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The Politically Motivated Reasoning Paradigm, Part 2: Unanswered Questions

Title

The Politically Motivated Reasoning Paradigm, Part 2: Unanswered Questions

Author

Kahan, Dan M.

Research Area

The Individual and Society

Topic

Civic Engagement

Abstract

This is the second in a pair of essays on politically motivated reasoning. The first presented a conceptual model of this dynamic: the “Politically Motivated Reasoning Paradigm” (PMRP). This essay uses PMRP to highlight a set of unsettled issues, including the rationality of politically motivated reasoning; the association of it with ideological conservatism; the power of monetary incentives to neutralize it; and the interaction of it with expert judgment.