The following activities and ideas have been generated to facilitate the development of critical thinking skills within the context of psychology. Following the name of each activity is the critical thinking element or principle that it addresses and the instructions which appear on each set of exercises. Each topic has been formatted into a single file so that you can print them out from your browser and use them as is for your classes. An additional link has been provided for the exercises with the answers. We are still working on on-line self grading versions of each exercise and will provide the links as we get the forms worked out.
Psychology is an empirical science.
Knowledge about behavior must, in so far as possible, be based on objective observation, evidence, and data. Assumptions and inferences should be avoided, and great care should be taken to limit ones conclusions about behavior to what we have observed rather than forming interpretations of what we have observed. If observers were asked to record what they had seen while watching others, statements such as the ones that follow might have been recorded. Whenever we have to investigate some aspect of behavior that is vague or may have multiple meanings, we may want to define such terms or concepts in ways that are precise, measurable, and concrete. Such definitions are called operational definitions.