Motivated Skepticism in the Evaluation of Political Beliefs

2006/06/21 by Charles S. Taber, Milton Lodge · 4,340 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Economics #Electoral Systems and Political Participation #Epistemology #Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies #Law #Motivated reasoning #Normative #Philosophy #Political science #Politics #Positive economics #Psychology #Skepticism #Social and Intergroup Psychology #Social psychology #Social science #Sociology #Sophistication

paper · doi:10.1111/j.1540-5907.2006.00214.x

published in American Journal of Political Science 50(3), 755-769 (Wiley)

openalex publication_date 2006/06/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06

Abstract

We propose a model of motivated skepticism that helps explain when and why citizens are biased‐information processors. Two experimental studies explore how citizens evaluate arguments about affirmative action and gun control, finding strong evidence of a prior attitude effect such that attitudinally congruent arguments are evaluated as stronger than attitudinally incongruent arguments. When reading pro and con arguments, participants (Ps) counterargue the contrary arguments and uncritically accept supporting arguments, evidence of a disconfirmation bias. We also find a confirmation bias—the seeking out of confirmatory evidence—when Ps are free to self‐select the source of the arguments they read. Both the confirmation and disconfirmation biases lead to attitude polarization—the strengthening of t 2 over t 1 attitudes—especially among those with the strongest priors and highest levels of political sophistication. We conclude with a discussion of the normative implications of these findings for rational behavior in a democracy.

Citations

• The Role of Social Groups in Political Thinking
• The case for motivated reasoning.

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