate change.

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Climate change -

Global warming is a scary issue and requires huge changes in policy and the way we live our daily lives.

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Twisting the evidence -

Political psychologists have highlighted the way scientific evidence of global warming is twisted to support the pre-existing beliefs or desires of those in power.

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Denial - It's a lot easier to deny the facts and avoid taking action than it is to accept the reality and try to change the world.

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Interpretation -

Our instincts, desires, and fears shape the way we interpret information.

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Soldier vs. scout -

Writer Julia Galef explains this mindset of motivated reasoning by contrasting the roles of the scout and the soldier in war.

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The soldier -

Consider the position of a soldier. When in action, they are are driven by adrenaline and their biological survival instincts

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The soldier -

They cannot lose focus on the goal of defeating the enemy and protecting themselves and their side.

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The scout -

By contrast, the scout is in a non-combative position. Their job is to map out the terrain and gather useful and accurate information about the path ahead.

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Two mindsets -

Both of these roles are essential, but they come with two very different mindsets.

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The scout -

The scout needs to obtain the best understanding of the reality ahead in order to make informed decisions.

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The soldier -

The soldier, on the other hand, has to act based on gut instincts, which can be biased by their own emotions and personality.

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The soldier -

It would also be extremely painful for a soldier to acknowledge that they might be risking their lives and taking the lives of others without good reason. The higher the stakes, the more intensely a person may use motivated reasoning to justify their actions or ideas.

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Objectivity -

If we don't feel threatened by any of the possible outcomes of a situation, it's a lot easier to be objective and avoid motivated reasoning.

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Ego - One of the hardest and most rewarding things we can do in life is let go of our egos and open ourselves to being wrong.

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Separating our thoughts from ourselves - We are not the thoughts we think. Sometimes our ideas seem so integral to our being it can feel like a personal attack when someone challenges an opinion.

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Strength in failure -

Although it's hard, being able to accept that you are wrong in a gracious way is an incredible strength.

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Who do you respect more? - Think about colleagues at work who admit when they're wrong versus those who blindly stick to their guns no matter what.

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Emotional intelligence - This attitude makes a person easier to work with, it helps relationships, and most of all it allows learning and empathy.

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New perspectives - If you are able to accept fault, then you open yourself up to a world of new ideas, new information, and wider perspective.

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An age-old lesson -

Two thousand years ago the Greek philosopher Epictetus said: “Throw out your conceited opinions, for it is impossible for a person to begin to learn what he thinks he already knows.”

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See also - If you're interested to learn more about how we form biases and, more importantly, how to break them down, check out this story about racial bias.

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