Frame of Reference

Linda BanhGedetch Brown

Lisa CatlettNau Moreno

Frame of reference as a barrier to critical thinking

• Limits amount of knowledge needed to make a reasoned judgement

• Decisions are made before all aspects of the situation are clear and represented

• Beliefs are not thoroughly researched

What is Frame of Reference?

•Belief Structure•Perception of the World•Communication Mediums

What do you think of:

• CSUF

• Good Friday

• Police Officers

Part of a picture only tells part of the story

• Expand your scope of vision

• Get the “behind the scenes detail”

• Realize what makes up the whole story may be unseen or untouchable

What you see is not always

what you get

Examples of frame of reference

• The way we were raised • Our geographic location• Religion• Education• Culture• Our perspective of the world• Media

Ways to Alleviate A Limited Frame of Reference

• Your world is not the only world• Curiosity: Continually seek knowledge• Willingness to listen and understand others• Place yourself in someone else’s shoes• Understand that nobody knows everything• Recognize that life is a learning process• Attempt to answer your own questions by research• Do not assume anything you don’t understand

Summary

• Frame of reference is the way a person perceives the world and their surroundings

• Frame of reference comes from: parents, teachers, experiences, culture, education, and the media

• A limited frame of reference is a barrier to critical thinking

• It is important to increase one’s frame of reference in order to be a successful critical thinker

Summary

• Steps to alleviating a limited frame of reference

•recognize that frame of reference exists

•continue to evaluate our beliefs by acquiring new information

Quiz1. What is a frame of reference?

2. Is it good to limit our frame of reference?

3. What does one’s frame of reference consist of (name 3 examples)?

4. Should we increase or decrease one’s frame of reference in order to be a critical thinker?

5. Name 2 steps in alleviating this obstacle to critical thinking.

Bonus: True or False

By experiencing life with curiosity and expanding our palate of knowledge, our frame of reference will enlarge.

Answers1. The way a person perceives the world and their

surroundings

2. No, it does not allow us to draw a reasoned judgement.

3. Teachers, Parents, Education, Media, Culture, Experiences, Geographic location

4. Increase

5. Recognize that Frame of Reference exists

and Continue to evaluate your beliefs by research

Bonus: True

The End

Thank you for your time and cooperation