Critical Thinking Barriers

Amber Nichols
HUM/114
October 27th, 2014
Lisa White

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CRITICAL THINKING BARRIERS

Rationalization is a hindrance for me. I tend to over rationalize or over think

things. I do not always think logically. I will jump to conclusions and make assumptions
without gathering all of the facts first. I do not always think things through like I should. I
could avoid a lot of conflict if I would slow down and think things through. Being rational
or having the ability to think rationally is a skill that everyone should fine-tune in life. I
will practice attempting to stop my thoughts from getting carried away and not drawing
conclusions without knowing all of the facts of a situation first.
Ego defenses is a barrier that I most struggle with. I tend to get defensive easily
and not necessarily out loud in conversation. My mind often goes in circles and tries to
rationalize why someone may have the opinion they do about me or something I have
done. I am typically passive aggressive and do not usually blurt out how I am feeling or
thinking to someone. I usually will let them know by an expression on my face or by just
being quiet in their presence. I dislike conflict so these are my coping mechanisms
when it comes to ego defenses.
Self-concept is yet another obstacle that I struggle with. I perceive myself more
negatively than others do I feel. I tend to be unsure of myself and self-conscious of my
own ideas and thoughts. This is a barrier as it inhibits my confidence in myself to think
critically. If I were to practice being a little more self-confident, I would have more faith in
my ability to think intelligently. With my negative self-concept, I can easily fall victim to
the ego defenses all over again. I need to get better at practicing self-confidence and
stop being defensive in my thinking in order to learn and grow in to becoming a strong
critical thinker.

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CRITICAL THINKING BARRIERS

References
Goldschmidt, V. (2013, August 9). Overview of Critical Thinking Skills. Retrieved from
http://www.adea.org/adeacci/Resources/Critical-Thinking-SkillsToolkit/Pages/Overview-of-Critical-Thinking-Skills.aspx
Wilson, J. (2013, December 5). 6 Critical Thinking Skills and How You Can Avoid Them.
Retrieved from http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/6-communication-barriers/