Critical and Scientific Thinking in Psychology

1. Critical and Scientific Thinking in Psychology

2. Objectives • Analyze the steps of the scientific method, including hypothesis • List the guidelines for critical thinking (8), including terms hypothesis and operational definitions

3. Critical Thinking • The ability and willingness to assess claims and make objective judgments on the basis of well supported reasons and evidence rather than emotion or anecdote.

4. chapter 1 Critical thinking guidelines Ask questions Define your terms Examine the evidence Analyze assumptions and biases Avoid emotional reasoning Don’t oversimplify Consider other interpretations Tolerate uncertainty

5. Scientific method • Is the way the critical thinking is processed • Is a multi step…systematic view of information and activities

6. #1 Ask Questions • Kids ask WHY? Sky blue, bird fly, no wings on a pig? • Trigger mechanism- Creative Thinking disposition to be curious to wonder, to inquire • Need to be willing to wonder

7. # 2. Define YOUR TERMS • Got a general question • Frame in clear and concrete terms • F.E. – Have you ever wondered whether animals can use language? • How do you define language? • System of communication= Bees, Worms • S.O.C. with sounds or jesters into an infinite number of structured utterances that convey a meaning.

8. Hypothesis ( helps define your terms) • Scientists, you and I, are precise about what they are studying • Hypothesis- a statement that attempts to describe or explain a given behavior. • Might start, Misery loves company • F.E.…”People who are anxious about a threaten situation tend to seek out others facing the same threat.”

9. More term definitions • What will happen in a particular situation? • F.E. such terms as anxiety or threatening situation are given Operational definitions • O.D.=Specify how the phenomenon in question are to be observed and measured • F.E. anxiety defined operationally as score on anxiety questionnaire. Threaten sit. Electric shock

10. Explicit prediction example • If you raise people’s anxiety scores by telling them they are going to receive electric shocks, and then you give them the choice of waiting alone or with others in the same situation, they will be more likely to choose to wait with others than they would be if they were not anxious. • Prediction can be tested; using systematic methods

11. # 3 Examine the Evidence • I just know it’s true, nothing you say can change my mind. • Critical thinker asks: What evidence supports or refutes this argument and it’s opposition?” • How reliable is the source? Educated, experience, expertise, share evidence • Uses empirical evidence

12. #4 Analyze assumptions and biases • Assumptions- beliefs that are taken for granted • Biases- keep us from considering the evidence fairly or that cause us to ignore the evidence entirely

13. # 4 continue • Refuted- disproved by counter evidence • Principal known as Principal of falsifiability- the theory must make predictions that are specific enough to expose the theory to the possibility of disconfirmation • What will happen and what will not happen if the hypo is correct. • F.E. hypo support= most anxious people sought out group HOWEVER, disconfirmed if anxious people go alone or no effect on behavior.

14. Violations of falsifiability • F.E. police officers believe a suspect is guilty, they take the persons proclimation of innocence as evidence of guilt. (he’s just covering up) • Many people say innocent both guilty and innicent. • F.E. people believe in aliens faced with evidence alien space ships natural phen. Or weather balloons. True believers say gov. cover up or aliens are avoiding detection

15. # 5 avoid emotional reasoning • Can feel threatened and get defensive when most treasured beliefs challenged • We have strong beliefs on child rearing, drugs, cause of crime, racism, the origins of intelligence, gender differences, homosexuality and many other issues • May fight and quarrel with findings you dislike: evidence unpersuasive or results make you feel anxious or annoyed

16. # 6 Don’t oversimplify • Look beyond obvious & Resist east generalizations • AN EXAMPLE of oversimplification is argument by anecdote • generalizing from a personal experience or a few examples • For example- one friend who hates his or her school means everyone who goes there hates it • Often source of stereotyping • CRITICAL AND SCIENTIFIC THINKERS WANT MORE THAN 2 STORIES

17. # 7 Consider other interpretations • In science goal is to arrive at a theory-an organized system of assumptions and principals that purports a certain phenomenon and how they are related. • F.E. theory of gravity

18. # 8 Tolerate uncertainty • Sometimes little or no evidence • Only tentative conclusion • Not afraid to say “I don’t know “or “not sure” • Other scientists need to repeat or replicate • Reliability – ability to repeat in order to see same results in research or experiment • allows study and verification • Sometimes only a fluke so need replication

19. Summary time! • Explain critical thinking • List the concepts of critical thinking