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Thought and Knowledge: An Introduction to Critical Thinking

01 Sep 1989-
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the relationship between thought and language as Hypothesis Testing, and the development of problem-solving skills as a form of creative thinking, which they call creative thinking.
Abstract: Contents: Preface. Thinking: An Introduction. Memory: The Acquisition, Retention, and Retrieval of Knowledge. The Relationship Between Thought and Language. Reasoning: Drawing Deductively Valid Conclusions. Analyzing Arguments. Thinking as Hypothesis Testing. Likelihood and Uncertainty: Understanding Probabilities. Decision Making. Development of Problem-Solving Skills. Creative Thinking. The Last Word.
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors make specific suggestions for conceptualizing and defining creativity to maximize its potential contributions to educational psychology, and make use of the fact that creativity appears to be an important component of problem-solving and other cognitive abilities, healthy social and emotional well-being.
Abstract: The construct of creativity has a great deal to offer educational psychology. Creativity appears to be an important component of problem-solving and other cognitive abilities, healthy social and emotional well-being, and scholastic and adult success. Yet the study of creativity is not nearly as robust as one would expect, due in part to the preponderance of myths and stereotypes about creativity that collectively strangle most research efforts in this area. The root cause of these stereotypes is the lack of adequate precision in the definition of creativity. The body of the article is devoted to specific suggestions for conceptualizing and defining creativity to maximize its potential contributions to educational psychology.

1,283 citations

Book ChapterDOI
TL;DR: It is argued that metacognitive knowledge is multidimensional, domain-general in nature, and teachable.
Abstract: I describe two aspects of metacognition, knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition, and how they are related to domain-specific knowledge and cognitive abilities. I argue that metacognitive knowledge is multidimensional, domain-general in nature, and teachable. Four instructional strategies are described for promoting the construction and acquisition of metacognitive awareness. These include promoting general awareness, improving self-knowledge and regulatory skills, and promoting learning environments that are conducive to the construction and use of metacognition.

1,224 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the teaching of argumentation skills in the context of dilemmas in human genetics and found that students were able to transfer the reasoning abilities they were trained to use in the contexts of genetics to the context from everyday life.
Abstract: This study examined the outcomes of a unit that integrates explicit teaching of general reasoning patterns into the teaching of a specific science content. Specifically, this article examined the teaching of argumentation skills in the context of dilemmas in human genetics. Before instruction only a minority (16.2%) of the students referred to correct, specific biological knowledge in constructing arguments in the context of dilemmas in genetics. Approximately 90% of the students were successful in formulating simple arguments. An assessment that took place following instruction supported the conclusion that integrating explicit teaching of argumentation into the teaching of dilemmas in human genetics enhances performance in both biological knowledge and argumentation. An increase was found in the frequency of students who referred to correct, specific biological knowledge in constructing arguments. Students in the experimental group scored significantly higher than students in the comparison group in a test of genetics knowledge. An increase was also found in the quality of students' argumentation. Students were able to transfer the reasoning abilities taught in the context of genetics to the context of dilemmas taken from everyday life. The effects of metacognitive thinking and of changing students' thinking dispositions by modifying what is considered valuable in the class culture are discussed. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 39: 35–62, 2002

1,174 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A 4-part empirically based model is proposed to guide teaching and learning for critical thinking: a dispositional component to prepare learners for effortful cognitive work, instruction in the skills of critical thinking, training in the structural aspects of problems and arguments to promote transcontextual transfer of critical-thinking skills, and a metacognitive component that includes checking for accuracy and monitoring progress toward the goal.
Abstract: Advances in technology and changes in necessary workplace skills have made the ability to think critically more important than ever before, yet there is ample evidence that many adults consistently engage in flawed thinking. Numerous studies have shown that critical thinking, defined as the deliberate use of skills and strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome, can be learned in ways that promote transfer to novel contexts. A 4-part empirically based model is proposed to guide teaching and learning for critical thinking: (a) a dispositional component to prepare learners for efforiful cognitive work, (b) instruction in the skills of critical thinking, (c) training in the structural aspects of problems and arguments to promote transcontextual transfer of critical-thinking skills, and (d) a metacognitive component that includes checking for accuracy and monitoring progress toward the goal.

1,045 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors used both qualitative and quantitative data to test hypotheses related to consumers' motivations to engage in impulse buying and found that impulse buying is a common method of product selection, in part because the shopping act and impulsive product selection provide hedonic rewards.
Abstract: This study used both qualitative and quantitative data to test hypotheses related to consumers’ motivations to engage in impulse buying. A grounded theory approach was used to develop hypotheses from in‐depth interviews. These hypotheses were tested by the collection and analysis of survey data. Data support the theory that impulse buying is a common method of product selection, in part, because the shopping act and impulsive product selection provide hedonic rewards. Further information‐processing overload confounds product selection, reinforcing the rewards to be obtained from alternative section heuristics, like impulse buying.

728 citations