Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology
The relationship between critical thinking dispositions and problem-solving abilities of Portuguese undergraduate students
Eva Morais 1 2 * , José Lopes 3 4, Felicidade Morais 5 6, Helena Silva 3 4
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1 Department of Mathematics, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
2 Centre of Mathematics (CMAT), University of Minho, Portugal
3 Department of Education and Psychology, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
4 The Centre for Research and Intervention in Education (CIIE), University of Porto, Portugal
5 Department of Letters, Arts and Communication, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
6 Center for Studies in Letters (CEL), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
* Corresponding Author
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Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, 2026 - Volume 8 Issue 1, Article No: e40489
https://doi.org/10.33902/JPSP.202640489

Article Type: Research Article

Published Online: 16 Apr 2026

Views: 2 | Downloads: 1

ABSTRACT
Critical thinking and problem-solving are widely recognized as essential skills for success in the 21st century. However, research exploring the association between the critical thinking dispositions of higher education students and their perceived problem-solving abilities remains limited. This study aims to analyze the relationship between these constructs and to examine the potential influence of demographic and academic factors such as age, gender, and study field. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 412 undergraduate students from a Portuguese public higher education institution, representing two study fields: Health and Welfare, and Social Sciences. Data were collected using the Critical Thinking Dispositions Scale and the Portuguese adaptation of the Problem-Solving Inventory. Statistical analyses were performed to examine associations and predictive effects among the variables. Findings suggest a highly significant association between students’ critical thinking dispositions and their perception of problem-solving abilities. Among the demographic and academic variables considered, only gender emerged as a significant predictor of critical thinking dispositions. No significant differences were found between students in their PSI scores. These results highlight the importance of promoting critical thinking dispositions in higher education as a means to enhance students’ problem-solving abilities. The study reinforces the need for pedagogical strategies that intentionally foster these competencies and calls for further research to deepen understanding of their interrelations across diverse educational contexts.
KEYWORDS
critical thinking dispositions cross-sectional study higher education students problem-solving abilities
In-text citation: (Morais et al., 2026)
Reference: Morais, E., Lopes, J., Morais, F., & Silva, H. (2026). The relationship between critical thinking dispositions and problem-solving abilities of Portuguese undergraduate students. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, 8(1), e40489. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPSP.202640489
In-text citation: (1), (2), (3), etc.
Reference: Morais E, Lopes J, Morais F, Silva H. The relationship between critical thinking dispositions and problem-solving abilities of Portuguese undergraduate students. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology. 2026;8(1), e40489. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPSP.202640489
In-text citation: (1), (2), (3), etc.
Reference: Morais E, Lopes J, Morais F, Silva H. The relationship between critical thinking dispositions and problem-solving abilities of Portuguese undergraduate students. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology. 2026;8(1):e40489. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPSP.202640489
In-text citation: (Morais et al., 2026)
Reference: Morais, Eva, José Lopes, Felicidade Morais, and Helena Silva. "The relationship between critical thinking dispositions and problem-solving abilities of Portuguese undergraduate students". Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology 2026 8 no. 1 (2026): e40489. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPSP.202640489
In-text citation: (Morais et al., 2026)
Reference: Morais, E., Lopes, J., Morais, F., and Silva, H. (2026). The relationship between critical thinking dispositions and problem-solving abilities of Portuguese undergraduate students. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, 8(1), e40489. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPSP.202640489
In-text citation: (Morais et al., 2026)
Reference: Morais, Eva et al. "The relationship between critical thinking dispositions and problem-solving abilities of Portuguese undergraduate students". Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, vol. 8, no. 1, 2026, e40489. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPSP.202640489
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