Class 2 - Critical Thinking Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is critical thinking?
Critical thinking is thinking about your thinking while you’re thinking in order to make your thinking better. It is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication as a guide to belief and action.
What is another word for critical thinking?
Metacognition
What does metacognition involve?
The processes used to plan, monitor, and assess understanding and performance. It includes critical awareness of your own thinking and learning and yourself as a thinker and learner.
What are some reasons to think critically?
• Improves decision-making
• Promotes independence
• Enhances problem-solving
• Reduces vulnerability to manipulation
• Supports effective communication
• Encourages lifelong learning
Why is critical thinking essential in health and wellness?
• To protect clients
• To maintain professional integrity
• To deliver effective care
What are the intellectual values associated with critical thinking?
• Clarity
• Accuracy
• Precision
• Consistency
• Relevance
• Sound evidence
• Good reasons
• Depth
• Breadth
• Fairness
What are core intellectual values in practice (massage therapy context)?
Value: clarity
Description: Striving for clear understanding
Example in Practice (Massage Therapy Context): “When a client says ‘I feel blocked,’ I ask follow-up questions to clarify what they mean.”
Value: Accuracy
Description: Seeking truth and correctness
Example in Practice (Massage Therapy Context): “I make sure the information I give clients about massage benefits is backed by current research.”
Value: Precision
Description: Providing enough detail to be specific
Example in Practice (Massage Therapy Context): “Instead of saying ‘massage helps pain,’ I say ‘massage may reduce lower back pain by improving circulation and reducing muscle tension.’”
Value: Relevance
Description: Focusing only on what’s related to the issue
Example in Practice (Massage Therapy Context): “During treatment planning, I prioritize techniques that target the client’s stated goals, not unrelated methods.”
Value: Depth
Description: Understanding the complexity of an issue
Example in Practice (Massage Therapy Context): “I consider underlying factors like stress or posture that might contribute to chronic pain, not just surface symptoms.”
Value: Breadth
Description: Considering other perspectives
Example in Practice (Massage Therapy Context): “I understand that not all clients will respond to massage the same way—some may prefer physiotherapy or acupuncture.”
Value: Logic
Description: Making sure ideas and conclusions follow a rational structure
Example in Practice (Massage Therapy Context): “I avoid assuming massage is always effective just because a client felt better once.”
Value: Significance
Description: Focusing on the most important information
Example in Practice (Massage Therapy Context): “When educating clients, I emphasize evidence-based benefits rather than less supported claims like ‘detoxification.’”
Value: Fairness
Description: Being objective and unbiased
Example in Practice (Massage Therapy Context): “I don’t dismiss a modality just because I haven’t been trained in it—I look at the evidence.”
What are the components of critical thinking?
• Emotional ability
• Inferential ability
• Observational ability
• Questioning ability
• Imaginative ability
• Consulting ability
• Judging ability
What are the steps in the process of critical thinking?
• Intellectualization
• Hypothesizing
• Elaboration
• Testing
What are the critical thinking skills in massage therapy?
• Recognition
• Questioning
• Information gathering
• Evaluation
• Communication
• Observation
• Analysis
• Interpretation
• Reflection
• Inference
• Problem-solving
• Decision-making
What should you ask yourself when reading a persuasive passage on massage benefits?
• Do you agree with the passage?
• Is the information believable?
• What is your first impression?
• Is there a “muddiest point” (something confusing)?
Why does critical thinking matter for everyone?
Because without direction, our thinking can become:
• Biased
• Distorted
• Partial
• Uninformed
• Prejudiced
What are ways to improve critical thinking in massage therapy?
• Ask questions and think inquisitively
• Stay open-minded
• Avoid emotional decisions
• Investigate root causes
• Be flexible and reprioritize
• Reflect at the end of the day
• Ask knowledgeable people
• Use multiple, credible sources
• Avoid bias
• Clarify orders
• Ask for help
• Collaborate
What defines a well-cultivated critical thinker?
• Clearly formulates questions and problems
• Gathers and assesses relevant info
• Thinks open-mindedly
• Recognizes own assumptions and implications
• Communicates effectively to solve complex problems
What does critical thinking presuppose?
• Assent to rigorous standards of excellence
• Effective communication and problem-solving abilities
• Commitment to overcoming egocentrism and sociocentrism
What are the keys to critical thinking (R.E.D.)?
• Recognize assumptions
• Evaluate arguments
• Draw conclusions
What are the six stages of critical thinking?
- Unreflective Thinker
- Challenged Thinker
- Beginning Thinker
- Practicing Thinker
- Advanced Thinker
- Master Thinker
What defines an Unreflective Thinker?
• Intellectually unskilled
• Uses stereotypical thinking and sweeping generalizations
• Motivated by fears, vanity, and arrogance
• Reacts to opposing views as personal attacks
• Thinks in black and white terms
• Influenced by power, celebrity, and oversimplified media
What defines a Challenged Thinker?
• Considers their thoughts and behaviors
• Aware of the lack of critical thinking
• Believes their thinking is better than it actually is
• Aware of their lack of self-knowledge
What defines a Beginning Thinker?
• Values reason and logic over emotion
• Makes logical decisions
• Incorporates feedback
• Changes behavior based on reflection
What defines a Practicing Thinker?
Actively uses critical thinking to improve their skills
What defines an Advanced Thinker?
• Has formed habits of reflective thinking
• Fair-minded and considers all viewpoints
What defines a Master Thinker?
• Controls the influence of thoughts on behavior
• Allows thoughts to pass without reacting impulsively
• Regularly self-evaluates
• Considers other perspectives
• Adapts thinking processes if needed
