#1 Intro to Organizational Psychology

What is Critical Thinking?

1. Being Open-minded

2. Being Skeptical

3. Being Logical

What is Critical Thinking?

1. Being Open-minded→

• Refrain from black-and-white analyses of complex questions

• Examine available evidence before drawing conclusions

What is Critical Thinking?

2. Being Skeptical→

• Separate facts from opinions (especially your own opinions)

  • Is there data? Who collected the data? Who provided the data? What conclusions can be draw from the data?

What is Critical Thinking?

3. Being Logical→

• Question whether the conclusion follows logically from the evidence

• Identify inherent biases and assumptions

One strategy to use (when reading articles, etc.) in order to keep a fair and open critical mind is to use a "____ ____" approach

split mind

Explain the split mind approach-

• Half of you is actively agreeing, extending, applying, making connections, refuting criticisms.

• Half of you is actively disagreeing, questioning, thinking of counterexamples, problems.

A theory is a statement of:

relations among concepts within a set of boundary assumptions and constraints

Theory

• Boundary assumptions and constraints =_____

• Context

Theory

• Relations among concepts = If ___ then ___

• x then y

What is the Purpose of Theory?

• To explain:

• How

• When

• Why

Theories do NOT explain “_____”

What

Why do theories not explain “What”?

Bc it is description

• Theories do not explain “What”

  • “What” is description

    • Scientific classifications =_______

• Taxonomies

A good theory:

1. Has Utility

2. Is Falsifiable

A good theory:

1. Has Utility- 

   • Good theories both ____ and ______ phenomena

• predict and explain

A good theory:

2. Falsifiability- 

   • Good theories can be______ 

• disproven

Is it a Good Theory?

• After we die, we are reincarnated in the form of our spirit animals.

No bc it cannot be falsified

Is it a Good Theory?

• Students who are introverts do better in school than extroverts because they spend less time socializing and more time studying.

Yes bc it has Utility (both predict and explain phenomena) & Falsifiability (it can be disproven)