How to identify barriers in Critical Thinking

1. What is the role of critical thinking in your daily life? Consider your personal, professional, and school life in your response. Review the definition of critical thinking in Ch. 1 of THiNK: Critical Thinking and Logic Skills for Everyday Life. 

2. Provide an example of a situation in your life in which critical thinking could be used. Why would critical thinking be helpful in that situation? 

3. Identify 3 to 4 barriers to critical thinking that you can relate to. Describe the barriers in your own words. Provide an example of a situation where you have, or might in the future, encounter each barrier. 

Note: You do not need to describe how you can overcome the barriers you identified. You will have that opportunity in a future assignment. Focus on the barriers to critical thinking and examples that are meaningful to you. 

4. Which of the 3 stages of cognitive development (dualism, relativism, commitment) are you at? Explain why you placed yourself in this stage of development. How might you move to the next stage if you are at stage 1 or 2, or how you might maintain stage 3?