Part 8/9:
The Media Bias and Motivated Reasoning
The deeper problem, critics argue, is motivated reasoning. People often start with preconceived notions about a public figure—such as Trump—and interpret facts to fit their beliefs. This bias leads to more attention being paid to the politician’s motives than to the scientific or societal issues at hand.
Such bias can hinder constructive dialogue, distract from meaningful research, and ultimately endanger public health. The fixation on political personalities rather than scientific evidence distracts from ongoing investigations into potential environmental and pharmaceutical contributors to autism.