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Critical thinking styles refer to various approaches people can have when applying their critical thinking skills to their decision-making processes. A sample list of thinking styles is: logical, emotional, creative, scientific, optimistic, pessimistic, convergent, divergent, deductive, inductive, open question, and closed question (University of Phoenix, 2009). The research paper will discuss the pessimistic, scientific, and inductive thinking styles. Further, a comparison and contrast between the three thinking styles will be discussed along with workplace examples that will highlight each style presented in the research paper.
In business, it is highly important for all business associates to be able to think critically. This allows for a multiple of positive outcomes to occur. One will find that when a well thought out decision has been made fellow associates are happier and usually the outcome of the particular situation at hand works for the better. While all associates should use critical thinking it is of utmost importance that managers or anyone making big decisions for a business be able to think critically. Not everyone in life is made from the same mold; therefore, one can find many different thinking styles in just one room at any time. Inductive, pessimistic, and scientific thinking are a few styles that will be discussed in this research paper.
A pessimist allows negative thoughts and expectations to interfere with his reasoning. Harry Truman, 33rd President of the United States contrasted the outlook of a pessimist against that of an optimist and described an optimist as one who makes opportunities out of his difficulties. Pessimistic thinking involves excessive criticism, selective attention or mental filters that encourage focus on perceived negatives. The pessimist is usually trying to do too many things and may occasionally miss deadlines or become frustrated, the response to disappointments may be denial of issues or elements in the environment, or blaming self and others.
Pessimistic thinking involves a sense of false permanence to a problem; in many cases, that thinking arises because the individual had a false sense or expectation of fairness. The expression “life is unfair” is popular with pessimists who engage in subjective thinking, instead of analyzing arguments and gauging issues against empirical evidence. This description differs from critical thinking where the thinker engages logical reasoning. Pessimistic thinking, as a dominant thinking style is not preferred as a negative outlook tends to be associated with low productivity, depression and low morale.
A pessimistic team leader can adversely influence the behavior of his team members. There are situations where pessimistic thinking can serve as a control measure for optimists and there are situations where pessimism would be beneficial. In today’s challenged times, overly optimistic thinkers would do well to interact with pessimists, whose ideas can safeguard them from making high risk investments.
Science covers a remarkable role in today’s culture. Understanding its methodology, assumptions, and limitations is crucial in order to be able to think more critically regarding the scientific world (Kirby & Goodpaster, 2007). Scientific thinking correlates to the scientific method by using a model to test a hypothesis; a model is “an approximate or simplified representation or simulation of a system being studied” (Miller, G., 2005, p.33). “Asking” is the step that initiates the scientific method. Observation is the foundation of this step. Daily, people ask questions and identify problems that they do not have an answer for by simply looking around. Once they have identified the problem, collecting data and conducting experiments are the following steps of the process.
Two other important steps are represented by explaining the data and constructing a hypothesis. When people construct a hypothesis they predict a possible solution basing their predictions on the knowledge and experiences already acquired. Before they come to a conclusion, predictions need to be tested several times as they need to verify that results can be replicated. Finally, sharing results with others helps to see their work from different perspectives which can lead to further experiments and likely to new findings (Miller, 2007).
Inductive Thinking Style
Inductive thinking can form probable or even likely conclusions by using observations about some members of a group or some circumstances. Using these observations the inductive thinker forms conclusions about other members of the same group or other circumstances (Kirby & Goodpaster, 2007). An example of inductive thinking is assuming that turning a key in a car’s ignition will start the car’s motor. This is assumed due to the previous hundreds or thousands of successful occurrences. This conclusion is probable and even likely but not absolute. If the lights were left on in the car overnight and the battery was depleted, then the car might not start when the key is turned in the ignition. Other possibilities while unlikely are possible that could prevent the car from starting when the key is turned.
While the premise that the car’s motor will start upon turning the key in the ignition due to the previous successes may be a true premise; the moment the car’s motor does not start when the key is turned in the ignition makes the conclusion false. The central weakness of inductive thinking is that even with a true premise, inductive thinking is based on probability, not certainty (Kirby & Goodpaster, 2007). Despite this weakness inductive thinking using repeatable and accurate observations are still of value with the understanding that conclusions of inductive thinking may be both probable and likely but not absolutely certain.
The different critical thinking styles critiqued above have few similarities and bigger differences. The pessimistic thinker can be related to the inductive thinker in that inductive thinking can sometimes be considered pessimistic. Jumping to conclusions using inductive thinking can be positive but it can also lead to false pretenses and in that way be related to pessimistic thinking. An example would be hiring three employees of the same sex. Those three employees do not work out; a conclusion could be reached that all employees of that sex will not work out. Using inductive thinking can lead to pessimistic thinking if analyzed incorrectly. If shortcuts are taken in the scientific thinking method, then it could lead to inductive or pessimistic thinking. Scientific thinking if used in the correct manner should not lead to pessimistic or inductive thinking.
Using pessimistic, inductive, or scientific thinking in the workplace can lead to positive or negative results. Pessimistic thinking in most work-related instances is not the correct way to go. Most corporations are optimistic in spite of today’s economic issues. Pessimistic thinking will not be tolerated when stockholders want to see continuous improvement. Inductive thinking can be used in many instances as long as the instance is a constant. For example, when working for the food service industry, one always has to be friendly to the customers; therefore, not being friendly to the customers can lead to job loss.
An inductive thinking conclusion can be made that not being friendly to the customers will lead to job loss. Of the critical thinking styles critiqued the scientific method translates to business the most positively. Using the scientific method to break down and analyze a reoccurring problem will help to find the solution to that problem. Once the scientific method of critical thinking is followed, including sharing of the data with peers, then the “team” can take this information and apply it to help better the success of the “team”. For example, one manager can develop a solution to slow sales in an area because he used scientific thinking to come up with the solution, implemented it and had sales growth because of it. He shares it with his peers and they implement it and the entire area has sales growth.
It is positive for any organization to have a group of like-minded people who can also think independently. As mentioned earlier, it is quite possible and even likely to find a variety of thinking styles in one room. As the reader had been shown today, there is an extensive range of thinking styles which have positive and negative aspects. The key in business is finding out exactly what thinking style one uses the most or what works best for him or her. Another possibility is using multiple thinking styles. The manager of a major corporation may be an inductive thinker as well as a scientific thinker, meaning they will form a conclusion based on the fact that a particular outcome is suppose to happen a certain way or has occurred a certain way in the past. However, this person will also stop to take the time to do the research by asking, observing, collecting data and conducting experiments. As a decision maker, the most important objective is to ensure that decisions made will work for the company and associates. Knowing the style and using it well will allow for a long list of exceptional decisions!
Kirby, G.R. and Goodpaster, J.R. (2007). Thinking (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education
Miller G.T. (2005). Living in the environment-principles, connections, and solutions.
Australia:Thomson Learning.
University of Phoenix (2009). MGT350 Syllabus. Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/
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