How To Ask Questions That Prompt Critical Thinking
Summary
TLDRThe video script addresses the critical thinking deficit in our society, where people often make judgments without thorough research. It introduces strategies to foster critical thinking through questioning, highlighting Brandon Stanton's 'spiraling down' technique from Humans of New York. This method encourages deeper conversations by gradually focusing on more specific details. Additionally, the script advises replacing 'why' with 'how' or 'what' to promote open-ended thinking and storytelling, rather than justification. The goal is to enhance critical thinking and counter the current deficit.
Takeaways
- š We are living in an 'international critical thinking deficit' where people often make decisions without thorough research or deep thought.
- š£ļø The video aims to explore how to ask questions that promote critical thinking, which is essential for better decision-making and understanding.
- šø Brandon Stanton, the founder of Humans Of New York, uses a 'spiraling down' technique in conversations to delve deeper into people's stories and thoughts.
- š The 'spiraling down' technique involves starting with general questions and progressively asking more specific ones to reach the core of a narrative.
- š Stanton's approach to storytelling through photography and conversation is a practical tool for engaging in meaningful dialogues.
- š¤ The concept of 'specificity is the soul of narrative' is highlighted, emphasizing that the more specific a question, the richer the narrative and understanding.
- š The Socratic method of inquiry through questions is mentioned as a way to encourage critical thinking and open-minded exploration of ideas.
- š« The video suggests avoiding 'why' questions in favor of 'how' or 'what' to prevent people from rationalizing and to keep their minds open to new ideas.
- š” The '5 whys' technique is introduced as a method for promoting design thinking, but the video recommends using 'how' and 'what' for critical thinking to avoid defensive reactions.
- š The video concludes with an invitation to use the spiraling technique and 'how' or 'what' questions to counter the critical thinking deficit and foster deeper understanding.
Q & A
What is the main issue discussed in the script?
-The main issue discussed is the critical thinking deficit in society, where people often make judgments and decisions without thoroughly researching information.
What is the purpose of the video mentioned in the script?
-The purpose of the video is to explore how to ask questions that promote critical thinking and to share strategies for doing so.
Who is Brandon Stanton and what is his connection to the topic?
-Brandon Stanton is the founder of Humans Of New York, a project that collects and shares stories of people through photography and quotes. His technique of 'spiraling down' in conversation is highlighted as a method to promote critical thinking.
What does the term 'spiraling down' refer to in the context of the script?
-In the context of the script, 'spiraling down' refers to a conversation technique where one starts with general questions and gradually becomes more specific, similar to the shape of a spiral, to delve deeper into a subject.
How does the 'spiraling down' technique help in promoting critical thinking?
-The 'spiraling down' technique helps promote critical thinking by allowing for a natural progression from general to specific questions, which encourages deeper exploration of topics and personal reflection.
What is the significance of specificity in storytelling and critical thinking as mentioned in the script?
-Specificity is crucial in storytelling and critical thinking because it allows for a more detailed and meaningful exploration of ideas, leading to richer narratives and more profound understanding.
What is the '5 whys' technique and how is it related to critical thinking?
-The '5 whys' technique is a method of asking 'why' five times to reach the root cause of a problem or issue. It is related to critical thinking as it encourages deeper analysis and understanding.
Why does the script suggest avoiding 'why' questions in favor of 'how' or 'what'?
-The script suggests avoiding 'why' questions because they can lead to rationalization and justification, which may not promote open critical thinking. 'How' and 'what' questions are more open-ended and encourage exploration without the need for immediate justification.
What is the 'broaden and build theory' mentioned in the script?
-The 'broaden and build theory' is a concept from positive psychology that suggests positive emotions can broaden our thinking and build our cognitive resources, allowing us to be more open to new ideas and experiences.
How can the techniques discussed in the script help offset the critical thinking deficit?
-By applying the 'spiraling down' technique and asking open-ended 'how' or 'what' questions, individuals can engage in more thoughtful and in-depth conversations, which can help stimulate and develop critical thinking skills.
Who is Chad Littlefield and what is his role in the script?
-Chad Littlefield is the speaker in the script, sharing insights and strategies on how to promote critical thinking through questioning techniques.
Outlines
š¤ Fostering Critical Thinking Through Conversation
The paragraph discusses the prevalence of a critical thinking deficit in society, where people often make decisions without thorough research or deep thought. The speaker introduces a strategy from Brandon Stanton, founder of Humans Of New York, which involves 'spiraling down' in conversation to delve deeper into topics and provoke critical thinking. This technique is likened to Socratic inquiry, where questions lead to more specific and insightful discussions, allowing for a richer narrative and understanding. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of specificity in storytelling and critical thinking, suggesting that following a curiosity path can lead to a more profound exploration of ideas.
š The Power of 'How' and 'What' Questions
In this paragraph, the speaker argues against using 'why' questions to promote critical thinking, as they can lead to rationalization and justification rather than open exploration. Instead, the speaker suggests replacing 'why' with 'how' and 'what' to encourage more expansive and less defensive responses. This approach is linked to Barbara Fredrickson's broaden and build theory from positive psychology, which posits that open questions can help brains remain open to new ideas. The speaker encourages the use of Brandon Stanton's spiraling technique in conjunction with 'how' and 'what' questions to foster critical thinking and counteract the critical thinking deficit.
Mindmap
Keywords
š”Critical Thinking
š”Spiral Down Technique
š”Humans of New York
š”Socratic Inquiry
š”Specificity
š”Curiosity Path
š”5 Whys
š”Rationalization
š”Broaden and Build Theory
š”Justification
Highlights
We are living in an international critical thinking deficit, where people quickly form conclusions without thorough research.
The video aims to unpack how to ask questions that promote critical thinking.
Brandon Stanton's strategy from Humans Of New York is introduced as a brilliant method for promoting critical thinking.
Stanton's technique involves 'spiraling down' in conversation to reach deep, meaningful stories.
The importance of specificity in storytelling and critical thinking is emphasized.
The concept of following one curiosity path to promote critical thinking is discussed.
The idea that specificity is the soul of narrative is introduced as a key to deep storytelling.
The '5 whys' technique is mentioned, but the speaker suggests an alternative approach.
The speaker advises to 'drop the why' and instead start questions with 'how' or 'what' to promote critical thinking.
Why questions can make people defensive, whereas how or what questions open up the mind for critical thinking.
Barbara Fredrickson's broaden and build theory in positive psychology is referenced to explain the importance of an open mind for critical thinking.
The invitation to combine Stanton's spiraling technique with how or what questions is presented as a method to offset the critical thinking deficit.
The video concludes with an invitation to practice these techniques for promoting critical thinking.
The speaker, Chad Littlefield, signs off with a positive note, encouraging viewers to have an awesome day.
Transcripts
I believe and I've seen some bumper stickersĀ that would back up the idea and the factĀ Ā
that we are living in an internationalĀ critical thinking deficit, right? LiveĀ Ā
in this world where people come to conclusionsĀ so quickly don't really research information allĀ Ā
that much. They take something at face valueĀ and they run with it and make decisions orĀ Ā
maybe even worse judgments or start yelling atĀ people because of it. And so, in this video,Ā Ā
we're going to unpack how do you askĀ questions that promote critical thinking.Ā Ā
And I'm going to be sharing one really brilliantĀ strategy that I learned from Brandon Stanton,Ā Ā
the founder of Humans Of New York, if you'reĀ familiar with that. And the second strategy,Ā Ā
I'm going to share one of my absolute favorite,Ā I think one of the coolest practical tools in MeĀ Ā
and Will's book called Ask Powerful QuestionsĀ Create Conversations that matter. The onlyĀ Ā
kind of fluff I like is marshmallowy andĀ sits on a sandwich. Let's get into it.Ā Ā
So, hearing Brandon Stanton uh speak one time. AndĀ so, if you're not familiar with the Humans of NewĀ Ā
York, by the way, he basically set out originally,Ā set out to do portrait photography of 10,000Ā Ā
people in new york city to create this libraryĀ of stories. And so, he very simply used to... IĀ Ā
haven't followed him in the last like handful ofĀ months. But he used to post a picture with justĀ Ā
a quote from that story. Now, the quote would beĀ usually phenomenal. It would just breathe so muchĀ Ā
like depth and humanity into that 2-dimensionalĀ image that he shared. The technique of how heĀ Ā
got there, right? Because you don't just walk upĀ to somebody on the street and say, "Can I takeĀ Ā
your picture and can you share this really intenseĀ beautiful quote with me so I can put it in my postĀ Ā
today?"Right? You've got to actually get to thereĀ in conversation. And you've got to ask questionsĀ Ā
that promote really critical thought about thingsĀ that potentially people have never shared out loudĀ Ā
before that they've never thought deeply about.Ā And his technique that he shared, he used theĀ Ā
image of a spiral. So, he talked about spiralingĀ down in conversation. So, going from, "Hey,Ā Ā
how are you doing?" to eventually a story aboutĀ their grandmother on a chair when they were 5,Ā Ā
that really transformed their life,Ā right? So, how do you go from here toĀ Ā
here? And he used the idea of a spiral you kindĀ of just get deeper and deeper and deeper. ButĀ Ā
you might go around, right? So, it's you're not...Ā Oh, you're not just like drilling straight downĀ Ā
because that feels very invasive. And so, toĀ keep the conversation natural, you're kind ofĀ Ā
spiraling down. And I love that idea in terms ofĀ promoting critical thinking. You know, if you'reĀ Ā
familiar with the idea of socratic inquiry.Ā Like teaching through questions. When you'reĀ Ā
spiraling down in conversation, you start to getĀ more specific too. So, you start really generalĀ Ā
and you get more specific and more specific andĀ more specific. And one of my favorite quotes orĀ Ā
ideas on the planet who I have no idea who saidĀ it. I can't find it on Google. If you can, shareĀ Ā
it in the comments and I'll like buy you a car orĀ something. Not going to happen. But I would reallyĀ Ā
love to know. But it's this idea that specificityĀ is the soul of narrative. I love that concept. TheĀ Ā
more specific we get, the more to the heart ofĀ story we get. And the more that we're talkingĀ Ā
and like generalities appear, the less usefulĀ that is. The same is true for critical thinking.Ā Ā
When you're thinking about... If you want toĀ critically think about something contentiousĀ Ā
like the death penalty, for example. You couldĀ be thinking about this at a very surface level.Ā Ā
But then the more specific you get intoĀ specific cases, right? And instances, that'sĀ Ā
where story and narrative starts to really comeĀ to life and you start to be like, "Wow, I don'tĀ Ā
I don't know what I think anymore", right? AndĀ that critical thinking starts to show up. And so,Ā Ā
my language for Brandon's spiraling technique isĀ to follow one curiosity path, one thread and keepĀ Ā
bouncing to that thread. Wherever it takes you.Ā So, if you spun a globe and picked a random spot,Ā Ā
the island of newfoundland and you then zoomed inĀ a little bit further to a park in the island ofĀ Ā
Newfoundland, and then you zoomed in a little bitĀ further and you found there was a dog park insideĀ Ā
that park. Then you zoomed in a little bit furtherĀ and you found a dog and it's owner. And you foundĀ Ā
out their name and you found out the type of dogĀ and you found out how they came together and...Ā Ā
Those are stories. But when I'm telling youĀ about the island of Newfoundland, I'm all of aĀ Ā
sudden a Wikipedia article, right? So, that's moreĀ specific you get... So, you follow that curiosityĀ Ā
path by just kind of Zooming in further. Now,Ā the thing the cool thing with curiosity is itĀ Ā
doesn't work like a drill like zooming into theĀ island of Newfoundland, you might actually findĀ Ā
that as you're going to the island ofĀ Newfoundland, you learn about NewfoundlandĀ Ā
dogs. And then you're like, "Oh, wait. They wereĀ created over here." And now you've got anotherĀ Ā
curiosity path. So following that path down. TheĀ next tool I'm going to share with you is going toĀ Ā
help you do that in a really practical wayĀ with one very simple word. And that wordĀ Ā
is "Why". You might have heard of the uh thisĀ technique or this idea of the 5 whys before.Ā Ā
It's a cool concept to promote design thinking,Ā right? You ask, why are you doing something. AndĀ Ā
then you ask why are you doing that and then whyĀ are you doing that? You ask that five layers downĀ Ā
until you get to the core or the heart. Now,Ā that's cool if you're talking about ideas. ButĀ Ā
if you're trying to promote critical thinkingĀ in people, the way that I would use this oneĀ Ā
word is by deleting it out of your vocabulary.Ā It's by saying drop the why. Because when I askĀ Ā
questions that begin with why they force peopleĀ to rationalize and justify which... I can'tĀ Ā
put this back together. But that could promoteĀ critical thinking. But it's going to be way betterĀ Ā
if you want to promote critical thinking toĀ start your questions with either how or what.Ā Ā
Those questions allow people to really expand andĀ answer in a way that doesn't require justificationĀ Ā
and rationalization. Because in order forĀ critical thinking to actually happen, our brainsĀ Ā
have to be open. Barbara Fredrickson talksĀ about the broaden and build theory and positiveĀ Ā
psychology --that when good things happen, ourĀ brains actually open up to new ideas. WhereasĀ Ā
when we're worried about how we're going to payĀ rent and we don't know what's going to happenĀ Ā
next month and we're worried for our safety, weĀ close our brains in so much. And so why questionsĀ Ā
can do this. They can make people put upĀ this barrier to try to protect some levelĀ Ā
of safety because it's kind of prying for thatĀ justification. When you ask questions that beginĀ Ā
with how or what, typically, those tend to be moreĀ open questions, they invite story. They inviteĀ Ā
explanations, they're longer answers, they're notĀ closed questions that close down responses. So,Ā Ā
my invitation to you is combine Brandon Stanton'sĀ spiraling technique of following a curiosity pathĀ Ā
by asking questions that begin with how or whatĀ over and over and over and over again untilĀ Ā
critical thinking happens. And perhaps, you canĀ offset the critical thinking deficit that existsĀ Ā
right now on planet earth. I'm ChadĀ Littlefield. Have an awesome day.
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