Critical Thinking in Psychology PSYC103


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Critical Thinking in PsychologyPSYC103

• Doug Stenstrom
• dstenstrom_at_cerritos.edu
• [phone]
• Office Hours W 600-700pm in SS-30
• (I am also available after class if you have
  questions)

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Syllabus

• Course Website
• Objective of the course
• Textbooks
• Weekly Schedule
• Grading Calculations
• Grading Categories
• Late Policy
• Extra Credit
• Question of the Day

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What is Critical Thinking

• there is no consensus
• A general definition for our class
• The delicate balance between open-mindedness
  and skepticism
• As nobel-prize winning physicist Richard
  Feynman (1985) reminds us Science forces us to
  bend over backwards to prove ourselves wrong.

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What is Critical Thinking

• Another type of definition
• The logical and rationale process of avoiding
  ones preconceptions by gathering evidence
  contemplating and evaluating alternatives and
  coming to a conclusion

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What is Critical Thinking

• Another type of definition
• A set of skills to process and generate
  information and the habit of using those skills
  based on intellectual commitment to critical
  thinking skills

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Why is Critical Thinking important

• Can be learned
• Improves your understanding of psychology
• Understand difference between science and
  pseudoscience
• Transferable to all topics not just psychology
• Transferable to all aspects of life
• Protect yourself against false information
• Expose erroneous claims

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What is covered in this course
Some examples
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Always keep in mind

• Our goal is the search not the answer
• Every topic/issue has more than one side
• The point of the class is NOT to decide which
  side is correct or whether the topic is
  scientifically valid or not.
• There are no right or wrong answers
• When discussing/debating these topics remember
  to focus your comments about the topic not the
  person

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Survey A and BPlease answer honestly
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• Survey A
• Reverse items 2 4 5 7 10 11 13 16 18 19
• -3 becomes 3
• -2 becomes 2
• -1 becomes 1
• 0 stays a 0
• 1 becomes -1
• 2 becomes -2
• 3 becomes -3
• Add up all scores
• Higher more dogmatism

• Survey B
• Reverse items 1 3 6 7 9 10 11 14
• -3 becomes 3
• -2 becomes 2
• -1 becomes 1
• 0 stays a 0
• 1 becomes -1
• 2 becomes -2
• 3 becomes -3
• Add up all scores
• Higher more open-minded

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DogmatismWhat is it

• an established belief with relatively
  unchangeable certainty
• exists among advocates of any belief system
• FYI even science and the scientific method can
  be dogmatic to some scientists!

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DogmatismWhat are the consequences

• slightly more resistant to opposing fact and
  evidence
• slightly more often associated with
  authoritarian personality
• NOT associated with weak reasoning powers
• Instead associated with less DESIRE to be
  open-minded about sources of possible
  disconfirming evidence

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Some helpful suggestions about how to get an A in
this class

• Pay attention to the syllabus
• Attend every class and be on time
• Read assigned chapters before each class
• Take notes during class
• Ask questions during class
• Use your classmates are resources