So, I asked some people as you suggested, but I didn't find anything as interesting as you. Over the last few days I've asked 10 people if they "rationalise", giving them just one example, and all of them have immediately understood and spontaneously come up with valid examples of themselves doing so.
Incidentally, I quite often catch myself rationalising, but I really doubt accosting strangers with odd questions would trigger that in me. I'm not sure what else to suggest. Perhaps asking them when they last felt guilty? From the examples the people I mentioned above came up with, guilt seems to be a very strong trigger of rationalisation. An example: "I forgot to call my Mum on her birthday but I told myself she was really busy with the rest of the family".
From the examples the people I mentioned above came up with, guilt seems to be a very strong trigger of rationalisation.
Perhaps rationalization is an adaptation that develops when people risk some kind of punishment for their irrationality.
We are irrational, and we already suffer the consequences of our irrationality. But if there is additional penalty for admitting irrationality, it gives us incentive to pretend that the irrational decision was in fact rational; to lie to others, and ultimately to lie to ourselves. Admitting irrationality can be a very...
Anna Salamon and I are confused. Both of us notice ourselves rationalizing on pretty much a daily basis and have to apply techniques like the Litany of Tarski pretty regularly. But in several of our test sessions for teaching rationality, a handful of people report never rationalizing and seem to have little clue what Tarski is for. They don't relate to any examples we give, whether fictitious or actual personal examples from our lives. Some of these people show signs of being rather high-level rationalists overall, although some don't.