Thinking and Decision Making

Thinking and Decision Making

In the following essay three different types of thinking styles will be analyzed. The three thinking types will be compared and contrasted, as well as applied to affects they have in the critical thinking process. Finally, critical thinking will be applied to the decision making process by using workplace examples.

The first thinking style is emotional thinking. The emotional thinking style is probably one of the most familiar of the thinking styles. It would be hard to find a person who could deny making decisions based on emotions and later regretting them. Unlike any other thinking style, emotional thinking can be construed as dangerous because it clouds the mind of effective reasoning and determining of the facts in the given situation. For example, while visiting a local retail store it was hard not to notice that a lady was yelling at a sales representative. The lady was upset, and for good reason, because her car was stolen and her purse was taken too. The situation was the sales representative needed to see the ladies license to be able to accept a check payment and the lady was unable to produce one. Instead of thinking rationally the lady began to verbally attack the sales person, yelling “I hope your car gets stolen”. In this given situation it was apparent that frustration and anger was clouding the women’s ability to re-think the situation and either come up with an alternate solution or accept her fate. The lady was verbally attacking the sales clerk, by making the issue personal, even though the clerk was simply doing her job. Emotional thinking can get the best of any sane or rational being because it manipulates a person’s perception of a situation. In addition, emotional thinking is a thinking style that is a personal barrier because it causes a person to make harsh, irrational, and unrealistic decisions on a split second notice.

The second type of thinking style is logical thinking. According to the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, logic is “the science of the formal principles of reasoning” (Page 732). In the logical style of thinking, one takes the elements of critical thinking and filters it through logic to arrive at a conclusion that is clear, accurate, relevant, significant, and logical. It ensures all applicable information is considered in the reasoning process to arrive at a sound conclusion, a conclusion that is framed by purpose.

The reasoning process is initiated by its purpose. It provides the reason why we critically evaluate an idea or situation. It guides critical thought in addressing the questions of clarity, accuracy, relevance, significance, and fairness (Critical Thinking page 99). Knowing why we are critically thinking about something, it follows that the questions to be answered, as well as the data being evaluated be as clear and accurate as possible; Defined and accurate inputs are critical to the process. The inputs are then evaluated for relevance and significance. Data must be pertinent to the matter being considered, and provide sufficient support for the position. If the data does not support the position, then one must be open minded and be willing