Barriers of Critical Thinking Flashcards

Study Notes

Barriers to Critical Thinking

Egocentrism: Tendency to perceive reality as centered around oneself, leading to self-absorption and viewing personal interests as superior to others.
Self-interested thinking: A form of egocentrism where individuals accept beliefs that align with their self-interests, prioritizing personal benefits over objective reasoning.
Sociocentrism: Focus on group-centered thinking, which can obstruct rational analysis by prioritizing group cohesion and perspectives.
Group Bias: A type of sociocentrism where individuals perceive their own group as superior compared to others, reinforcing in-group favoritism.
Unwarranted assumptions: Beliefs accepted without evidence or proof, which can distort perceptions. An example is assuming meteorological predictions without verification.
Stereotypes: A category of unwarranted assumptions where opinions about individuals are shaped based on their group memberships rather than personal attributes.
Hasty Generalization: Drawing conclusions about a broad category based on insufficient or limited evidence, often leading to inaccurate stereotypes.
Relativistic thinking: The notion that truth is subjective and varies between individuals and contexts, undermining objective reasoning.
Subjectivism: A subset of relativistic thinking where truth is defined by individual beliefs, resulting in conflicting views (e.g., differing opinions on abortion).
Cultural relativism: Perspective asserting that truth is determined by societal or cultural beliefs, meaning what is true varies by context (e.g., differing cultural norms on social issues).
Conformism: A type of sociocentrism characterized by the tendency to follow group norms or authority without critical examination, leading to unreflective compliance.
Superiority bias: A form of egocentrism where individuals overestimate their competencies or moral standings, leading to inflated self-worth.
Moral Subjectivism: A viewpoint on moral relativism suggesting that what is considered morally right or wrong can differ by individual opinion.
Cultural Moral relativism: Like moral subjectivism, but rooted in cultural beliefs, illustrating that moral truths can vary significantly between different societies.
Wishful thinking: A cognitive bias where individuals believe positive outcomes will occur without evidence; often results in unrealistic expectations (e.g., assuming personal immunity to risks).

Description

Explore the key barriers to critical thinking with these flashcards. Learn about concepts like egocentrism and self-interested thinking, which can distort rational judgment. Enhance your understanding of how personal bias affects decision-making.