Reflection / For WIZARD KIM
Impact of Language on Critical Thinking and Decision Making
Casey Lee
American Public University
BUSN410: Critical Thinking for Business Decisions
12/11/2019
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Impact of Language on Critical Thinking and Decision Making
Agent of Enculturation
Language Proficiency
The language proficiency has always been found to affect the process of critical thinking. According to research on students, the process of critical thinking in their written work has always shown a great correlation between the need to understand the skill and instructions involve with a certain language in presenting viable points in related to a certain topic (Shepperd, 2016).
It is also worth noting that language is also a very strong tool of enculturation meaning that for points provided in critical thinking have to use carefully selected language in providing the intended meaning in a certain grouping so as to not offend another different acculturated persons which might divert the whole notion.
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Understanding
Use of language with the assumption that the recipients understand normally affects the critical thinking process
Intensity of language used
Level of the use of words or rather phrases that may tend to affect the emotions of people involved in the critical thinking
Understanding also forms another critical element when it comes to the determination of the impact of language on critical thinking. In culturally diverse settings, use of language with the assumption that the recipients understand normally affects the critical thinking process in a big way. Ambiguous language which means the use of the assumed language easily language normally brings a lot of confusion among the listeners. The main risk that is usually brought by this notion is that people tend to over-generalize suggestion brought about along the course of discussion thus important information can easily bypassed unintentionally when a word is used to mean a different thing to represent the same thing (Michaiarockz, 2015).
The intensity of the language used is also another element of language that impacts critical thinking. Intensity of language means the level of the use of words or rather phrases that may tend to affect the emotions of people involved in the critical thinking. An example is whereby the negative evaluation of words is usually interpreted by the audience through the comparison with their opposites thus diluting the meaning intended by the arguer. In regards to the decision making , language used by a decision making to a large extent normally influences their moral choices . It is worth noting that language affects the emotional response of both recipients during the decision making process hence the language on e speaks normally determine a lot when separating the emotional concerns from the psychological distance especially when making moral decision which is usually very important. These means that people speaking in a foreign language are normally at ease when faced with decisions that could bring in losses thus they are normally willing to take risks.
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Formulation of a clear objective
Enables the decision makers evaluate the various methodologies that will be used in the definition of the research questions.
Review of the environmental context
Formulation of a clear objective enables one develop a clear problem as a research topic. This process enables the decision makers evaluate the various methodologies that will be used in the definition of the research questions as well as identification of the research methods. With this regard, it is usually critical that the objectives be manageable which should be accompanied by the clear goals which should act as the project focus.
After the specification of the objectives there should be the review of the environmental context within which the research problem has been formulated. This process involves the determination of the various findings in regards to the environmental variables that ought to be tested in the project including the environment as well as the cultural context of the environment where the research will be concentrated.
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Investigation into the nature of the problem
Research problems are ranked from simple to complex
Different variables are identified for any correlation between them and how they are related to the question
Brainstorming and coming up with the possible solutions
Development of a number of ways through which this problems can be solved
The list be narrowed down to a smaller one with more viable solutions
The next process involves the investigation into the nature of the problem whereby the research problems are ranked from simple to complex thus the different variables are identified for any correlation between them and how they are related to the question. An example of this is the identification of what problems the growing number of Asians who tend to attend western universities face when trying to attend to a new cultural environment.
Brainstorming and coming up with the possible solutions is the process that follows (Rear, 2017). Since problems can be solved in multiple ways, brainstorming involves the development of a number of ways through which this problems can be solved. After the formulation of a number of ways, it is usually wise that the list be narrowed down to a smaller one with more viable solutions (Hereford, n.d).
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Challenges of language
Direct versus Indirect Communication
Trouble with Accents and Fluency
Direct versus indirect Communication involves the notion where the communication style within different cultures differ from one another. An example of this is whereby communication styles associated with the western cultures are usually more direct and simple in terms of understanding of the meaning. However, in regards to other cultures, the communication style tends to be more indirect and in the way the message is presented thus communication between two people of different cultures mentioned above can be confusing during face to face interactions without an intermediary (Neo, 2015).
Accents and fluency on the other hand forms another challenge with language whereby the in more culturally diverse organizations there normally exists the problem of language barrier. Most employees within the workplace might belong to the English speaking minority thus making the inferior culture feel unappreciated and noticed a feeling which might be brought about by the lack of ability to communicate fluently with other colleagues. This challenge might make some of the employees with more viable ideas to sit back and observe during the critical thinking as well as the decision making process.
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Different Attitudes toward Hierarchy and Authority
Channel of communication varies from one another in terms of hierarchy that might be misunderstood culturally.
Conflicting Norms for Decision Making
Decision making process varies from one culture to the other.
In some situations, multicultural employees find themselves in a situation where their ways of presenting ideas are different from the managers or the CEOs. This presents a challenge especially where the channel of communication varies from one another in terms of hierarchy whereby one might nee to communicate to higher level members within the corporates management before they can communicate the same to other employees. Lack of cultural awareness may therefore lead to an unproductive organization since the employees might feel unrecognized.
The notion of conflicting norms in decision making is usually very prevalent among various in organizations with a diversified workforce in terms of culture. The problem here arises in the procedures different culturally oriented people normally use in the decision making process. An example is whereby Americans have always been known to be quick in deciding unlike the French who normally adapt a more comprehensive process in decision making (Neo, 2015).
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Factors affecting Decision Making
Certainty
Decisions are made when there is very little ambiguity in the decisions they make thus reducing the possibility of making any bad decision
Uncertainty
Decisions made with little information in regards to consequences of the decisions and alternatives
Risk
No information but not all of the information in regards to what the correct decision should be.
Decisions made based on experience.
Decisions are usually made under a number of conditions of which certainty makes up for one of them. Most managers normally make decisions after analysis of the decision as well as its alternatives thus making sure that there is very little ambiguity in the decisions they make thus reducing the possibility of making any bad decision. The risk factor on the other hand refers to the position where managers are usually force to make decisions under risk. This provision means that they usually have no information but not all of the information in regards to what the correct decision should be. Thus they are never sure about the consequences as well as the implications of those particular decision whatsoever thus they normally apply the probability estimates in the decision making.
Under uncertainty, the managers are never aware of the alternatives as well as the consequences of the decisions they make due to lack of information. They are never in a position to make any judgment on a possible solution to the problems thus they normally operate under the experience and prior decisions that have been made in regards to the issue.
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Implications of Ethical Decision Making
Supports organization’s business objectives
Identifies boundaries between the legal and ethical behaviors
Helps the employees address any issues in regards to the moral conduct within an organization
Enables the organization to effectively make the right decision by searching for knowledge and research about the problems as well as their solutions
One of the most common implication of ethical decision making is that it supports the organization’s business objectives by identifying boundaries between the legal and ethical behaviors. The identification of the two variables enables an organization be alert whenever they are about to implement actions which may go against the organizational legal or even the ethical boundaries.
It also helps the employees address any issues in regards to the moral conduct within an organization effectively by effectively reporting such an incident.
Ethical decision making also enables the organization to effectively make the right decision by searching for knowledge and research about the problems as well as their solutions. As a result, the ethical decision making may come up with alternatives that may support the decisions made that align with the organizational values (Silva et al.., 2014).
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Conclusion
Critical Thinking and Decision Making
Misinterpretation of various concepts related to language makes different ideas seem different to two different culturally oriented persons
In conclusion, critical thinking is usually interrelated with decision making which are two of the elements that are normally affected by language in a number of ways. Understanding of a language is also a diverse topic in that under understanding of concepts under different languages proves to be difficult whenever a person is not related to that particular language thus they may misinterpreted certain notions and come up with the wrong ideas about the same. This notion explains the reason why the decision making process makes one of the most difficult process since people have to be in synch with each other to think critically and make the right decisions.
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References:
Hereford, Z. (n.d.). How to Think Critically and Problem Solve. Retrieved from https://www.essentiallifeskills.net/thinkcritically.html
Michaiarockz. (2015). Language in Critical Thinking. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/michaiarockz/language-in-critical-thinking
Neo, S. (2015). 4 Types of Communication Challenges in Multicultural Organizations. Retrieved from https://trainingindustry.com/blog/workforce-development/4-types-of-communication-challenges-in-multicultural-organizations/
Rear, D. (2017). The language deficit: a comparison of the critical thinking skills of Asian students in first and second language contexts. Asian- Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 2(1). doi:10.1186/s40862-017-0038-7
Silva, K., Marins, D. S., Nobre, N., Frazao, D. S., & Rosa, O. S. (2014). Ethical implications and decision making in care education process. - PubMed - NCBI. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25230034
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