Before revision: Other research has shown that when people are asked to justify their position, people's beliefs become more extreme instead of less, so the type of explanation requested may be important; asking for reasons may lead people to strengthen their beliefs by selectively thinking of support for their position, while asking for a mechanistic explanation forces them to confront their lack of knowledge.
After revision: Other research has shown that when people are asked to justify their position, people's beliefs become more extreme instead of less, hence the type of explanation requested may be important; asking for reasons may lead people to strengthen their beliefs by selectively thinking of support for their position, while asking for a mechanistic explanation forces them to confront their lack of knowledge.