| One of the important parts of critical thinking is the awareness that no one is perfectly critical and thinking logically all the time. Anyone can make errors in the process of thinking– unconscious errors that lead to misinterpretation of information that is around us. The other side of the coin is logical errors – incomplete, misleading or false statements which fail to pass critical and logical assessments. What does this mean in practice? It means that any information should be treated with healthy scepticism:
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What is a conspiracy theory?
The information bubble
Why do we believe in conspiracy theories?
Fact checking
What is critical thinking?
How to escape the rabbit hole?
Activity 2 - The “rules” of Critical thinking
It relates to attribution theory, which explores how people make causal attributions about events. In hindsight bias, individuals tend to attribute events to internal factors rather than acknowledging external factors that might have influenced the outcome.
It's a prominent example of cognitive bias, a systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment, often caused by cognitive heuristics (mental shortcuts) that lead to perceptual distortion.
Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or values. It leads individuals to selectively gather and process information, reinforcing their existing views.
Confirmation bias can be understood in the context of cognitive dissonance theory, which suggests that people have an inherent drive to maintain consistency in their beliefs and attitudes. Seeking out information that aligns with preconceived notions helps reduce cognitive dissonance.
It's linked to how individuals process information. When faced with a barrage of information, people often seek to simplify the decision-making process by giving more weight to information that aligns with their existing beliefs.
This concept posits that people are not purely rational thinkers, but motivated reasoners who use information in a way that suits their pre-existing beliefs, values, and emotional needs.
The bandwagon effect is a cognitive bias where the probability of an individual adopting a belief or behavior increases as the number of people who hold that belief or engage in that behavior increases. It's a form of social influence driven by the desire to conform.
The bandwagon effect is deeply rooted in social psychology, particularly in the study of conformity. It highlights the human tendency to align behaviors or beliefs with those of a larger group.
Theory posits that people tend to follow the actions of others, especially when they lack information, leading to a cascade effect where one person's decision influences the next person's, and so on.
The illusion of transparency is the tendency for people to overestimate the degree to which their personal mental state is known by others. It's the belief that others can understand our internal thoughts and feelings more clearly than they actually can.
This concept originates from the field of psychology known as theory of mind, which involves understanding that other people have beliefs, desires, intentions, and perspectives that may differ from our own.
The illusion of transparency has implications in communication theory, as it affects how people express themselves and interpret the expressions of others.
It is related to attribution errors, particularly the tendency for individuals to overemphasize internal factors (such as intentions or emotions) and underestimate external factors when making judgments about others.
These concepts are foundational in understanding how cognitive biases and social influences can shape our perceptions, decisions, and interactions in various situations.
Description
Learners come up with creative ways to introduce others about the concepts.
Learning outcomes
After completing this activity, learners will:
Overall, these attainable results will assist learners in fully comprehending, processing, and presenting the discussed concepts, utilizing both analytical and creative skills.
- be able to search for and identify the conceptual meaning or definition of a term or concept. This indicates that they will be capable of accurately understanding and describing the main concepts;
- develop the skill to succinctly and comprehensively summarize the main points from the discussed concepts. This is important for creating easily understandable and well-organized information presentations;
- cultivate the ability to use creativity in generating educational materials, such as presentations or short videos (Reels). This signifies that they will be able to creatively and effectively present information.
Overall, these attainable results will assist learners in fully comprehending, processing, and presenting the discussed concepts, utilizing both analytical and creative skills.
Materials needed for implementation
- Whiteboard or flipchart to write the concepts.
- Pens and notebooks or sheets of paper.
Time required
90 min.
Minimum / Maximum group size
Maximum 4 people per group.
Level
Beginner (no prior knowledge required)
Introduction
The trainer begins by presenting the theoretical background and then writing down the concepts names: Hindsight bias; Confirmation bias; Bandwagon effect; Illusion of transparency on the whiteboard or flipchart.
Activity description
1. Trainer presentation and instruction.
5 min.
2. Dividing learners into groups - maximum 4 people per group. Each group needs to propose their own vision on how to introduce other young people to the following concepts interactively (encourage creativity - different presentations can be used to reflect, etc.):
3. Each group creates a recommendation in one sentence, combining the most essential aspects from all the concepts.
15 min.
4. Each group presents their work.
20 min.
5. During the discussion, explore:
5 min.
2. Dividing learners into groups - maximum 4 people per group. Each group needs to propose their own vision on how to introduce other young people to the following concepts interactively (encourage creativity - different presentations can be used to reflect, etc.):
- Hindsight bias
- Confirmation bias
- Bandwagon effect
- Illusion of transparency
3. Each group creates a recommendation in one sentence, combining the most essential aspects from all the concepts.
15 min.
4. Each group presents their work.
20 min.
5. During the discussion, explore:
- how the definitions of the concepts were reached
- which resources were used to find them
- whether the quality of the content was checked when selecting the resources
Debriefing
Each learner is requested to share what valuable insights they take for themselves - for example:
- What they found interesting during the activity?
- Is there anything new for them?
- How could they use the new understanding in the future?
Adaptation to online mode
This activity can easily be done in an online setting in the same way as described above, just split in breakout rooms for group work.
Further resources
No further resources needed.
References
Books:
Online Resources:
- "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman
- "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert B. Cialdini
- "Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions" by Dan Ariely
Online Resources:
- Verywell Mind (www.verywellmind.com)
- Psychology Today (www.psychologytoday.com)
