Contrary to what the MS2R theory predicts, there is no positive association between CRT scores and perceived accuracy of fake news consistent with one's beliefs.

New York University

A motivated reasoning account that posits that deliberation causes people to believe information (real or fake) that aligns with their political views. This theory hypothesizes that there is a positive association between analytic thinking and perceived accuracy of headlines that align with one's beliefs. 

Motivated System 2 Reasoning (MS2R)

A measure of analytic thinking and one's tendency to override their initial beliefs. 

Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT)

Pennycook, G., & Rand, D. G. (2019). Lazy, not biased: Susceptibility to partisan fake news is better explained by lack of reasoning than by motivated reasoning. Cognition, 188, 39-50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2018.06.011

Lazy, not biased: Susceptibility to partisan fake news is better explained by lack of reasoning than by motivated reasoning (Pennycook & Rand, 2019)

MS2R Account and Fake News

CRT performance is negatively correlated with the perceived accuracy of fake news and positively correlated with the ability to discern fake news from real news, even when the headline does not align with one's political ideology. Those with higher CRT scores are less likely to erroneously think that fake news is accurate

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