CLEAR THINKING: A Practical Framework for Detecting and Mitigating Cognitive Loops in Reasoning, Rumination, and Misinformation

Human cognition is susceptible to self-reinforcing cognitive loops, which manifest as circular reasoning in epistemology, rumination in clinical psychology, and the uncritical acceptance of misinformation. These loops undermine individual and collective epistemic reliability. We present the CLEAR THINKING model, a practical, five-step metacognitive framework (Check, Locate, Examine, Act, Reflect). This model synthesizes principles from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), epistemic logic, and established information-vetting protocols. It is designed to help individuals detect when their reasoning has become self reinforcing and apply proportionate behavioral interventions. We situate the framework within established literature, provide diagnostic heuristics (such as the 3P Probability Test and the 3C Test for testimony), and demonstrate its application across diverse domains. Finally, we propose a research program for its empirical validation using established psychometric scales.