Obstacles to Critical Thinking Jason M. Chang Critical Thinking

Lecture Outline I.Background II.Obstacles to critical thinking A. Psychological obstacles B. Philosophical obstacles III. Take-away questions

Background Critical thinking The process of determining which information, beliefs, or viewpoints are worth accepting using rational standards (e.g., arguments, reasoning)

Background Whether God exists Which view is backed by the strongest arguments?

Background Features of good critical thinking Thorough Objective/unbiased Unemotional Open to new information, evidence, arguments Continuous process Features of a good critical thinker Thorough Objective/unbiased Unemotional Open-minded Patient

Obstacles to good critical thinking

Psychological obstacles

Psychological Obstacles Psychological obstacles o Definition o Psychological needs

Psychological Obstacles Cognitive biases Distort our perception of objective reality Inhibit critical thinking UNDETECTED Psychological needs

Confirmation bias The tendency to attach more weight to evidence that supports what we already believe

Confirmation bias Only viewing sources that confirm your beliefs Attaching more weight to evidence that supports your beliefs Interpreting the evidence so that it supports your beliefs

Confirmation bias Human needs behind confirmation bias Self-righteousness Simplicity, security

Self-interest bias The tendency to view favorably the argument or position that furthers one’s self-interest

Self-interest bias People in the top tax bracket opposing tax increase for the rich Students opposing tuition increases Hunters opposing gun control policy

Self-interest bias Evaluating arguments for different positions Arriving at a position Arriving at a position that serves your self- interest Rationalizing your position with arguments Critical thinking without bias Thinking tainted by self- interest bias

Self-interest bias Which is the case? Reflections on moral status of fetus informs pro-choice position Pro-choice position informs views about moral status of fetus

Availability bias Unconsciously assigning a probability to a type of event on the basis of how often one thinks of those events

Availability bias Many would argue that the political Right exploited the public’s availability bias to gain support for the Iraq War (2002)

Bandwagon effect The unconscious tendency to align one’s thinking with that of other people Sometimes called “group think” bias

Bandwagon effect Real participant Actors Asch conformity experiments (1951)

Bandwagon effect Asch conformity experiments (1951)

Bandwagon effect Human needs behind bandwagon effect Social acceptance, respect from others

Authority effect The tendency to be follow authority without thought or question Milgram experiment (1961)

L = You (“teacher”)V = Experimenter S = Second subject (“learner”) Authority effect

Out of 40 male participants Less than 300 volts – All participants 40 obeyed 300 volts – 35 obeyed 315 volts – 31 obeyed 330 volts – 29 obeyed 450 volts (FINAL SHOCK) – 26 obeyed 65 percent (26 out of 40) agreed to give the final shock

Overconfidence bias The unconscious tendency to have greater confidence in one’s judgments than the objective accuracy of those judgments

Overconfidence bias Group of people asked how confident they are (in %) of specific answers on a quiz Data shows that confidence systematically exceeds accuracy

Overconfidence bias Overconfidence bias??

Philosophical obstacles

Philosophical Obstacles Philosophical obstacles o Definition o Certain philosophical beliefs can inhibit critical thinking

Subjective relativism Subjective relativism (“relativitis”) Definition

Relativitis Highly contagious Those in late teens/early 20s most vulnerable Symptoms Intellectual laziness, lack of motivation to think critically, lack of strong beliefs or values

Dogmatic absolutism Dogmatic Absolutism Definition

Take-away questions

Given that these biases are often undetected, what can we do to avoid being affected by them? Which of these biases are exhibited by the characters in 12 Angry Men? And how?