Critical Thinking Skills

Imagine you’re seated next to an important leader—perhaps the CEO of a major company or even an influential political figure. You look over their shoulder and notice that they’re scrolling through some troubling conspiracy theories about the moon landing being fake. Rather than stopping to question the source of these posts or analyze the presented evidence, the leader acts on instinct, putting together a team of moon-landing deniers to spread awareness about this supposed “historical scam.” 

From this hypothetical example, we can already grasp the importance of critical thinking skills. Rather than impulsively jumping to conclusions, the leader could have reflected on the suspicious context in which the information was presented (in this case, an obscure site with anonymous posters) and assessed the validity of the theory while taking other sources into account. In situations like these, critical thinking skills can help us respond thoughtfully and appropriately to new information.

But what exactly is critical thinking anyway? At its core, critical thinking is all about actively evaluating information to make reasoned conclusions. Openness to new information, paired with consideration of multiple viewpoints, allows us to challenge our preconceived notions to refine our decision-making abilities. When presented with a controversial issue, a critical thinker will first assess evidence from different perspectives—a skill that's known as perspective-taking—before forming an opinion. They may also excel at metacognition, which involves reflecting on their own thought processes. This act of “thinking about what you’re thinking about” can help individuals improve their learning style, figuring out where they excel or may have blind spots.

Let’s unpack some of the core critical thinking skills and how they may flow from one to another.

1. Analysis: This is often the starting point where information is broken down to understand its components and relationships.
2. Evaluation: After analysis, assessing the credibility and relevance of the information helps determine its reliability.
3. Inference: Drawing logical conclusions follows evaluation, as it involves using the assessed information to form reasoned judgments.
4. Problem-Solving: With conclusions drawn, this step involves developing and applying solutions to address challenges based on the analysis and inferences.
5. Reflection: Reviewing the process comes after problem-solving to identify what was effective and where improvements can be made.
6. Metacognition: This skill is overarching, involving continuous monitoring and regulation throughout the entire critical thinking process to enhance learning and decision-making.

Where else do critical thinking skills apply besides debunking conspiracy theories? For many businesses, critical thinking equips organizations with the ability to navigate uncertainty and solve problems effectively, as well as come up with innovative solutions to any issues they encounter. In education, we hone our critical thinking skills to help us question, analyze, and defend the information we acquire. We often carry these skills for the rest of our lives and rely on these same techniques to distinguish fact from fiction (an increasingly important capability in a world riddled with fake news). Critical thinking skills also help us avoid impulsive decisions by considering the long-term consequences of different options. Essentially, these skills support us in every aspect of our lives!