Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking

Every person has the ability to think. Furthermore, the quality of one’s life and their successes or failures is based upon the quality of those thoughts. Every process that requires action, requires one to think yet, few realize that critical thinking is used every day to make a decisions. Critical thinking is defined as “the mode of thinking about any subject, content, or problem in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them” (Scriven & Paul, 2007, para. 8). In other words, the extent to which one can think largely depends on who they are as a person.

Personal barriers play a role in how well critical thinking is projected such as, enculturation, self concept, ego defenses, self serving biases, and emotional influences. Logically, the way one was brought up and the things one is exposed to help to shape our way of thinking. By examining these factors, one can better understand the decisions that are made and the thought processes that influence the decision. Enculturation deals with the beliefs and concepts of a particular culture that one is brought up in. Sources include family influence, religious beliefs, ethical standards, and even eating habits. As one matures, the place one works and the society one lives in also becomes a commanding source of enculturation. A person born in Germany may not see anything wrong with individuals under the age of 21 having an alcoholic beverage, whereas in the United States under age drinking is illegal.

Another personal barrier that affects critical thinking is the way one views oneself, or self concept. A person’s self concept can be positive or negative based on attributes, values, and affiliations. When faced with elements that tie into who one is as a person, critical thinking is less likely to happen resulting in ego defense mechanisms and self serving biases. Ego...