A fundamental safety valve against polarization or indoctrination is to help young people become more mentally flexible and reflective by providing essential learning experiences at home, in school, in the community, and through exposure to challenging media. 

In addition to critical thinking, abstract, and logical reasoning, students can learn to enhance their reflective and metacognitive abilities, which include: 

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Ability to absorb and apply new learning 
Life-long pursuit of learning and an active intellectual life offset mental deterioration and stagnation. Learning skills help us to optimize our capacity to retrieve archival knowledge and incorporate it into our working memory for use in the world. 

Fluid intelligence is the ability to use knowledge in novel ways, find links across concepts, and to shift mental constructs. 

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An ‘open’ mind
An open mind is the ability to set prior beliefs aside when new evidence is presented; to acknowledge evidence that contradicts a cherished dogma; to change one’s viewpoint based on new information; and to refrain from jumping from one set of rigid beliefs to another after becoming disillusioned with previous beliefs. 

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Ability to cope with uncertainty 
Being comfortable with paradox and contradiction allows us to shift our responses to suit new environments and situations. A well-rounded person feels comfortable with ambiguity, while still retaining a healthy sense of self and internalized values.