An Investigation into the Interface of Critical thinking, Personality Factors and Gender on Reading Comprehension Ability among EFL Learners

The studies of Critical Thinking were first initiated in disciplines of psychology and then permeated into fields of education. The aim of the current study was twofold: first of all to identify if the interaction effect of Introversion/ Extroversion and CT skills, (high, low and intermediate) affected the comprehension ability of advanced EFL learners. Secondly, it scrutinized the interaction effect of gender and CT skills on reading comprehension ability of advanced EFL learners. To fulfill the aforementioned purposes, a 34-item Persian translated version of California Critical Thinking Test, brief version of Eysinck Personality Test and a TOFEL Reading comprehension test were utilized. The results indicated gender and personality factors did not mediate CT on reading comprehension ability, however, a statistically significant difference among different levels of CT and reading comprehension scores was observed. Therefore, the results suggest a curriculum and content reform so as to assist language learners to become acquainted and adopted with trends and new technologies in an attempt to be able to realize truth from falsity in this hazy world of globalization.