Reactive devaluation is a cognitive bias that leads individuals to devalue proposals when they perceive that these proposals come from an adversary or opponent. This bias often results from loss aversion and attitude polarization, where people are inclined to reject offers or proposals based on their source rather than the content itself.
For instance, in a study, when US pedestrians were asked about a nuclear arms reduction proposal, they overwhelmingly supported it if attributed to Ronald Reagan, but only 44% found it favorable if it originated from Mikhail Gorbachev, illustrating how the source influenced their perception.
To overcome reactive devaluation, individuals can focus on the merits of a proposal itself rather than its source, fostering a more objective evaluation of ideas.