APA PsycNET Our Apologies! - The following features are not available with your current Browser configuration. - page navigation - memorize search form information - display database popup information - adjust limits on search form
Skip Navigation

PsycNET®

  • PsycARTICLES:
  • Citation and Abstract
The case for motivated reasoning.
Kunda, Ziva
Psychological Bulletin, Vol 108(3), Nov 1990, 480-498.
It is proposed that motivation may affect reasoning through reliance on a biased set of cognitive processes—that is, strategies for accessing, constructing, and evaluating beliefs. The motivation to be accurate enhances use of those beliefs and strategies that are considered most appropriate, whereas the motivation to arrive at particular conclusions enhances use of those that are considered most likely to yield the desired conclusion. There is considerable evidence that people are more likely to arrive at conclusions that they want to arrive at, but their ability to do so is constrained by their ability to construct seemingly reasonable justifications for these conclusions. These ideas can account for a wide variety of research concerned with motivated reasoning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
  • Digital Object Identifier:
  • 10.1037/0033-2909.108.3.480
Note: Your library may have purchased access to this information through another service provider.