Characteristic of the development of the competence of independent thinking of students in the process of learning in the social and humanitarian sciences

This article highlights the specifics of the development the competence of students’ independent thinking in teaching the social sciences and humanities, their role in the educational process and their importance in the mature of students. The definitions of the concept of independent thinking by various psychologists and educators are analyzed. The main aspects that must be taken into account when developing the competence of independent thinking of a student, and the features of choosing methods for developing independent thinking, are described.