Attitude strength as a novel predictor of willful ignorance

Itzchakob, Guy and Haddock, Geoff ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5293-2772 2026. Attitude strength as a novel predictor of willful ignorance. Current Opinion in Psychology 67 , 102182. 10.1016/j.copsyc.2025.102182

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Abstract

Willful ignorance is a pervasive phenomenon with significant consequences for decision-making, belief maintenance, and social polarization. While past research has identified various motivational and contextual factors underlying this behavior, less attention has been paid to attitude characteristics that shape the likelihood of engaging in willful ignorance. Addressing this gap, this paper introduces attitude strength as a critical and heretofore unexplored psychological factor that should affect when and why individuals engage in willful ignorance. We argue that strong attitudes, such as those held with certainty, highly accessible, or perceived as morally relevant, are particularly likely to elicit willful ignorance. Drawing on cognitive dissonance theory and motivated reasoning, we synthesize findings across domains, from political partisanship to responses to misinformation and AI-mediated communication.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Psychology
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	2352-2518
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	25 September 2025
Date of Acceptance:	16 September 2025
Last Modified:	02 Oct 2025 15:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/181308

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