FAST Critical Thinking and Decision Making

Question 1

A manager receives two reports: Report A shows that 80% of employees prefer remote work, while Report B shows that productivity dropped 15% after remote work was introduced.
What is the most critical thinking error if the manager concludes 'Remote work is bad because productivity dropped'?

Accepted Answer

Assuming causation from correlation without ruling out other factors

Answer

Ignoring the correlation between employee preference and retention

Answer

Failing to calculate the statistical significance of the data

Answer

Not interviewing employees about their remote work experience

Question 2

Which of the following best describes a 'false dilemma' fallacy?

Accepted Answer

Presenting only two options as if they are the only possibilities when more exist

Answer

Drawing a conclusion based on a small and unrepresentative sample

Answer

Attacking the person making an argument rather than the argument itself

Answer

Assuming that what is true of the whole is true of its parts

Question 3

An analyst notices that ice cream sales and drowning incidents both increase in summer. She concludes that eating ice cream causes drowning. Which critical thinking principle does this violate most directly?

Accepted Answer

The distinction between correlation and causation

Answer

The principle of parsimony

Answer

The law of non-contradiction

Answer

The principle of falsifiability

Question 4

When evaluating a source of information, which factor is MOST important for determining its credibility?

Accepted Answer

The source provides verifiable evidence and cites primary references

Answer

The source has a large online following

Answer

The source's conclusions align with widely held beliefs

Answer

The source uses confident and authoritative language

Question 5

A company's sales increased 40% after a new CEO was hired. A board member concludes the CEO is responsible for the improvement. What type of reasoning error is this?

Accepted Answer

Post hoc ergo propter hoc (after this, therefore because of this)

Answer

Slippery slope fallacy

Answer

Straw man fallacy

Answer

Appeal to authority

Question 6

In decision-making under uncertainty, what does 'expected value' help a decision-maker assess?

Accepted Answer

The probability-weighted average of all possible outcomes

Answer

The most likely single outcome of a decision

Answer

The minimum guaranteed return of a strategy

Answer

The outcome that occurs most frequently in historical data

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of 'confirmation bias' in professional decision making?

Accepted Answer

An investor only reads articles that support their existing stock picks

Answer

A doctor orders additional tests to rule out every possible diagnosis

Answer

A researcher changes their hypothesis after reviewing contradictory data

Answer

A manager surveys all employees before implementing a new policy