Critical decision-making: Bridging critical reflection and action

Individuals can liberate themselves and others from oppression through critical consciousness, which involves critical reflection (i.e., awareness of systemic oppression) and critical action; both are necessary for systemic change. However, reflection does not always lead to action. Most scholars consider one's critical motivation (i.e., interest and efficacy in enacting sociopolitical change) to bridge critical reflection and action. Given that critical consciousness is steeped in issues of morality, this paper integrates moral reasoning and decision-making frameworks with critical consciousness literature to elucidate the psychological processes that encourage or discourage praxis. Doing so highlights the need for a novel critical consciousness component: critical decision-making, which involves determining an action goal, deciding if and how to act, planning action steps, and problem-solving barriers to action. This paper describes critical decision-making processes and offers methodological recommendations for future research to examine critical decision-making. Including critical decision-making as a component of critical consciousness enables future researchers to ask and answer new questions that can provide a deeper understanding of praxis and inform efforts that seek to transform oppressive systems.