When Information Conflicts with Obligations: the Role of Motivated Cognition.

This article investigates how psychological motivations, specifically motivated cognition, influence the processing of objective information when it conflicts with fundamental values. Focusing on Chinese Muslim students in Ningxia, China, it documents that taking the high-stakes College Entrance Exam (CEE) during Ramadan fasting significantly reduces their exam performance. Through a randomized field experiment, the study shows that providing students with pro-exemption religious materials—statements from respected Muslim clerics permitting the postponement of fasting until after the exam—reduces their tendency to underestimate the negative impact of fasting on exam scores and increases their acceptance of delaying the fast. The findings support the theory that fundamental religious norms shape information acquisition and suggest that addressing underlying values is crucial for effective communication of high-stakes, potentially polarizing information.