Critical Thinking in Psychology

A collection of flashcards summarizing essential concepts from the lecture on critical thinking in psychology.

Critical Thinking

A set of skills essential for evaluating arguments and understanding various claims.

Misconceptions of the Term ‘Critical’

Often associated with negative implications; true critical thinking is about objective analysis, not personal biases.

Characteristics of Critical Thinking

Includes understanding and evaluating arguments, active engagement with information, and open-mindedness.

Confirmation Bias

A tendency to favor information that supports preexisting beliefs while disregarding contradicting evidence.

Salience Bias

The influence of readily accessible memories on the assessment of frequency, often distorting perceptions.

Premises

Supporting statements in an argument that provide support for the conclusion.

Conclusion

The statement in an argument that is being supported by premises.

Modus Ponens

A deductive reasoning structure: If A, then B; A; therefore B.

Modus Tollens

A deductive reasoning structure: If A, then B; not B; therefore not A.

Invalid Deductive Structures

Examples like denying the antecedent or asserting the consequent, which lead to fallacies in reasoning.

Inductive Reasoning

Starts with specific observations and makes general conclusions; assessed by strength, not certainty.

Deductive Argument

An argument where the conclusion follows logically from the premises, if the premises are true.

Inductive Argument

An argument where the conclusion is probable based on premises, but not guaranteed.

Falsifiability

The ability to be tested and potentially proven false, a key principle in scientific reasoning.