Tara has been thinking about losing some weight before her cousin's wedding and comes across an ad for a quick method for weight loss. She wants to believe the service advertised and is convinced that it will help her lose weight. This type of information processing is called:
A) motivated reasoning.
B) felt involvement.
C) image-based reasoning.
D) enduring involvement.
E) simulated thinking.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Motivated reasoning refers to the selective processing of information that is consistent with our existing beliefs and desires. In this scenario, Tara wants to lose weight quickly and therefore is more likely to believe information that supports her goal rather than critically evaluating the weight loss service.

Tara Has Been Thinking About Losing Some Weight Before Her