Frame of Reference
Linda Banh
Gedetch Brown
Lisa Catlett
Nau 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
Quiz
1. 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.
Answers
1. 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