Critical thinking what is, characteristics and how to develop it

Critical thinking constitutes a complex type of thinking that allows the individual to reflect on unresolved or established matters, with the aim of generating new responses. This type of thought requires processes of analysis, inference, evaluation and deduction whose purpose is to recognize what is fair and true. It is, after all, the thought of a rational human being.

In the following Psychology-online article we will analyze in greater depth What is critical thinking, its characteristics, what is it for and how it is acquired. Finally, we will detail how to develop critical thinking in adults and children.

1. What is critical thinking: definition and examples
2. Characteristics of critical thinking
3. What is critical thinking for and how important it is
4. How critical thinking is acquired
5. How to develop critical thinking in adults: 10 tips
6. 10 strategies to develop critical thinking in children

What is critical thinking: definition and examples

He critical thinking It is such a complex ability that a definition that covers the entire process is not easy to perform. According to Paul, R. and Elder l., authors of "The mini-guide for critical thinking concepts and tools ", Critical thinking is "This way of thinking - about any subject, content or problem - in which The thinking improves the quality of his thinking by seizing the inherent structures of the act of thinking and submitting them to intellectual standards.".

It's about a Rational, reflective and self -directed thinking in the face of problem solving. Their main function is not so much to generate ideas such as reviewing, analyzing and evaluating them from a critical and objective perspective generating contrasted and accurate responses.

Some examples of formulations that are carried out from critical thinking, based on the elements that compose it (which we will detail in the following section), they could be:

• ¿What is my purpose and why?
• ¿What a question (s) summarizes?
• ¿What assumptions I rely?
• ¿What childbirth perspective?
• ¿The information collected is clear, precise and relevant?
• ¿The key concepts are well defined?
• ¿What conclusions I extract from the evidence obtained?
• ¿What consequences and implications my reasoning has?

In this article you will find the different types of thought according to psychology.

Characteristics of critical thinking

According to Paul, R. and Elder l., Critical thinking is composed of 8 elements:

1. Purpose of thought: goal or objective.
2. Problem or matter to solve.
3. Assumptions that are split.
4. Point of view or perspective that is based on.
5. Information collected to perform the analysis: data, facts, observations, experiences, etc.
6. Concepts and ideas that shape the information collected.
7. Inferences and interpretations completed.
8. Implications and consequences that these conclusions have.

Critical thinkers are people who routinely apply to these elements of the thought process the following intellectual standards: clarity, accuracy, relevance, logic, amplitude, precision, importance, completeness, impartiality and depth.

What is critical thinking for and how important it is

Critical thinking has many advantages. In general, it helps to promote reflective and metacognitive thinking or knowledge about their own cognitive processes and on the properties of learning and information. Here you will find what metacognition is. That is, the practice of this type of information processing contributes to:

• Expand thought skills
• Clarify understanding
• Obtain feedback about teaching/learning
• Provide tools to correct strategies
• Create ties between different ideas
• Foster curiosity and creativity
• Provide challenges

The consequence of applying this mode of analysis to the critical thinking process is the development of more complex intellectual characteristics such as:

• Modesty: he is aware of the limits of his knowledge.
• Autonomy: dominates its own mental and reasoning process.
• Integrity: Be honest and humble recognizing the need to use intellectual standards in their reasoning process.
• FTAIN: courage to abandon stereotypes and beliefs and accept contrasted truths although we did not share them originally.
• Perseverance, Despite the difficulties, obstacles and frustrations
• Trust in reason, as something that will benefit the whole society by establishing fair and accurate truths
• Empathy, to put on the place of other people and understand their approaches. Here you will find how to practice empathy in your life.
• Impartiality: Adhering to intellectual standards despite personal interests.

Faced with content learning, even majority learning in most schools, critical thinking is important because promotes in students learning to learn. Internalize this way of perceiving the world and processing the information will allow us to become more humble, tolerant and reflective people, which will feed much more efficient responses to the conflicts that arise in our day to day to day.

How critical thinking is acquired

He Critical Thought Development It occurs through several phases:

1. Irreflexive thinker: In this first phase, people are not aware that there are problems in our thinking, we do not perceive incongruities inside us.
2. Retado thinker: At this time, we become aware that there are divergences in our thinking.
3. Beginner thinker: From this awareness, we try to correct the inconsistencies but only sporadically.
4. Practical thinker: We recognize the need to practice this way of processing information and we get to it.
5. Advanced thinker: As we practice critical thinking we advance in our skills and in the development of our thinking.
6. Master thinker: It is from the constant and lasting practice of this thought that we end up internalizing and applying it in each and every one of our facets of life.

To develop the mastery of critical thinking, it is very positive to be surrounded by favorable educational environments that encourage this way of processing information. Therefore, it is so important that teachers and teachers incorporate this way of working in their day to day, checking the advantages of this procedure, encourage their students to act in this way.

How to develop critical thinking in adults: 10 tips

The practice of critical thinking is precisely necessary. We have in the information age thanks to which we have immediate access to all kinds of information and data. Adopt critical thinking as adults and teach it to our sons and daughters will allow us differentiate between false and certain information, Something very important to rule out the deceptive information that also circulates through the Internet.

Simultaneously, it will allow us to become aware of our thoughts to analyze and interpret them effectively. Important aspect to act honest with respect to our thinking and feel in our relationship with ourselves and others.

In relation to this, we describe below 10 tips that will allow adults to develop critical thinking:

1. Become aware of the importance of being and always remaining informed.
2. Dedicate a specific time to "think about thought": Observe our thoughts, What do we think, how do we do it, what conjectures we arrive, etc.
3. Promote curiosity: From those moments of observation of thought, look at those things that attract us more attention
4. Trust the rational inquiry process and in their own reasoning capabilities.
5. Show us open and flexible to perceive and attend divergent views to your own.
6. Be honest in the recognition of the stereotypes and prejudices themselves.
7. Work with discipline To advance the development of critical thinking.
8. To persist despite the difficulties.
9. Be thorough In the search and treatment of information.
10. Act impartially During all phases of critical processing.

10 strategies to develop critical thinking in children

In most classrooms, content learning is encouraged through the teaching of basic school subjects, despite the few benefits generated by such long -term learning. Faced with this method, critical thinking raises as an option the training of critical students, who are aware or that they question their social reality and participate in their role as social actors.

From this approach, it is important to work those strategies that allow Develop the critical thinking of children in classrooms (And why not, also in the family). ¿How to promote critical thinking? Then we list 10 practical strategies that will favor this cognitive development in children:

1. The teacher will adopt mediator's role and investigator, more than knowledge transmitter.
2. Create an environment that favors critical thinking that Promote the truth, Open mentality, empathy, rationality, autonomy and self -criticism.
3. Encourage students To believe in their own mental processes.
4. Pose problems upper level and request elaborated answers.
5. That the created atmosphere allows children discover your own thoughts and beliefs, express their feelings and opinions and reinforce them when they raise different points of view on the same topic.
6. Adopt The work rhythm that allows children to develop their thinking.
7. Favor debate and the exchange of ideas.
8. Favor the scientific procedures.
9. Stimulate the teamwork.
10. Extrapolate this procedure of Analysis to problems of everyday life.

Promote critical thinking will favor in our children and students a self -criticism of life that will allow them to manage more efficiently in the face of the resolution of the problems that arise in their lives. Therefore it is so important to keep in mind critical thinking in education. It is worth investing time to organize and plant this type of learning in school and in the family carrying out activities to develop critical thinking.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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