Sorting fact from fiction when reasoning is motivated

Abstract: We combine theory and a survey-experimental study in Austria, Germany, and the UK to investigate how sorting fact from fiction and updating from news are influenced by cognitive ability, motivated reasoning, and overconfidence in complex topics, such as climate change and science. We predict and find that cognitive ability (i.e., both IQ and education) improves news discernment. The positive effect of cognitive ability is robust and immune to motivated reasoning. In particular, the ability to give correct answers that counter one’s existing issue opinions and biases increases in IQ and education. These novel results are good news, suggesting the malleability of news discernment. However, when we disaggregate data by news topic, we find that higher cognitive ability may sometimes boost motivated decision making. Our findings suggest that institutions matter. For example, trust in institutions reduces the magnitude of motivated reasoning, which likely helps limit opinion polarization in the longer term.