Blissful ignorance: A motivated cognition perspective on information avoidance

Abstract

Extant models of willful ignorance—defined as the intentional choice not to seek or use information—typically invoke varying sets of underlying motives. In contrast, we treat willful ignorance as a case of epistemic behavior explained by a broader model of belief formation: Lay Epistemic Theory (Kruglanski, 2004). Drawing from that model, we argue that information avoidance stems from two overarching epistemic motivations: the need for specific certainty (a directional motive) and the need for non-specific certainty (a non-directional motive). Under particular conditions, these motivations may lead individuals to avoid or suppress information. This approach offers conceptual clarity by embedding information avoidance within belief formation processes and provides a unified framework that generates novel insights and testable hypotheses.