Hot cognition

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Hot cognition is a motivated reasoning phenomenon in which one's responses (often emotional) to stimuli is heightened. Hot cognition is a theory relative to cognitive processes and learning motivation. One might associate hot cognition with cognitive arousal, in which a person is much more responsive to environmental factors regardless of the response's impact on learning.

A learner who displays hot cognition is highly attentive and interactive with information. Sometimes the learner will respond based on emotion, without analysing the response. Hot cognition makes it difficult for one to "calm down" to analyse the process properly. Hot cognition is the opposite of cold cognition, which is excessively critical and over-analysing.

[edit] Sources:

Kunda, Z. (1990). The case for motivated reasoning. Psychological Bulletin, 108(3), 480-498.

Gerrans, Philip & Kennett,Jeanette. University of Adelaide. 14 October 2006. Retrieved 14 March, 2007. [philosophy.sas.ac.uk/PGerrans_IPseminar_261006.doc]