Motivated Reasoning Shapes Beliefs

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The cognitive element of forming beliefs is influenced by the choice of news media consumed and the concept of motivated reasoning. People have the ability to bend reality to fit their needs, leading them to interpret information in a way that supports their existing beliefs, rather than being swayed by new facts or evidence presented to them. Merely providing contradicting information is insufficient to change deeply held beliefs as the process of belief formation goes beyond simple exposure to information.

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Shermer and Ariely discuss: What is disinformation and what should we do about it? • How do we know what is true and what to believe? • virtue signaling one’s tribe as a misbelief factor • the role of complex stories in misbelief • emotions, personality, temperament, trust, politics, and social aspects of belief and misbelief • the funnel of belief • social proof and the influence of others on our beliefs • a COVID-23 pandemic • social media companies responsibility for disinformation • What would it take to change your mind?

Dan Ariely is the bestselling author of Predictably Irrational, The Upside of Irrationality, and The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty. He is the James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University and is the founder of the Center for Advanced Hindsight. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, and elsewhere.