Critical Thinking Flashcards
7 cards from real UDEE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Critical Thinking flashcards as text
A defense attorney argues: 'My client cannot be the thief because honest people don't steal.' This argument is flawed because:
Answer: Thieves can appear honest, making the premise unfalsifiable as applied
The argument is circular — it assumes the client is honest without evidence, then uses that assumption to disprove the charge.
Which of the following best describes 'confirmation bias' in the context of law enforcement?
Answer: Seeking only evidence that supports a pre-existing theory while ignoring contradicting evidence
Confirmation bias leads investigators to selectively gather and interpret evidence in ways that validate their initial suspicion.
An officer reads: 'In cities where officers wear body cameras, complaints against police dropped by 30%.' Which conclusion is best supported?
Answer: There is an association between body camera use and fewer complaints, but causation is not established
Statistical correlations establish association, not causation; other factors may explain the decline in complaints.
A suspect says: 'I was home all night.' An alibi witness confirms this. The officer should:
Answer: Verify the alibi with additional independent evidence before excluding the suspect
Alibi witnesses may be biased or mistaken; corroborating evidence such as electronic records or neutral witnesses strengthens reliability.
Which type of reasoning is used when an officer draws a general conclusion from multiple specific incidents?
Answer: Inductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning builds general conclusions from specific observations, though those conclusions are probabilistic rather than certain.
An officer is told: 'All of the suspects in this case have prior records.' She then assumes all people with prior records are suspects in this case. This error is known as:
Answer: Affirming the consequent (converse error)
Affirming the consequent incorrectly reverses a conditional statement — 'all A are B' does not mean 'all B are A.'
Which approach best demonstrates critical evaluation of a witness account?
Answer: Assessing the account against physical evidence, lighting conditions, and witness vantage point
Critical evaluation requires cross-referencing testimonial evidence with physical and environmental factors that affect reliability.