Cognitive dissonance, ego-involvement, and motivated reasoning
Published version of a preprint
Abstract
One of the enduring topics for persuasion research is motivated reasoning, when people respond to persuasive messages in ways other than seeking to form an accurate attitude. This essay advances the position that the existing research can be synthesized using the self-concept approach to cognitive dissonance with ego-involvement added as the key explanatory variable to indicate when an issue is likely tied to the individual’s self-concept and thus potentially produce cognitive dissonance. The research on motivated reasoning is reviewed with this theoretical lens with recommendations on how to use this theory to advance research on understanding and reducing maladaptive motivated reasoning.
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In general, sharing personal experiences rather than facts appears to foster respect and humanize politicians, even in the eyes of their adversaries, thereby reducing affective polarization.
“In general, sharing personal experiences rather than facts appears to foster respect and humanize politicians, even in the eyes of their adversaries, thereby reducing affective polarization292,297.”
From Cognitive–motivational mechanisms of political polarization in social-communicative contexts (2022) · cites this paper as [297]
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References 109 · Cited by 76
- Authors
- Carpenter, C. J.
- Affiliations
- Western Illinois University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Carpenter, Christopher J.
- Venue
- Annals of the International Communication Association
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2019-01-02
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-23
- ISSN
- 2380-8977 (ISSN-L)
- 2380-8985
- OpenAlex
- W2908793750
- Cited by
- 76
- References
- 109
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 15.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annals of the International Communication Association (publishedVersion)
- SocArXiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Psychology of Social Influence
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Keywords
- cognitive dissonance, ego-involvement, motivated reasoning, self-concept, persuasion, attitude change
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