Black-and-White Thinking

Tommy sees his friends' drawings as either the best ever or the worst. What kind of thinking is this an example of?

• Looking at drawings from different angles and appreciating all of them

• Seeing every drawing as either completely amazing or not good at all

• Thinking about the drawings in a very detailed and complex way

• Only paying attention to the colors in the drawings

Which of the following is an example of black-and-white thinking?

• Understanding that a friend can be both fun to play with and annoying at times

• Believing a classmate is either super smart or not smart at all, with no in-between

• Accepting that there are many ways to solve a math problem

• Seeing the good and bad sides of trading lunch items with friends

How does seeing things as just good or bad affect choosing a team in a game?

• It helps in picking teams faster

• It leads to more fun game ideas

• It can cause one to miss out on the strengths of different players

• It encourages teamwork with potential teammates

Imagine you're working on a group project in class and everyone has different ideas. What is a good way to make sure everyone works together happily without thinking there's only one right answer?

• Don't listen to what others have to say

• Only talk about the good things and ignore problems

• Try to understand everyone's ideas and find a common solution

• Decide what to do without wasting time talking

Why is it helpful for team leaders in a game to think flexibly when the rules change?

• It makes the game simpler to play

• It helps in understanding the game and other players better

• It makes deciding on the next move easier

• It reduces the need for thinking carefully about the next step

Which of the following scenarios applies gray area thinking?

• Deciding all cartoons are either funny or boring from just the opening song

• Thinking a video game is bad because you lost the first level

• Understanding that a classmate can be both nice and mean sometimes

• Saying all ice cream flavors are yucky after trying one you didn’t like

Why might giving a simple 'good' or 'bad' grade not fully explain how a student did on a project?

• It only shows the best or worst parts of the project

• It suggests that all projects are easy

• It misses the detailed efforts and creativity the student put into the project

• It emphasizes the need to grade quickly without much thought

How can recognizing your own black-and-white thinking in group activities benefit you?

• It can make decision-making more difficult in group activities

• It can limit your understanding of complex issues in group projects

• It can improve your relationships with friends and decision-making in group activities

• It can make you more certain about your decisions in group projects

Tom says, 'Our lemonade stand will either be a huge hit or a total flop.' What does this indicate about his thinking?

• He is considering several possible outcomes for the lemonade stand.

• He recognizes that the lemonade stand's success can evolve over time.

• He is using black-and-white thinking by using words like 'huge hit' or 'total flop.'

• He is asking for feedback to understand different perspectives on the lemonade stand's potential outcomes.

How can exploring reasons behind saying 'yes' or 'no' to a new game help?

• It can make you stick to your first choice more

• It can help you understand your real likes and dislikes

• It can make your choices less flexible

• It can stop you from thinking about it again