Critical Thinking: Overcoming Barriers Matrix
| Barrier to Critical Thinking | Example | How You Can Overcome the Barrier |
| Avoidance |
I avoid engaging in political discussions with friends with opposing views, fearing potential conflict and discomfort. |
To stop avoiding talking about politics with friends who have different opinions, I am going to start open conversations, listen to their points of view, look for areas where we can agree, and go into conversations with a genuine desire to learn (Yeomans, Minson, Collins, Chen, & Gino, 2020). By pushing myself to talk about things that make me feel bad, I aim to improve my ability to think critically about different points of view. Taking this method means being open to constructive dialogue, showing empathy, and developing a mindset of continuous learning. Ultimately, this leads to a more welcoming and mentally stimulating social environment. |
| Anger | When faced with criticism at work, I often respond defensively and angrily instead of considering the feedback. | To improve my emotional intelligence and eliminate anger as a barrier to critical thinking, I want to be aware of and accept my first emotional reaction before I act. Taking a step back when criticized helps me think things through and avoid acting on impulse (Taherkhani & Moradi, 2022). Active listening is also beneficial for shifting my attention from how I feel to understanding the feedback. Moreover, seeing constructive criticism as a chance to grow personally and professionally, I can turn my anger into actions that help me improve. |
| Conformity | Even if I disagree, I agree with the majority opinion in group projects. | To combat conformity in group environments, I proactively foster an environment of candid conversation. In order to break down the walls that frequently result in a consensus-driven by conformity, I will start by freely expressing my concerns. The proactive exchange of opposing viewpoints will support this, fostering my independent mind and the independent thoughts of others in the group (Bar‐Tal, Vered, & Fuxman, 2020). An atmosphere encouraging healthy disagreement allows the group to have more in-depth conversations, eventually resulting in well-considered judgments considering the various perspectives. |
| Ignorance | I sometimes ignore relevant information that contradicts my preconceived notions. | I understand the value of developing intellectual humility to conquer ignorance. In order to increase my understanding, I must actively seek out information from various sources and converse with others who hold opposing views (Snow, 2022). Through persistently questioning my presumptions and adopting an attitude of perpetual education, my goal is to not only lessen ignorance but also guarantee that my critical thinking is grounded in a more thorough and knowledgeable understanding of the subject. This dedication to intellectual humility becomes essential for developing a more sophisticated and perceptive critical thinking method.
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| Struggling | When faced with complex problems, I often feel overwhelmed and struggle to break them down. | Adopting a structured problem-solving framework is essential for dealing with the difficulty of handling complicated problems. First, I will break down big problems into smaller, easier-to-handle jobs to work in a more organized and focused way (Ma, Li, & Thorstenson, 2021). Setting priorities for these tasks based on their importance helps me understand the complexity better. Asking for help or working with others improves the process by giving me new ideas and support to solve problems more effectively. This organized, team-based way leads to a faster, more thorough solution to complicated issues. |
| Distractions | While studying, I often get distracted by social media, reducing my focus and critical thinking. | Attaining focus during study sessions means making a good setting for learning. Establishing dedicated study moments is the first step (Singh, Steele, & Singh, 2021). This will give me specific times to focus only on schoolwork. Additionally, I will turn off notifications on my devices and use work apps that help me focus on reducing distractions even more. Establishing clear limits and learning self-discipline is essential for staying focused, which is necessary for good critical thinking and a deep understanding of the material being studied. |
References
Bar‐Tal, D., Vered, S., & Fuxman, S. (2020). Between Open‐minded Critical Thinking and Closed‐minded Allegiance: Educational Tensions in Societies Involved in Intractable Conflict. Political Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12687
Ma, Q., Li, H., & Thorstenson, A. (2021). A big data-driven root cause analysis system: Application of Machine Learning in quality problem-solving. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 160, 107580. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2021.107580
Singh, J., Steele, K., & Singh, L. (2021). Combining the best of online and face-to-face learning: Hybrid and blended learning approach for COVID-19, post vaccine, & post-pandemic world. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 50(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/00472395211047865
Snow, N. (2022). The Value of Open-Mindedness and Intellectual Humility for Interdisciplinary Research. Scientia et Fides, 10(2), 51–57. https://doi.org/10.12775/setf.2022.018
Taherkhani, R., & Moradi, R. (2022). The relationships among self‐regulation, emotional intelligence, willingness to communicate, and reading comprehension of Persian foreign language learners: Structural equation modeling. Foreign Language Annals. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12610
Yeomans, M., Minson, J., Collins, H., Chen, F., & Gino, F. (2020). Conversational receptiveness: Improving engagement with opposing views. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, pp. 160, 131–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2020.03.011