b. 1947
Diane Halpern is an American cognitive psychologist and former president of the American Psychological Association, best known for her research on critical thinking, sex differences in cognitive abilities, and the teachability of thinking skills. Her work challenges views that critical thinking is entirely domain-specific, arguing instead that transferable reasoning skills can be explicitly taught and assessed.
Authored 'Thought and Knowledge: An Introduction to Critical Thinking', a foundational textbook in critical thinking pedagogy
Served as president of the American Psychological Association (2004)
Received the APA Distinguished Career Award for contributions to education
Advanced empirical research on sex differences in cognitive abilities, emphasizing nuance over reductionism
Defended the existence of general, transferable critical thinking skills against domain-specificity critics like McPeck