rationalization
RASH-un-ul-ih-ZAY-shun
/ˌræʃnəlaɪˈzeɪʃn/
The action of attempting to explain or justify behavior or an attitude with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
This is almost always negative; it refers to the 'mental gymnastics' we do to make our bad behavior feel okay.
The story behind the word. While 'rationale' is old, 'rationalization' in the psychological sense became popular in the early 20th century, particularly through the work of Ernest Jones and Sigmund Freud.
Word relationships
- excuse: An excuse is a simple reason; a rationalization is a complex, pseudo-logical structure.
- honesty: Facing the true, often unflattering, reasons for one's behavior.
Commonly confused with
- rationale: A rationale is the actual logic; a rationalization is a fake logic used to soothe the conscience.
Word family
- rationalize (verb): To create a rationalization for something.
Collocations
- convenient rationalization
- psychological rationalization
- rationalization for failure
Example sentences
- "Saying 'I worked out today, so I deserve this entire cake' is a classic rationalization." Discussing why someone might cheat on a diet.
- "Rationalization is a defense mechanism that helps people avoid feeling guilt for their mistakes." In a psychological context.
Memory hook
Rational-lies-ation: Telling 'lies' to yourself that sound 'rational'. A logical-sounding lie to yourself.
When not to use
Do not use this for a sound, honest logical argument; that would be a 'rationale'.
Fun facts
- In economics, 'rationalization' can also mean making a company more efficient by cutting staff—often a 'rationalization' for firing people.
Related words
Explore more words
rationalize, rationale, Rationality, habitual, fallacy, reframe
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