This book provides a definitive guide to the value of reflective thinking in the modern world, showing how today’s most fundamental problems are, to an important degree, based on citizens’ thinking styles.

The authors highlight the importance of reflection by systematically revealing the causes underlying differences in people’s thinking styles and the consequences of thinking in different ways. These different ways of thinking contribute to socio-political views, and can result in misunderstandings of complex issues such as beliefs in conspiracy theories and fake news, anti-vaccine attitudes, and even fundamentalism and extremism. By training and strengthening reflective thinking in society, via education and other means, we can encourage individuals to challenge misinformation, and their own belief systems around controversial topics. The book also explores the idea that reflection is not enough on its own and examines the shortcomings of reflection and the other skills that complement it positively, especially holistic and systems thinking. In doing so, the authors highlight how implementing a solid, science-based understanding of key issues in education and society at large, can contribute to the solution of problems, from climate change to economic inequality.

By showing how we can put our reflective capacity to good use, alongside critically examining reflection in relation to modern problems experienced by humanity, this book is a fascinating reading for students, researchers, and academics in psychology, politics, and the broader social sciences.