I notice that you don't mention any existing studies. Is there a reason for this? A fairly cursory search (no backtracking of citations, or significant effort to use synonyms), brings up several relevant articles (mostly paywalled) and a book. It doesn't seem like a a super well studied field, but I don't see why its being completely ignored. The (semi) relevant stuff I found.

The Human Brain as an Evolved Rationalization Machine http://www.epjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/EP102934.pdf

Rational processing or rationalization? The effect of disconfirming information on a stated religious belief.

Self-interest masquerading as ingroup beneficence: Altruistic rationalization and interindividual–intergroup discontinuity.

Reactance versus rationalization: Divergent responses to policies that constrain freedom.

Moral credentialing and the rationalization of misconduct

Rationalization of indigenous male circumcision as a sacred religious custom: Health beliefs of Xhosa men in South Africa.

Regret and rationalization among smokers in Thailand and Malaysia: Findings from the International Tobacco Control Southeast Asia Survey.

:edit spacing

:edit to add I'm currently trying to write a Main level post about current research on rationalization. In doing so I've found that many of the article in the above list aren't actually that relevant, on the other hand I am finding a good bit of useful information so my core point still stands