I don’t want to know this! The phenomenon of willful ignorance from a psychological perspective. 2500-PL-PS-FS-15

The course is dedicated to analyzing the phenomenon of willful ignorance — the conscious avoidance, omission, or rejection of information that may be cognitively or emotionally uncomfortable. This concept is relevant across many areas, ranging from individual decision-making and interpersonal relationships to broader social, political, and economic processes. The aim of the course is to foster reflection on why people — despite having access to information — often choose not to know, and to explore the consequences this has for individuals, groups, and societies. The course is divided into two modules. Theoretical module: introduces the construct of willful ignorance and its psychological foundations. Practical module: takes a workshop and research-oriented approach. In small teams, students design and conduct empirical studies on various manifestations of willful ignorance (e.g., avoiding information about climate change, health, inequality, or ethical consumption).

The course is dedicated to analyzing the phenomenon of willful ignorance — the conscious avoidance, omission, or rejection of information that may be cognitively or emotionally uncomfortable. This concept is relevant across many areas, ranging from individual decision-making and interpersonal relationships to broader social, political, and economic processes. The aim of the course is to foster reflection on why people — despite having access to information — often choose not to know, and to explore the consequences this has for individuals, groups, and societies. The course is divided into two modules. Theoretical module: introduces the construct of willful ignorance and its psychological foundations. Practical module: takes a workshop and research-oriented approach. In small teams, students design and conduct empirical studies on various manifestations of willful ignorance (e.g., avoiding information about climate change, health, inequality, or ethical consumption).

"Literatura podstawowa:
Vu, L., Soraperra, I., Leib, M., van der Weele, J., & Shalvi, S. (2023). Ignorance by choice: A meta-analytic review of the underlying motives of willful ignorance and its consequences.Psychological Bulletin, 149(9-10), 611–635. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000398

Literatura rozszerzająca:
Dana, J., Weber, R. A., & Kuang, J. X. (2007). Exploiting moral wiggle room: Experiments demonstrating an illusory preference for fairness. Economic Theory, 33(1), 67–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00199-006-0153-z

Hertwig, R., & Engel, C. (2016). Homo ignorans. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(3), 359–372. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691616635594

Hertwig, R., Woike, J. K., & Schupp, J. (2021). Age differences in deliberate ignorance. Psychology and Aging, 36(4), 407–414. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000603

Jarke-Neuert, J., & Lohse, J. (2020). I’m in a hurry, I don’t want to know! Strategic ignorance under time pressure. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3699289

Kappes, A., Nussberger, A. M., Faber, N. S., Kahane, G., Savulescu, J., & Crockett, M. J. (2018). Uncertainty about the impact of social decisions increases prosocial behaviour. Nature Human Behaviour, 2(8), 573–580. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0372-x

Merritt, A. C., Effron, D. A., & Monin, B. (2010). Moral self-licensing: When being good frees us to be bad. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4(5), 344–357. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00263.x

Lind, J. T., Nyborg, K., & Pauls, A. (2019). Save the planet or close your eyes? Testing strategic ignorance in a charity context. Ecological Economics, 161, 9–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.02.010

Matthey, A., & Regner, T. (2011). Do I really want to know? A cognitive dissonance-based explanation of other-regarding behavior. Games, 2(1), 114–135. https://doi.org/10.3390/g2010114

Pfattheicher, S., Nielsen, Y. A., & Thielmann, I. (2022). Prosocial behavior and altruism: A review of concepts and definitions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 44, 124–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.08.021
"

"Literatura podstawowa:
Vu, L., Soraperra, I., Leib, M., van der Weele, J., & Shalvi, S. (2023). Ignorance by choice: A meta-analytic review of the underlying motives of willful ignorance and its consequences.Psychological Bulletin, 149(9-10), 611–635. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000398

Literatura rozszerzająca:
Dana, J., Weber, R. A., & Kuang, J. X. (2007). Exploiting moral wiggle room: Experiments demonstrating an illusory preference for fairness. Economic Theory, 33(1), 67–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00199-006-0153-z

Hertwig, R., & Engel, C. (2016). Homo ignorans. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(3), 359–372. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691616635594

Hertwig, R., Woike, J. K., & Schupp, J. (2021). Age differences in deliberate ignorance. Psychology and Aging, 36(4), 407–414. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000603

Jarke-Neuert, J., & Lohse, J. (2020). I’m in a hurry, I don’t want to know! Strategic ignorance under time pressure. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3699289

Kappes, A., Nussberger, A. M., Faber, N. S., Kahane, G., Savulescu, J., & Crockett, M. J. (2018). Uncertainty about the impact of social decisions increases prosocial behaviour. Nature Human Behaviour, 2(8), 573–580. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0372-x

Merritt, A. C., Effron, D. A., & Monin, B. (2010). Moral self-licensing: When being good frees us to be bad. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4(5), 344–357. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00263.x

Lind, J. T., Nyborg, K., & Pauls, A. (2019). Save the planet or close your eyes? Testing strategic ignorance in a charity context. Ecological Economics, 161, 9–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.02.010

Matthey, A., & Regner, T. (2011). Do I really want to know? A cognitive dissonance-based explanation of other-regarding behavior. Games, 2(1), 114–135. https://doi.org/10.3390/g2010114

Pfattheicher, S., Nielsen, Y. A., & Thielmann, I. (2022). Prosocial behavior and altruism: A review of concepts and definitions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 44, 124–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.08.021
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