Barriers to Critical Thinking - 941 Words

Barriers to Critical Thinking When thinking critically, it is impossible to say that many of us have not come to some kind of barrier in our thought process. Not to say that we cannot overcome them though. All of us have opinions and ideas on just about everything and anything. And those opinions and thoughts could be something that is ingrained in your very being or something you picked up along your path. Those opinions and ideas could be holding you back from thinking critically, even though you may not be aware of it. Though there are more barriers that inhibit critical thinking then I can count on my fingers and toes, some familiar and popular barriers one may face are egotistical thinking, self-serving bias, and of course, emotional†¦show more content†¦Some can’t deal with the idea of seeming inadequate in any way. Others feel the need to overcompensate. These factors, among others, lead to individuals lying or finding excuses for their short comings. My mother for example, has an excuse fo r everything. Sometimes it seems like every conversation we have is her complaining about some aspect of her life, and then coming off with an excuse to validate the complaint. It is incredibly frustrating. This example is a sure way to prohibit one’s own critical thinking abilities. Serving oneself with affirmations regardless of the outcome is selfish and unfair. In order to overcome this self-serving bias, you have to relinquish thoughts of inadequacy and accept that no one is perfect. Frankly, it’s unfair to yourself and others to never take the blame for your wrong doings or mistakes. Having the ability to know you have â€Å"goofed† and find a way to improve, so it never happens again, is actually critically thinking. You are aware and accepting of the problem and devise a solution. It’s much more progressive and thought provoking to fix and issue rather than ignore it, or place blame elsewhere. The Emotional Barriers â€Å"Emotions can affect and inspire thought, said William James, but he also said they can destroy it† (Goodpastor amp; Kirby, 2007, Chapter 2). There is a wide range of beautiful and heart wrenching emotions that humans feel. Emotions mold us, change us, and inevitably make us who we are. But emotionsShow MoreRelatedBarriers to Critical Thinking1250 Words   |  5 Pagesof Critical Thinking Skills Critical thinking is a rich concept that has been developing throughout the past 2500 years. Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing and evaluating information gathered from observation as a guide to belief and action. Critical thinking skills are important because they enable students â€Å"to deal effectively with social, scientific, and practical problems† (Shakirova, 2007, p. 42). Besides that, critical thinkingRead MoreEssay about Barriers and Obstacles to Critical Thinking728 Words   |  3 PagesBarriers and Obstacles to Critical Thinking Your Name PHL 251 March 21, 2011 Philip Reynolds Barriers and Obstacles to Critical Thinking Critical thinking helps thinkers to act instead of reacting. Reacting results in hasty decisions that are not always well thought-out. Quick decisions can lead to error or cause more problems. Evaluating decision is important to the decision-making process. During reflections a thinker can rethink what the outcome was and if the problem could have beenRead MoreEssay on Critical Thinking and Ethical Decision Making1036 Words   |  5 PagesCritical thinking and ethical decision making are crucial for academic success as well as career success. 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More specifically, critical thinking is the act of combining various, associated thoughts and perceptions with logic and reason to form educated assumptions and answers which speak to that which we did not know before. Critical thinking, just as its name implies, is absolutely vital to life and ensures that the world around us operates in an orderly fashion. Witho ut critical thinking, the world would be full of experienced and seasonedRead MoreEssay about My Journey Towards Acacemid Success663 Words   |  3 Pagesimperative for success. Education impacts the personal and professional side of life. I have been in the pursuit of my degree for quite some time. I have allowed obstacles to distract and discourage me from obtaining my degree. For instance, my language barrier was an impediment for quite some time. I was determined to work and become fluent in the English language. The experience of learning another language was challenging but rewarding. Work is another challenge that I have encountered. I allowed myRead MoreEssay about Critical Thinking: A Necessary Tool for Decision Making1296 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract This paper will define the meaning of critical thinking. I will provide an example of a personal experience when critical thinking had to be used. This paper will also examin the benefits and importance of using critical thinking during the decision-making process. What is Critical Thinking? Critical thinking is an essential tool to good decision-making. Everyone has biases or prejudices which can hinder good decision making. Critical thinking varies depending on the underlying motivation