1. Critical Thinking Strategies (addendum to our “Toolbox”)
1. Reconceptualize Issues in Multiple Way
11. Challenge Conspiracy Theories
2. Beware of Wishful Thinking
12. Watch Out for Illusions of Control
3. Consider the Legitimacy of Authorities
13. Be Careful Not to Blame Victim
4. Seek Risky Tests, Not Weak Confirmation
14. Beware the Media Paradox
5. Don’t Be Mislead by Testimonials
15. Pay Attention to Base Rates
6. Keep in Touch with Reality
16. Accept Some Mistakes
7. Remember that Correlation does not Imply Causation
17. Take Advantage of the Power of Statistical Decision Making
8. Consider Both Positive and Negative Consequences of a Claim
18. Don’t Misinterpret Regression Toward the Mean
9. Formulate Multiple Working Hypotheses
19. Consider Both Costs and Benefits
10. Ask What Can Be Predicted
20. Practice Critical Thinking
Bring this Handout with you to Final

2. Second half of the class
First half of the class
Second half of the class
7 Guidelines to Critical Thinking
Conformity and Asch study
Rosenhan’s 1973 study “Being Sane in Insane Places”
Obedience and Milgram study
10 Characteristics of Pseudoscience
Power of the Situation and Prison Experiment
Patricia Burgess and the Intergenerational cult
Six Social Influence Tactics and Emotion
Paranormal – Psychics, ESP, Fortune Telling
Control and uncertainty
Faith Healing and Psychic Surgery
“The Secret”
6 Tools of Scientific Reasoning
Memory and Bias
Clever Hans
Post-hockery
Water Divining
Bible Code
Popular Media: Psychology Journals, Mass Media, You
Graphology
Media Paradox: Vividness and Availability
Hot Hand
Misleading Statistics and Research Methods
Hypnosis, memory, and age regression
Horoscopes
Self-help: Risks and Benefits
Framing Effects
Clinical versus Statistical Approach
Testimonials
Rorschach and TAT
Homeopathy
10 Competing Explanations for self-deception
UFO’s and Alien Abductions
Sleep Paralysis and Contamination Effect
Conspiracy theories: Moon landing, 9/11, Kennedy

3. Writing Exercise #7
Applying the 20 Strategies