Published Papers - Michita Yasushi

Diversity and a fundamental image of the major concepts of critical thinking

MICHITA Yasushi

JAPANESE PSYCHOLOGICAL REVIEW ( JAPANESE PSYCHOLOGICAL REVIEW )  46 ( 4 ) 617 - 639   2003 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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This review article was to identify and define the concepts of critical thinking so that they could be used adequately in empirical studies conducted in the fields related to psychology. Among various definition models, a focus was given to the seven most-quoted researchers in social science literature. After reviewing these researchers' concepts, the differences among the major concepts were clarified by highlighting additional aspects of a logicist perspective, the most conservative and narrow definition of critical thinking. In broader definitions, four aspects were included such as:(1)Creativity,(2)empathy and care,(3)domain specificity, and(4)emphasis on disposition, process, or activity. The latter part of analyses was carried out taking into consideration four aspects of critical thinking concepts:targets, characteristics, skills, and dispositions. Through these analyses a fundamental image of critical thinking was clarified. The results of the review were discussed focusing on discrepancies among the concepts of critical thinking that were often seen in empirical studies in fields related to psychology.

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Critical Thinking of University Students in Reading Non-Academic Materials : Attitude and Ability Differences in Relation to Academic Level and Major

MICHITA YASUSHI

The Japanese journal of educational psychology.   49 ( 1 ) 41 - 49   2001.03 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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The purposes of the present study were to examine the extent to which university students show critical thinking abilities and attitudes in reading non-academic materials, and to explore the possible correlation with academic level (freshman vs. senior) and major (scientific vs. non-scientific). 80 university students read 3 materials containing fallacious before-and-after arguments, and were asked to provide their comments and/or opinions. The data were used to determine their critical thinking attitudes. The students then commented again on the same materials after being instructed to point out any logical problems with them; the results were analyzed to infer their critical thinking abilities. The results showed that (1) 88 of the 240 answers (36.7%) were categorized as displaying critical thinking abilities; (2) in the condition with no instruction to think critically, only a few (22.7%) of the 88 responses showed ciritical thinking attitudes; and (3) no consistent effects of academic level or major were discovered. The results suggest that the majority of the students did not read these non-academic materials from a logical point of view, but rather read them from a viewpoint of plausibility, or of what the students believed. These results should be considered by educators whose goal is to develop university students' critical thinking abilities and attitudes.

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Critical Thinking of University Students in Reading Non-Academic Materials

MICHITA YASUSHI

The Japanese Journal of Educational Psychology ( The Japanese Association of Educational Psychology )  49 ( 1 ) 41 - 49   2001

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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The purposes of the present study were to examine the extent to which university students show critical thinking abilities and attitudes in reading non-academic materials, and to explore the possible correlation with academic level (freshman vs. senior) and major (scientific vs. non-scientific). 80 university students read 3 materials containing fallacious before-and-after arguments, and were asked to provide their comments and/or opinions. The data were used to determine their critical thinking attitudes. The students then commented again on the same materials after being instructed to point out any logical problems with them; the results were analyzed to infer their critical thinking abilities. The results showed that (1) 88 of the 240 answers (36.7%) were categorized as displaying critical thinking abilities; (2) in the condition with no instruction to think critically, only a few (22.7%) of the 88 responses showed ciritical thinking attitudes; and (3) no consistent effects of academic level or major were discovered. The results suggest that the majority of the students did not read these non-academic materials from a logical point of view, but rather read them from a viewpoint of plausibility, or of what the students believed. These results should be considered by educators whose goal is to develop university students' critical thinking abilities and attitudes.

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Some Suggestions from Critical Thinking Study to Media Literacy

Michita Yasushi

Computer & Education ( CIEC )  9 ( 0 ) 54 - 59   2000

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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This article gives an outline of the concept "critical thinking" and introduces the auther's practice which develops students' critical thinking attitude using questionnaire technique. Seen from students' self-evaluation, they almost could develop an attitude to examine infomation of the course or textbook. But some students had an attitude that they should obey teacher's words. It is suggested that we must educate students with the recognition that such frame of recognition is difficult to change. The relation between media literacy and critical thinking is also discussed.

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