Now consider what the participants in this experiment did…
““Now consider what the participants in this experiment did not do. They did not miscontrue the evidence against their position as being more favorable than it really was. They correctly saw hostile findings as hostile findings. Nor did the participants simply ignore these negative results. Instead, they carefully scrutinized the studies that produced these unwanted and unexpected findings, and came up with criticisms that were largely appropriate. Rather than ignoring outright the evidence at variance with their expectations, the participants cognitively transformed it into evidence that was considered relatively uninformative and could be assigned little weight. Thus, the participants’ expectations had their effect not through a simple process of ignoring inconsistent results, but through a more complicated process that involved a fair amount of cognitive effort.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
People often reinterpret contradictory evidence to fit expectations, using effortful analysis rather than simple dismissal.
In simple terms: People reframe opposing data to fit beliefs using effort.
Key Takeaway
Recognize when you’re rationalizing data.
Themes
cognitive bias
confirmation bias
critical thinking
Mood
analytical
reflective
Type
educational
psychological
When to use this quote
- research evaluation
- decision making
- academic debate
- policy analysis
Key Concepts
motivated reasoning
cognitive dissonance
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you ensure your analysis is objective?
- What steps can reduce motivated reasoning?
A Different Perspective
Ignoring evidence can lead to overconfidence; effortful reanalysis may still be biased.