8 Basic Guidelines to 8 Basic Guidelines to Critical Thinking in Critical Thinking in

PsychologyPsychology

Mrs. WhittemoreMrs. Whittemore

Westford AcademyWestford Academy

Ask QuestionsAsk Questions

Think creativelyThink creatively Be curious about human Be curious about human

behavior behavior Wonder why people act Wonder why people act

as they doas they do Question Question receivedreceived

explanations and search explanations and search for new onesfor new ones

Define the Problem

Use clear and concrete termsBe careful how you word

questions

Examine the evidence1. Is it reliable? Is it

valid?2. Is it personal

speculation or scientific?

3. Does it come from a few narrow studies or repeated research?

4. Can one check the reliability of the evidence?

Analyze biases and assumptions

Examine your own personal prejudice or deeply held values that might affect

evaluation of dataBe willing to consider evidence that

contradicts your own beliefsExamine the biases of others and their

motives

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”

Do NOT oversimplify

Look beyond the obvious Watch out for logical contradictions Be wary of arguments backed up

by anecdote Avoid either-or thinking

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

Don’t draw premature conclusions about cause and effect

Tolerate uncertainty This is the hardest

step Be willing to give

up old ideas and beliefs when NEW information calls these ideas into question

NOW GO OUT AND THINK LIKE NOW GO OUT AND THINK LIKE A PSYCHOLOGIST!A PSYCHOLOGIST!