Motivated ignorance differs from the more familiar concept of rational ignorance in that ignorance is motivated by the anticipated costs of possessing knowledge, not acquiring it. That is, it is not simply that the benefits of accurate political knowledge may be less than the cost of attaining it and thus not worth pursuing but that the costs of having accurate information exceed the benefits.
When expressed opinions and beliefs signal identification with a group, it is rational to stay ignorant of contradictory facts that, if acknowledged, would threaten to impose personal and social identity costs for the uncertain benefits of accurate knowledge.
Author: Gary C. Jacobson
Source: The New York Times
Subjects: Education | Scholarship, Facts | Bias, Life & Society, Politics & Public Policy, Psychology | Behavior
Source: The New York Times
Subjects: Education | Scholarship, Facts | Bias, Life & Society, Politics & Public Policy, Psychology | Behavior
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