8 Basic Guidelines to Critical Thinking in Psychology

1
8 Basic Guidelines to Critical Thinking in
Psychology

• Mrs. Whittemore
• Westford Academy

2
Ask Questions

• Think creatively
• Be curious about human behavior
• Wonder why people act as they do
• Question received explanations and search for new
  ones

3
Define the Problem

• Use clear and concrete terms
• Be careful how you word questions

4
Examine the evidence

• Is it reliable? Is it valid?
• Is it personal speculation or scientific?
• Does it come from a few narrow studies or
  repeated research?
• Can one check the reliability of the evidence?

5
Analyze biases and assumptions

• Examine your own personal prejudice or deeply
  held values that might affect evaluation of data
• Be willing to consider evidence that contradicts
  your own beliefs
• Examine the biases of others and their motives

6
Avoid emotional reasoning

• Emotion and passion have a place in motivating
  us to defend unpopular ideas or to think boldly
  BUT
• Feeling should not substitute for careful
  appraisal of arguments and evidence
• Avoid thinking If I feel this way it must be
  true

7
Do NOT oversimplify

• Look beyond the obvious
• Watch out for logical contradictions
• Be wary of arguments backed up by anecdote
• Avoid either-or thinking

8
Consider other interpretations

• Examine other hypotheses to explain the problem
  before leaping to a conclusion
• Find the explanation that accounts for the MOST
  evidence with the fewest assumptions
• Dont draw premature conclusions about cause and
  effect

9
Tolerate uncertainty

• This is the hardest step
• Be willing to give up old ideas and beliefs when
  NEW information calls these ideas into question

10
NOW GO OUT AND THINK LIKE A PSYCHOLOGIST!