Rationalisation

Rationalisation: cognitive striving for consistency with reason.

There is usually a negative connotation assigned to the concept of rationalization, as often times it can act as a defense mechanism or a means to conceal the true intentions. This is one type of rationalization: one that allows the individual to avoid an unfavorable situation or to go through with one where an individual has something to gain. The other type is positive rationalization, which is used to convince an individual against “bad” habits or cognitive behaviors. This type needs to be much stronger than the former in order to be effective.