PSY 179 Critical Thinking in Psychology PDF

15.10.2024 PSY 179- Critical thinking in psychology Introduction to critical thinking Today Definition and importance of critical thinking...

15.10.2024 PSY 179- Critical thinking in psychology Introduction to critical thinking Today Definition and importance of critical thinking Characteristics of a critical thinker Overview of the course 1  15.10.2024 What is critical thinking? Whatever Wikipedia says? General definition: Critical What is thinking involves purposeful, reasoned, and goal-directed critical thinking. thinking Importance: Essential for problem-solving, decision- ? making, and forming logical conclusions. 2  15.10.2024 Why do we need critical thinking skills? Modern challenges Internet The Internet has become a crucial part of our daily lives, offering more information than we could have ever imagined. No matter how unusual or rare a topic is, you can find information about it with just a few clicks. The Internet has made knowledge accessible to everyone. AI usage: The information is even more accesible with AI!! What’s the problem with that? 3  15.10.2024 An example: Scientists Prove That Listening to Classical Music Makes You Smarter This claim is based on a misinterpretation of the "Mozart effect," a theory suggesting that listening to Mozart’s music can temporarily improve spatial reasoning skills. However, the idea that listening to classical music permanently increases intelligence is NOT supported by scientific evidence. This kind of exaggerated or misleading information can spread easily online, leading people to believe in a "fact" that isn't true. 4  15.10.2024 Claim: A claim is a statement or assertion that something is true, but it hasn't been proven or verified yet. It often requires evidence or research to support it. Fact: A fact is a statement that is proven to be true and is supported by evidence. It is something that can be verified through observation, measurement, or research. Statement: A statement is a clear and definite expression of something, either spoken or written, that conveys information, an idea, or an opinion. It can be a simple declaration of fact, an assertion of belief, or a description of something. Statements can be true or false, depending on whether they are supported by evidence or accurate information. For example: "The sky is blue." (This is a statement of fact.) "I believe that exercise is essential for good health." (This is a statement of opinion.) 1. Drinking coffee every day improves your memory. Claim 2. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level. Fact 3. Eating carrots improves your eyesight. Claim 4. The Earth orbits the Sun. Fact 5. Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer. Fact 6. Regular physical exercise has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression. Fact 7. Using smartphones before bed causes anxiety. Claim 5  15.10.2024 Let’s go back to why we need critical thinking Because it improves decision-making and helps navigate complex information landscapes. The Twin Pillars of Knowing and Thinking Knowing: Accumulation of factual knowledge. Thinking: Applying knowledge to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information. 6  15.10.2024 Lots of it!!! Is there evidence More recent findings include the responses of 6% of that we need Americans who say that the moon landing was staged to learn how (Griggs, 2009), and there is to think always the Flat Earth Society, dedicated to the proposition critically? that well, you can guess the rest. Power wrist band Over 2.5 million people have purchased it In 2010, after demands from the Power Balance (2010) company Australian government to produce claims that “optimal health and evidence in support of their peak performance occur when your body maintains ionic balance amazing claims, Power Balance LLC (the exchange between negative admitted that there was “no and positive charges) and free flowing energy pathways credible scientific evidence” to (harmony) at the optimum support their claims, and they frequency” (Energy Balance & Systemic Harmony Are the Keys, offered a full refund to customers para. 1) 7  15.10.2024 Knowledge isn't something you can just pass from one person to another, like pouring water from one glass to another. Thought It's not static; it's dynamic. and Information turns into knowledge when you understand it and knowledge make it meaningful to you. We also create knowledge every time we learn a new concept A working Take a few minutes and think definitio about your own definition of critical thinking…. n of What would it include and what would it not include?' critical thinking 8  15.10.2024 While many psychologists and others have suggested definitions for "critical thinking," these definitions are often quite similar and share a lot of common ground. Fischer and Spiker (2000) found that most definitions for the term “critical thinking” include reasoning/logic, judgment, meta-cognition, reflection, questioning, and mental processes. Critical thinking = Good Thinking What differentiates good thinking than poor thinking? Critical thinking is the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome. It is used to describe thinking that is purposeful, reasoned, and goal directed—the kind of thinking involved in solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihoods, and making decisions, when the thinker is using skills that are thoughtful and effective for the particular context and type of thinking task. 9  15.10.2024 Critical thinking isn’t just about thinking about your own thoughts or making decisions and solving problems. It involves a lot of effort and control. It relies on using evidence and reasoning while trying to avoid personal biases. What we consider good or desirable can vary from person to person, but critical thinking helps increase the chances of achieving better outcomes by carefully evaluating and questioning information. Critical thinking is about evaluating or organizing information based on established standards. It involves having the right attitude, knowing the facts, and using specific thinking skills. 10  15.10.2024 What is critical thinking? General definition: Critical thinking involves purposeful, reasoned, and goal-directed thinking. Importance: Essential for problem-solving, decision-making, and forming logical conclusions. Key Aspects: Purposefulness, reasoning, goal direction, and overcoming biases. What’s Critical About Critical Thinking? Evaluation: Critical thinking involves evaluating both outcomes and processes. Constructive Reflection: Focus on both positive and negative aspects of decisions and solutions. 11  15.10.2024 Psychology has studied how people think for over 100 years… Especially, cognitive psychology deals with how we think, learn, solve problems, and make decisions, and how these skills relate to intelligence… For example, psychologists have found that people’s instinctive problem-solving methods are often wrong and can predict when errors are likely due to common biases or the nature of the problem.. Ariely (2009) has explored what he calls "predictably irrational" behavior, showing that psychologists can often predict irrational thinking patterns. By understanding these patterns, we can make better decisions and improve our thinking. Psychologists can develop strategies to help individuals make better, more informed decisions. Understanding This knowledge can be used to train cognitive processes individuals to solve problems more effectively. and the patterns of thinking is crucial for It helps psychologists understand and address cognitive distortions and biases that psychological science contribute to mental health issues. for several reasons: By studying patterns of thought and behavior, psychologists can predict how people are likely to react in various situations, which is valuable for designing interventions and understanding human behavior. 12  15.10.2024 Influence vs. Manipulation: Critical thinking as a tool to resist mind control and Changing How propaganda. People Think Empowerment: Enables individuals to analyze arguments, recognize biases, and think independently. A key part of critical thinking is having The disposition the right attitude. Good thinkers are of effortful motivated and ready to put in the effort to plan carefully, check for thinking and accuracy, collect information, and keep going even when finding a solution is learning challenging or takes several steps. 13  15.10.2024 Willingness to plan Many mistakes happen Flexibility not because people can’t Persistance think critically, but Willingness to Self-Correct, Admit Errors, and Change because they don’t. A big Your Mind when the Evidence Changes difference between good Being mindful and poor thinkers—and Consensus-seeking Seeking consensus doesn’t mean just going along between good and poor with what most people think, and it doesn’t mean students—is their making others agree with you. attitude. Critical thinkers Transfer of training usually show the Direct your learning following attitudes: Meta cognitive monitoring Monitor your own thinking process Becoming a Better Thinker: The Quick and Easy Way Two types of thinking- Fast and Slow Daniel Kahneman has done important work on how people think and make decisions, introduced the idea that there are two main types of thinking: System 1 and System 2. 14  15.10.2024 A bat and a ball cost $1.10 i. The bat costs $1.00 more than A question?? the ball. ii. How much does the ball cost? (Kahneman, 2011, p. 44) Raise your hand if your answer is $.10 Unfortunately, if you answered $.10, you got it wrong. In this case, the bat would be $1 and the ball would be $.10, which means the bat is actually $0.90 more expensive than the ball. 15  15.10.2024 Bat + Ball = $1.10 and Bat = Ball + $1.00 Let’s use Now substitute the definition of Bat (it equals Ball +.10) into the simple first equation and you get algebra: Ball + $1.00 + Ball = $1.10 2 Ball = $1.10—$1.00 2 Ball = $.10 Ball = $.05 More than half of the students at Harvard, MIT, and Princeton If you gave the wrong but gave the same answer, and intuitive answer, you’re not over 80% of students at less alone. selective universities did too (Frederick, 2005). 16  15.10.2024 System 1 Thinking System 1 is what we usually think of as intuition. It happens automatically and without much effort. When it works well, it’s often linked to having a lot of experience or expertise in a certain area. Expert intuitions are different from everyday intuitions in some important ways. They tend to be more useful if (1) the field is consistent with regular patterns and (2) the expert has had lots of practice with immediate feedback in that field. Critical thinking is what we call System 2 thinking. It’s slow, careful, and requires effort. It also helps drive System 1 thinking, because the quick and automatic responses of System 1 were originally System 2 learned through careful and effortful practice. Thinking It involves looking at evidence, assessing risks, figuring out probabilities, judging if sources are trustworthy, and other activities that are key to good thinking. 17  15.10.2024 Bounded Rationality Human decision-making is limited by available information and cognitive biases. Fast and frugal thinking Emotions colour our thinking Unconcious influences on how we think Implication: Understanding limitations helps in adjusting expectations and improving decisions. Even though many people trust their gut feelings, intuitive thinking is usually better when done by an expert who has had lots of practice and feedback in their area of expertise. 18  15.10.2024 Key Takeaways on Critical Thinking Definition and Importance: Critical thinking is purposeful, reasoned, and goal-directed thinking. Essential for problem-solving, decision-making, and navigating complex information. The Need for Critical Thinking: In the information age, discerning truth from misinformation is crucial. Helps in making informed decisions and avoiding cognitive biases. Practical Application: Critical thinking is not just an academic skill; it applies to everyday life, enhancing decision-making, problem-solving, and effective communication. In class practice: Reflections on personal critical thinking experiences Recall a Time: Think of a time when you used critical thinking. It could be solving a problem or making a decision. Describe It: Briefly explain the situation. What was the problem or decision? Explain Your Process: How did you use critical thinking? Did you gather information, weigh options, or consider different viewpoints? Result: What happened as a result of your thinking? Was it what you expected? What Did You Learn?: Think about what you learned from this experience. How has it changed the way you approach problems? 19