Some people leave a very long mark on the world, and Socrates is definitely one of those people. He was a Greek philosopher from the 5th century BC, but still today, we use some of his teachings.
Socratic questioning is one example of how Socrates lives on. What exactly is it, and why is it still so widely used in our world?
At a Glance
You may remember Socratic questioning from past or current school days—and not fondly. It’s the method of communication by which someone intentionally challenges others—such as their students—through open-ended questioning.
Often, there is no clear answer to the line of questioning, and no clear answer is intended. Frustrating, right? But the goal is ultimately to stimulate deep thoughts and to explore what we know—and don’t know—about ourselves or about a given subject of study. It may be used by teachers, therapists, or even by us in the course of our daily lives.
What Is Socratic Questioning?
Clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Leslie Dobson tells us that Socratic questioning is a communication style that allows a person to stimulate another person’s thinking through open-ended questions.
The questions are meant to push someone “slightly outside of their comfort level, so that they have to think about their thoughts, behaviors and feelings, building their awareness, and in turn allow them to feel more in control.” By asking thought provoking questions, we can have deeper interactions. This is helpful in settings both clinical and casual.
The History and Philosophy Behind Socratic Questioning
Socratic questioning is a part of the Socratic method, the broader style of teaching and communication that Socrates introduced. There is debate over whether we have continued to use the teachings of Socrates nonstop since his time, or if they left and were reintroduced in more recent years.1 One thing we can be certain of, though, is that Socrates’ work has played a role in modern communication.
The philosophy behind Socratic questioning is both to help us understand others better and to help people understand themselves better. Says Dobson, “Once we are able to name what is going on in us (i.e., emotions, thoughts, behaviors), we have the ability to take the reins and lead our lives.” A deeper style of questioning that opens up our minds more than casual conversation could benefit everyone, including the asker.
What Are the 4 Stages of Socratic Questioning?
The four stages of Socratic questioning are also known as “guided discovery.”2 As you may expect, this practice has four stages.
- Asking questions centered around receiving information
- Attentively listening and reflecting back what you’ve heard
- Providing a summary of the information you’ve heard
- Asking more questions, specifically with the intent of applying the answers you heard to the person’s original thoughts
What Are the Six Types of Socratic Questioning?
In order to probe further into a subject, there are different question styles used. These get people thinking in bigger ways than other questions might.
- Clarification: You may ask why a person gave the response they did, or how it relates to the topic at hand.
- Challenge assumptions: Someone may be asked how what they’ve said proves their initial assumptions to be true, or disproves them.
- Look for evidence: You’ll ask questions that help prove a point, such as requesting examples or looking for causes.
- Perspective: These questions make someone step back and see a situation from a differing point of view.
- Discover consequences: Asking how something ties into a different topic, or what the ramifications of what’s been asserted are, help someone think more deeply about an issue.
- Question the question: Further attempting to add depth, you may ask what the other person thinks the point of your questions are, or what the situation at large really means.
Examples of Socratic Questions
It may seem like an abstract concept, but in reality we use Socratic questions in many different areas of day to day life. Here are some examples.
Therapy
Socratic questioning is a valuable psychotherapeutic tool. “Socratic questioning is very helpful when a client is new and closed off, when a client is stuck in their thought process or memory, and also when a client is stuck in an emotion,” explains Dobson. She uses Socratic questioning right at the start of a new client relationship, employing the questions to discern why someone is seeking therapy and what the purpose of it will be for them.
This questioning style can be used throughout therapy, and offers a way to facilitate communication and forward progression. “When a client is stuck in their thought process or memory, Socratic questioning is very helpful to help them think about other aspects of their memory,” says Dobson. “For example, when somebody is having recurring visual flashbacks of a trauma and severe emotional reactions, Socratic questioning is very helpful to start grounding the reality of the memory by exploring our thoughts around it and the emotions that come up.”
Socratic questioning is particularly useful in therapy when other methods have stalled and a client is having trouble moving through an issue. “Socratic questioning allows us to explore assumptions around how we think we should feel and the evidence that lends to how we determine it’s okay to feel this way and to stay this way,” says Dobson.
News Interviews
We tune into the news to not just hear about what’s going on in the world, but also to gain an understanding of it. Dobson explains, “the reporter will ask an open ended question to an individual, “How did you feel when that happened?” and then follow up with questions that clarify the answer, probe for more details, explore the areas of the person’s reaction, push alternative viewpoints or perspectives (commonly seen in high profile interview guests), and then take a moment to reflect on the conversation and offer closure.” This is the entirety of the Socratic questioning method, step by step.
Court
The legal system is an arena that’s full of Socratic questioning. “A great example is when a lawyer asked me, “So Dr. Dobson, can you explain to the jury how trauma forms? Can you provide an example? How do you know this is true? Do you have data? If this is true, what does it mean for a person who also has anxiety? If it is not trauma, what else could it be? Why does talking about trauma matter in this case?” recalls Dobson.
Benefits of Applying Socratic Questioning
As you can see, Socratic questioning has a variety of uses. It also has numerous benefits in the world. In therapy, it helps people move through challenging issues. In media, it is used to give us deeper understanding of important events and the mindsets of the people involved in them.
Additionally, it allows everyone to better understand their own thoughts and feelings. By asking probing questions that force us to think more thoroughly through why we feel and behave the ways we do, we’re able to gain more understanding of ourselves and others.
Potential Challenges with Socratic Questioning
Socratic questioning isn’t perfect, and it can’t necessarily solve all problems or help everyone through every challenge. The biggest problem with it is that it relies on a person being able to clearly articulate their thoughts and feelings, and some people have a hard time with that.
It could also lead a person to feel attacked, if the questions are too probing. And sometimes, people aren’t ready to think of a situation from someone else’s perspective, or able yet to gain understanding of what the implications or consequences are of an event. Socratic questioning needs to be used at the right time, and in appropriate situations, for it to be useful.
Practical Guidelines for Using Socratic Questioning
If you find yourself interested in this method of communication, you can begin employing it at any time. Here are some guidelines for adding Socratic questioning into your day to day life.
- Listen and reflect: Pay attention to what others tell you, and validate their voice by reflecting their words back to them.
- Ask better questions: Rather than just asking someone what happened in a situation, delve deeper by asking for their feelings about it and motivations.
- Get outside your own mind: Think of situations from others’ perspectives, and encourage those you know to do the same.
- Look for evidence: Challenge your assumptions and those of others by seeking evidence for why someone holds the perspective they do.
Therapy Tip
Dobson reminds us that when using Socratic questioning in therapy, “it is important to check in with your client verbally and also pay attention to their behavioral cues.” That’s because “you may be coming off as too assertive, or the client may not have the cognitive capacity to grasp your questions.” She reminds us that Socratic questioning is a communication style, not a therapeutic modality, and should be used accordingly.