TY - JOUR

T1 - The Role and Sources of Individual Differences in Critical-Analytic Thinking

T2 - a Capsule Overview

AU - Bolger, Donald J.

AU - Mackey, Allyson P.

AU - Wang, Min

AU - Григоренко, Елена Леонидовна

PY - 2014/11/22

Y1 - 2014/11/22

N2 - Critical-analytic thinking is typically conceived as a meta-construct that arises at the junction of a problem state (i.e., a situation that requires analysis that challenges previous assumptions) and an individual (i.e., an entity with the capacity to exercise critical-analytic thinking). With regard to the latter, there is a substantial body of research focusing on developmental and educational prerequisites for critical-analytic thinking. A less studied aspect of critical-analytic thinking pertains to individual differences, particularly in the set of foundational or componential cognitive skills that embody this construct. The bottom line here is whether, all else being equal (i.e., the same situation and the same developmental/educational stage), there is variation in whether, when, and how people think critically/analytically. We argue that there is unequivocal evidence for both the existence and importance of individual differences in critical-analytic thinking. This review focuses on theoretical and empirical evidence, identifying the cognitive processes that serve as the sources of these individual differences and capturing these processes’ differential contributions to both the critical and analytic components of this construct.

AB - Critical-analytic thinking is typically conceived as a meta-construct that arises at the junction of a problem state (i.e., a situation that requires analysis that challenges previous assumptions) and an individual (i.e., an entity with the capacity to exercise critical-analytic thinking). With regard to the latter, there is a substantial body of research focusing on developmental and educational prerequisites for critical-analytic thinking. A less studied aspect of critical-analytic thinking pertains to individual differences, particularly in the set of foundational or componential cognitive skills that embody this construct. The bottom line here is whether, all else being equal (i.e., the same situation and the same developmental/educational stage), there is variation in whether, when, and how people think critically/analytically. We argue that there is unequivocal evidence for both the existence and importance of individual differences in critical-analytic thinking. This review focuses on theoretical and empirical evidence, identifying the cognitive processes that serve as the sources of these individual differences and capturing these processes’ differential contributions to both the critical and analytic components of this construct.

KW - Critical analytic thinking

KW - Environmental factors

KW - Executive function

KW - Fluid reasoning

KW - Genetic factors

KW - Neurocognitive mechanisms

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84911984697&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s10648-014-9279-x

DO - 10.1007/s10648-014-9279-x

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:84911984697

VL - 26

SP - 495

EP - 518

JO - Educational Psychology Review

JF - Educational Psychology Review

SN - 1040-726X

IS - 4

ER -