Deciding What to Believe or Deciding What to Do? An Empirical Investigation of the Folk Conception of Critical Thinking
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 20142589 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Céline Schöpfer (0000-0001-5111-9245, Philosophy Department and Swiss Center for Affective Sciences (CISA) University of Geneva Geneva Switzerland, corresponding author), Julia Ghaliounghi (0009-0005-3044-5849, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, UNI MAIL University of Geneva Geneva Switzerland), Florian Cova (0000-0001-9360-8290, Philosophy Department and Swiss Center for Affective Sciences (CISA) University of Geneva Geneva Switzerland) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-24 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Theoria (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0040-5825 • E-ISSN: 1755-2567 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/theo.70095 |
| OpenAlex | W7162295124 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 21 |
This study investigates how the expression ‘critical thinking’ (CT) is understood and used by the general public in the United States, using the tools of experimental philosophy. Based on responses from 288 non‐philosopher participants, our findings suggest that CT is commonly associated with problem solving, decision making and logical analysis. This folk conception aligns more closely with psychological definitions than with philosophical accounts of CT. When compared with results from a parallel study conducted among French‐speaking participants, notable cultural differences emerged, particularly regarding the emphasis placed on scepticism and metacognition. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that conceptual issues long identified in the academic literature—such as the conflation of CT with other notions (e.g., intelligence or rationality), and the reduction of CT to a single component—are also prevalent in lay conceptions. These findings underscore the need for a more coherent conceptual framework and for increased attention to the ways in which CT is understood and appropriated outside academic contexts
Conceptual framework · Conflation · Empirical research · Expression (computer science) · Logical reasoning · Skepticism · Communication in Education and Healthcare · Education and Critical Thinking Development · Educational Strategies and Epistemologies
How we think.
Conceptualizing critical thinking
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To Define or Not to Define
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Conceptions and Practices of Critical Thinking in Chinese Schools
Defining higher order thinking
| Highly cited | No |
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