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Actively Open-Minded Thinking and Its Measurement

Authors :
Keith E. Stanovich
Maggie E. Toplak
Source :
Journal of Intelligence, Vol 11, Iss 2, p 27 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2023.

Abstract

Actively open-minded thinking (AOT) is measured by items that tap the willingness to consider alternative opinions, sensitivity to evidence contradictory to current beliefs, the willingness to postpone closure, and reflective thought. AOT scales are strong predictors of performance on heuristics and biases tasks and of the avoidance of reasoning traps such as superstitious thinking and belief in conspiracy theories. Nevertheless, AOT is most commonly measured with questionnaires rather than performance indicators. Questionnaire contamination becomes even more of a danger as the AOT concept is expanded into new areas such as the study of fake news, misinformation, ideology, and civic attitudes. We review our 25-year history of studying the AOT concept and developing our own AOT scale. We present a 13-item scale that both is brief and accommodates many previous criticisms and refinements. We include a discussion of why AOT scales are such good predictors of performance on heuristics and biases tasks. We conclude that it is because such scales tap important processes of cognitive decoupling and decontextualization that modernity increasingly requires. We conclude by discussing the paradox that although AOT scales are potent predictors of performance on most rational thinking tasks, they do not predict the avoidance of myside thinking, even though it is virtually the quintessence of the AOT concept.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20793200
Volume :
11
Issue :
2
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Journal of Intelligence
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.4a7a9ab059b745de8d231a49f6b3df13
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11020027