3/26/2016

CriticalThinkinginEverydayLife:9Strategies

CriticalThinkinginEverydayLife:9Strategies

Mostofusarenotwhatwecouldbe.Weareless.Wehavegreatcapacity.Butmostofitis
dormantmostisundeveloped.Improvementinthinkingislikeimprovementinbasketball,in
ballet,orinplayingthesaxophone.Itisunlikelytotakeplaceintheabsenceofaconscious
commitmenttolearn.Aslongaswetakeourthinkingforgranted,wedontdothework
requiredforimprovement.
Developmentinthinkingrequiresagradualprocessrequiringplateausoflearningandjust
plainhardwork.Itisnotpossibletobecomeanexcellentthinkersimplybecauseonewillsit.
Changingoneshabitsofthoughtisalongrangeproject,happeningoveryears,notweeksor
months.Theessentialtraitsofacriticalthinkerrequireanextendedperiodofdevelopment.
How,then,canwedevelopascriticalthinkers?Howcanwehelpourselvesandourstudents
topracticebetterthinkingineverydaylife?
First,wemustunderstandthattherearestagesrequiredfordevelopmentasacriticalthinker:
StageOne:TheUnreflectiveThinker(weareunawareofsignificantproblemsinourthinking)
StageTwo:TheChallengedThinker(webecomeawareofproblemsinourthinking)
StageThree:TheBeginningThinker(wetrytoimprovebutwithoutregularpractice)
StageFour:ThePracticingThinker(werecognizethenecessityofregularpractice)
StageFive:TheAdvancedThinker(weadvanceinaccordancewithourpractice)
StageSix:TheMasterThinker(skilled&insightfulthinkingbecomesecondnaturetous)
Wedevelopthroughthesestagesifwe:

1)acceptthefactthatthereareseriousproblemsinourthinking(acceptingthe
challengetoourthinking)and
2)beginregularpractice.

Inthisarticle,wewillexplain9strategiesthatanymotivatedpersoncanusetodevelopasa
thinker.Asweexplainthestrategy,wewilldescribeitasifweweretalkingdirectlytosucha
person.Furtherdetailstoourdescriptionsmayneedtobeaddedforthosewhoknowlittle
aboutcriticalthinking.Herearethe9:

1.UseWastedTime.
2.AProblemADay.
3.InternalizeIntellectualStandards.
4.KeepAnIntellectualJournal.
5.ReshapeYourCharacter.
6.DealwithYourEgo.
7.RedefinetheWayYouSeeThings.
8.Getintouchwithyouremotions.
9.Analyzegroupinfluencesonyourlife.

Thereisnothingmagicalaboutourideas.Nooneofthemisessential.Nevertheless,each
representsaplausiblewaytobegintodosomethingconcretetoimprovethinkinginaregular
way.Thoughyouprobablycantdoalloftheseatthesametime,werecommendanapproach
inwhichyouexperimentwithalloftheseoveranextendedperiodoftime.
FirstStrategy:UseWastedTime.Allhumanswastesometimethatis,failtouseallof
theirtimeproductivelyorevenpleasurably.Sometimeswejumpfromonediversionto
another,withoutenjoyinganyofthem.Sometimeswebecomeirritatedaboutmattersbeyond
ourcontrol.Sometimeswefailtoplanwellcausingusnegativeconsequenceswecould
easilyhaveavoided(forexample,wespendtimeunnecessarilytrappedintrafficthough
wecouldhaveleftahalfhourearlierandavoidedtherush).Sometimesweworry
unproductively.Sometimeswespendtimeregrettingwhatispast.Sometimeswejuststare
offblanklyintospace.
Thekeyisthatthetimeisgoneeventhough,ifwehadthoughtaboutitandconsideredour
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/criticalthinkingineverydaylife9strategies/512

1/5

3/26/2016

CriticalThinkinginEverydayLife:9Strategies

options,wewouldneverhavedeliberatelyspentourtimeinthewaywedid.Sowhynottake
advantageofthetimeyounormallywastebypracticingyourcriticalthinkingduringthat
otherwisewastedtime?Forexample,insteadofsittinginfrontoftheTVattheendoftheday
flickingfromchanneltochannelinavainsearchforaprogramworthwatching,spendthat
time,oratleastpartofit,thinkingbackoveryourdayandevaluatingyourstrengthsand

weaknesses.Forexample,youmightaskyourselfquestionslikethese:
WhendidIdomyworstthinkingtoday?WhendidIdomybest?WhatinfactdidIthinkabout
today?DidIfigureanythingout?DidIallowanynegativethinkingtofrustrateme
unnecessarily?IfIhadtorepeattodaywhatwouldIdodifferently?Why?DidIdoanything
todaytofurthermylongtermgoals?DidIactinaccordancewithmyownexpressedvalues?
IfIspenteverydaythiswayfor10years,wouldIattheendhaveaccomplishedsomething
worthyofthattime?
Itwouldbeimportantofcoursetotakealittletimewitheachquestion.Itwouldalsobeuseful
torecordyourobservationssothatyouareforcedtospelloutdetailsandbeexplicitinwhat
yourecognizeandsee.Astimepasses,youwillnoticepatternsinyourthinking.
SecondStrategy:AProblemADay.Atthebeginningofeachday(perhapsdrivingtowork
orgoingtoschool)chooseaproblemtoworkonwhenyouhavefreemoments.Figureoutthe
logicoftheproblembyidentifyingitselements.Inotherwords,systematicallythinkthrough
thequestions:Whatexactlyistheproblem?HowcanIputitintotheformofaquestion.How
doesitrelatetomygoals,purposes,andneeds?
1)Whereverpossibletakeproblemsonebyone.Statetheproblemasclearlyand
preciselyasyoucan.
2)Studytheproblemtomakeclearthekindofproblemyouaredealingwith.Figure
out,forexample,whatsortsofthingsyouaregoingtohavetodotosolveit.
DistinguishProblemsoverwhichyouhavesomecontrolfromproblemsoverwhichyou
havenocontrol.Setasidetheproblemsoverwhichyouhavenocontrol,concentrating
youreffortsonthoseproblemsyoucanpotentiallysolve.
3)Figureouttheinformationyouneedandactivelyseekthatinformation.
4)Carefullyanalyzeandinterprettheinformationyoucollect,drawingwhatreasonable
inferencesyoucan.

5)Figureoutyouroptionsforaction.Whatcanyoudointheshortterm?Inthelong
term?Distinguishproblemsunderyourcontrolfromproblemsbeyondyourcontrol.
Recognizeexplicitlyyourlimitationsasfarasmoney,time,andpower.
6)Evaluateyouroptions,takingintoaccounttheiradvantagesanddisadvantagesin
thesituationyouarein.
7)Adoptastrategicapproachtotheproblemandfollowthroughonthatstrategy.This
mayinvolvedirectactionoracarefullythoughtthroughwaitandseestrategy.
8)Whenyouact,monitortheimplicationsofyouractionastheybegintoemerge.Be
readyatamomentsnoticetoreviseyourstrategyifthesituationrequiresit.Be
preparedtoshiftyourstrategyoryouranalysisorstatementoftheproblem,orallthree,
asmoreinformationabouttheproblembecomesavailabletoyou.

ThirdStrategy:InternalizeIntellectualStandards.Eachweek,developaheightened
awarenessofoneoftheuniversalintellectualstandards(clarity,precision,accuracy,
relevance,depth,breadth,logicalness,significance).Focusoneweekonclarity,thenexton
accuracy,etc.Forexample,ifyouarefocusingonclarityfortheweek,trytonoticewhenyou
arebeingunclearincommunicatingwithothers.Noticewhenothersareunclearinwhatthey
aresaying.
Whenyouarereading,noticewhetheryouareclearaboutwhatyouarereading.Whenyou
orallyexpressorwriteoutyourviews(forwhateverreason),askyourselfwhetheryouare
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/criticalthinkingineverydaylife9strategies/512

2/5

3/26/2016

CriticalThinkinginEverydayLife:9Strategies

clearaboutwhatyouaretryingtosay.Indoingthis,ofcourse,focusonfourtechniquesof
clarification:1)Statingwhatyouaresayingexplicitlyandprecisely(withcareful
considerationgiventoyourchoiceofwords),2)Elaboratingonyourmeaninginotherwords,
3)Givingexamplesofwhatyoumeanfromexperiencesyouhavehad,and4)Using
analogies,metaphors,pictures,ordiagramstoillustratewhatyoumean.Inotherwords,you
willfrequentlySTATE,ELABORATE,ILLUSTRATE,ANDEXEMPLIFYyourpoints.Youwill
regularlyaskotherstodothesame.
FourthStrategy:KeepAnIntellectualJournal.Eachweek,writeoutacertainnumberof
journalentries.Usethefollowingformat(keepingeachnumberedstageseparate):
1.Situation.Describeasituationthatis,orwas,emotionallysignificanttoyou(thatis,
thatyoudeeplycareabout).Focusononesituationatatime.

2.YourResponse.Describewhatyoudidinresponsetothatsituation.Bespecificand
exact.
3.Analysis.Thenanalyze,inthelightofwhatyouhavewritten,whatpreciselywas
goingoninthesituation.Digbeneaththesurface.
4.Assessment.Assesstheimplicationsofyouranalysis.Whatdidyoulearnabout
yourself?Whatwouldyoudodifferentlyifyoucouldrelivethesituation?

StrategyFive:ReshapeYourCharacter.Chooseoneintellectualtraitintellectual
perseverance,autonomy,empathy,courage,humility,etc.tostriveforeachmonth,focusing

onhowyoucandevelopthattraitinyourself.Forexample,concentratingonintellectual
humility,begintonoticewhenyouadmityouarewrong.Noticewhenyourefusetoadmityou
arewrong,eveninthefaceofglaringevidencethatyouareinfactwrong.Noticewhenyou
becomedefensivewhenanotherpersontriestopointoutadeficiencyinyourwork,oryour
thinking.Noticewhenyourintellectualarrogancekeepsyoufromlearning,forexample,when
yousaytoyourselfIalreadyknoweverythingIneedtoknowaboutthissubject.Or,Iknow
asmuchashedoes.Whodoeshethinkheisforcinghisopinionsonme?Byowningyour
ignorance,youcanbegintodealwithit.
StrategySix:DealwithYourEgocentrism.Egocentricthinkingisfoundinthedispositionin
humannaturetothinkwithanautomaticsubconsciousbiasinfavorofoneself.Onadaily
basis,youcanbegintoobserveyouregocentricthinkinginactionbycontemplatingquestions
likethese:UnderwhatcircumstancesdoIthinkwithabiasinfavorofmyself?DidIever
becomeirritableoversmallthings?DidIdoorsayanythingirrationaltogetmyway?DidI
trytoimposemywilluponothers?DidIeverfailtospeakmymindwhenIfeltstronglyabout
something,andthenlaterfeelresentment?Onceyouidentifyegocentricthinkinginoperation,
youcanthenworktoreplaceitwithmorerationalthoughtthroughsystematicselfreflection,
thinkingalongthelinesof:Whatwouldarationalpersonfeelinthisorthatsituation?What
wouldarationalpersondo?HowdoesthatcomparewithwhatIwanttodo?(Hint:Ifyoufind
thatyoucontinuallyconcludethatarationalpersonwouldbehavejustasyoubehavedyou
areprobablyengaginginselfdeception.)
StrategySeven:RedefinetheWayYouSeeThings.Weliveinaworld,bothpersonaland
social,inwhicheverysituationisdefined,thatis,givenameaning.Howasituationis
defineddeterminesnotonlyhowwefeelaboutit,butalsohowweactinit,andwhat
implicationsithasforus.However,virtuallyeverysituationcanbedefinedinmorethanone
way.Thisfactcarrieswithittremendousopportunities.Inprinciple,itlieswithinyourpower
andminetomakeourlivesmorehappyandfulfillingthantheyare.Manyofthenegative
definitionsthatwegivetosituationsinourlivescouldinprinciplebetransformedintopositive
ones.Wecanbehappywhenotherwisewewouldhavebeensad.
Wecanbefulfilledwhenotherwisewewouldhavebeenfrustrated.Inthisstrategy,we
practiceredefiningthewayweseethings,turningnegativesintopositives,deadendsinto
newbeginnings,mistakesintoopportunitiestolearn.Tomakethisstrategypractical,we
shouldcreatesomespecificguidelinesforourselves.Forexample,wemightmakeourselves
alistoffivetotenrecurrentnegativecontextsinwhichwefeelfrustrated,angry,unhappy,or
worried.Wecouldthenidentifythedefinitionineachcasethatisattherootofthenegative
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/criticalthinkingineverydaylife9strategies/512

3/5

3/26/2016

CriticalThinkinginEverydayLife:9Strategies

emotion.Wewouldthenchooseaplausiblealternativedefinitionforeachandthenplanfor
ournewresponsesaswellasnewemotions.Forexample,ifyoutendtoworryaboutall
problems,boththeonesyoucandosomethingaboutandthosethatyoucantyoucan
reviewthethinkinginthisnurseryrhyme:
Foreveryproblemunderthesun,thereisasolutionorthereisnone.Iftherebeone,thinktil
youfindit.Iftherebenone,thennevermindit.

Letslookatanotherexample.Youdonothavetodefineyourinitialapproachtoamemberof
theoppositesexintermsofthedefinitionhis/herresponsewilldeterminewhetherornotIam
anattractiveperson.Alternatively,youcoulddefineitintermsofthedefinitionletmetestto
seeifthispersonisinitiallydrawntomegiventhewaytheyperceiveme.Withthefirst
definitioninmind,youfeelpersonallyputdownifthepersonisnotinterestedinyouwiththe
seconddefinitionyouexplicitlyrecognizethatpeoplerespondnottothewayastrangeris,but
thewaytheylooktothemsubjectively.Youthereforedonottakeafailuretoshowinterestin
you(onthepartofanother)asadefectinyou.
StrategyEight:Getintouchwithyouremotions:Wheneveryoufeelsomenegative
emotion,systematicallyaskyourself:What,exactly,isthethinkingleadingtothisemotion?
Forexample,ifyouareangry,askyourself,whatisthethinkingthatismakingmeangry?
WhatotherwayscouldIthinkaboutthissituation?Forexample,canyouthinkaboutthe
situationsoastoseethehumorinitandwhatispitiableinit?Ifyoucan,concentrateonthat
thinkingandyouremotionswill(eventually)shifttomatchit.
StrategyNine:Analyzegroupinfluencesonyourlife:Closelyanalyzethebehaviorthatis
encouraged,anddiscouraged,inthegroupstowhichyoubelong.Foranygivengroup,what
areyou"required"tobelieve?Whatareyou"forbidden"todo?Everygroupenforcessome
levelofconformity.Mostpeoplelivemuchtoomuchwithintheviewofthemselvesprojected
byothers.Discoverwhatpressureyouarebowingtoandthinkexplicitlyaboutwhetherornot
torejectthatpressure.
Conclusion:Thekeypointtokeepinmindwhendevisingstrategiesisthatyouareengaged
inapersonalexperiment.Youaretestingideasinyoureverydaylife.Youareintegrating
them,andbuildingonthem,inthelightofyouractualexperience.Forexample,supposeyou
findthestrategyRedefinetheWayYouSeeThingstobeintuitivetoyou.Soyouuseitto
begin.Prettysoonyoufindyourselfnoticingthesocialdefinitionsthatrulemanysituationsin
yourlife.Yourecognizehowyourbehaviorisshapedandcontrolledbythedefinitionsinuse:
1.Imgivingaparty,(Everyonethereforeknowstoactinapartyingway)
2.ThefuneralisTuesday,(Therearespecificsocialbehaviorsexpectedatafuneral)
3.Jackisanacquaintance,notreallyafriend.(Webehaveverydifferentlyinthetwocases)
Youbegintoseehowimportantandpervasivesocialdefinitionsare.Youbegintoredefine
situationsinwaysthatruncontrarytosomecommonlyaccepteddefinitions.Younoticethen
howredefiningsituations(andrelationships)enablesyoutoGetinTouchWithYour
Emotions.Yourecognizethatthewayyouthink(thatis,definethings)generatesthe
emotionsyouexperience.Whenyouthinkyouarethreatened(i.e.,defineasituationas
threatening),youfeelfear.Ifyoudefineasituationasafailure,youmayfeeldepressed.
Ontheotherhand,ifyoudefinethatsamesituationasalessonoropportunitytolearnyou
feelempoweredtolearn.Whenyourecognizethiscontrolthatyouarecapableofexercising,
thetwostrategiesbegintoworktogetherandreinforceeachother.
Nextconsiderhowyoucouldintegratestrategy#9(Analyzegroupinfluencesonyourlife)
intoyourpractice.Oneofthemainthingsthatgroupsdoiscontrolusbycontrollingthe
definitionsweareallowedtooperatewith.Whenagroupdefinessomethingsascooland
someasdumb,themembersofthegrouptrytoappearcoolandnotappeardumb.
Whenthebossofabusinesssays,Thatmakesalotofsense,hissubordinatesknowthey
arenottosay,No,itisridiculous.Andtheyknowthisbecausedefiningsomeoneasthe
bossgiveshim/herspecialprivilegestodefinesituationsandrelationships.

Younowhavethreeinterwovenstrategies:youRedefinetheWayYouSeeThings,Getin
touchwithyouremotions,andAnalyzegroupinfluencesonyourlife.Thethreestrategies
areintegratedintoone.Youcannowexperimentwithanyoftheotherstrategies,lookingfor
opportunitiestointegratethemintoyourthinkingandyourlife.Ifyoufollowthroughonsome
plananalogoustowhatwehavedescribed,youaredevelopingasathinker.Moreprecisely,
youarebecomingaPracticingThinker.Yourpracticewillbringadvancement.Andwith
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/criticalthinkingineverydaylife9strategies/512

4/5

3/26/2016

CriticalThinkinginEverydayLife:9Strategies

advancement,skilledandinsightfulthinkingmaybecomesmoreandmorenaturaltoyou.

Paul,R.&Elder,L.(2001).ModifiedfromthebookbyPaul,R.&Elder,L.(2001).CriticalThinking:
ToolsforTakingChargeofYourLearningandYourLife.

Gototop

CriticalThinkinginEverydayLife:9Strategies
Sublinks:

CriticalThinkinginEverydayLife:9Strategies
DevelopingasRationalPersons:ViewingOurDevelopmentinStages
HowtoStudyandLearn(PartOne)
HowtoStudyandLearn(PartTwo)
HowtoStudyandLearn(PartThree)
HowtoStudyandLearn(PartFour)
TheArtofCloseReading(PartOne)
TheArtofCloseReading(PartTwo)
TheArtofCloseReading(PartThree)
LookingToTheFutureWithaCriticalEye:AMessageforHighSchoolGraduates
BecomingaCriticOfYourThinking
ForYoungStudents(Elementary/K6)

http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/criticalthinkingineverydaylife9strategies/512

5/5