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Evidence for the rationalisation phenomenon is exaggerated

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

Tom Stafford Open the ORCID record for Tom Stafford [Opens in a new window]
Tom Stafford*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, S1 2LTSheffield, United Kingdom. t.stafford@sheffield.ac.ukhttp://tomstafford.staff.shef.ac.uk/
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Abstract

The evidence for rationalisation, which motivates the target article, is exaggerated. Experimental evidence shows that rationalisation effects are small rather than gross and, I argue, largely silent on the pervasiveness and persistence of the phenomenon. At least some examples taken to show rationalisation also have an interpretation compatible with deliberate, knowing reason-responsiveness on the part of participants.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 43 , 2020 , e48
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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