Thinking processes in psychology briefly. Types, types, forms of human thinking: abstract, visual, effective, figurative, verbal-logical thinking, scientific. Types and types of thinking

Types of thinking are common to all people, although each person has a number of specific cognitive abilities. In other words, each person can adopt and develop different thought processes.

Content:

Thinking is not innate, but rather develops. Although all personality and cognitive characteristics of people motivate a preference for one or more types of thinking, some people can develop and practice any type of thinking.

Although thought has traditionally been interpreted as a specific and limited activity, this process is not straightforward. That is, there is no single way to carry out the processes of thinking and reasoning.

In fact, many specific ways of thinking have been identified. For this reason, today the idea is that people can imagine different ways thinking.

Types of human thinking

It should be noted that every type of human thinking more efficient in performing specific tasks. Certain cognitive activities can benefit more than one type of thinking.

Therefore, it is important to know and learn to develop different types thinking. This fact makes it possible to make maximum use of a person’s cognitive abilities and develop different abilities to solve various problems.

Deductive thinking is the type of thinking that allows you to draw a conclusion from a number of premises. That is, it is a mental process that begins with the “general” in order to achieve the “specific.”

This type of thinking focuses on the cause and origin of things. It requires detailed analysis of aspects of a problem to be able to draw conclusions and possible solutions.

This is a method of reasoning that is very often used in Everyday life. People analyze elements and everyday situations to draw conclusions.

Beyond day-to-day work, deductive reasoning is vital to the development of scientific processes. It is based on deductive reasoning: it analyzes related factors to develop hypotheses and draw a conclusion.


Critical thinking is a mental process based on analyzing, understanding, and evaluating how knowledge that purports to represent things is organized.

Critical thinking uses knowledge to reach an effective conclusion that is more reasonable and justifiable.

Therefore, critical thinking evaluates ideas analytically to lead them to concrete conclusions. These conclusions are based on the morals, values ​​and personal principles of the individual.

Thus, through this type of thinking, cognitive ability is combined with. Therefore, it determines not only the way of thinking, but also the way of being.

Adoption critical thinking directly affects the functionality of a person as it makes him more intuitive and analytical, allowing him to accept good and wise decisions, based on specific realities.


Inductive thinking defines a way of thinking that is the opposite of deductive thinking. Thus, this way of thinking is characterized by a search for explanations about the general.

Obtaining conclusions on a large scale. It looks for distant situations in order to turn them into similar ones and thus generalizes situations, but without resorting to analysis.

Therefore, the goal of inductive reasoning is to study tests that measure the likelihood of arguments, as well as the rules for constructing strong inductive arguments.


Analytical thinking is breaking down, separating and analyzing information. It is characterized by orderliness, that is, it represents a sequence of the rational: it goes from the general to the particular.

It always specializes in finding an answer, therefore in searching for arguments.


Investigative thinking focuses on investigating things. Does this in a thorough, engaged and persistent manner.

It consists of a mixture of creativity and analysis. That is, part of the evaluation and examination of elements. But its purpose does not end with the examination itself, but requires the formulation of new questions and hypotheses in accordance with the examined aspects.

As its name suggests, this type of thinking is fundamental to research and development and the evolution of species.


Systems or systematic thinking is the type of reasoning that occurs in a system formed by various subsystems or interrelated factors.

It consists of a highly structured type of thinking whose goal is to understand a more complete and less simple view of things.

Try to understand the functioning of things and solve the problems that their properties create. This involves developing complex thinking that has so far been applied to three main fields: physics, anthropology and sociopolitics.


Creative thinking involves the cognitive processes that create the ability to create. This fact motivates the development of elements that are new or different from the rest through thought.

Thus, creative thinking can be defined as the acquisition of knowledge characterized by originality, flexibility, plasticity and fluidity.

It is one of the most valuable cognitive strategies today because it allows you to frame, construct, and solve problems in new ways.

Developing this type of thinking is not easy, so there are certain techniques that can achieve this.


Synthetic thinking is characterized by the analysis of the various elements that make up things. Its main purpose is to reduce ideas on a certain topic.

It consists of a type of vital argument for teaching and personal study. Thinking about synthesis allows elements to be more reminiscent as they undergo a process of synthesis.

It is a personal process in which each person forms a significant whole from the parts that the subject represents. In this way, a person can remember several features of a concept while encompassing them in a more general and representative concept.


Interrogative thinking is based on questioning and questioning important aspects.

Thus, interrogative thinking defines the way of thinking that arises from the use of questions. There is always a reason for this reasoning, because it is this element that allows you to develop your own thinking and receive information.

Through the questions raised, data was obtained to enable a final conclusion to be reached. This type of thinking is mainly used to solve problems in which the most important element is information obtained through third parties.

Diverse thinking

Diverse thinking, also known as lateral thinking, is a type of reasoning that discusses, doubts, and consistently seeks alternatives.

It is a thinking process that generates creative ideas through the exploration of multiple solutions. He represents the antithesis logical thinking and tends to occur spontaneously and smoothly.

As the name suggests, its main purpose is based on divergence from previously established solutions or elements. Thus, it tunes a type of thinking closely related to creativity.

It consists of a type of thinking that does not seem natural in people. People tend to associate and connect similar elements with each other. On the other hand, diversified thinking tries to find different solutions to those that are carried out as usual.

Convergent thinking

On the other hand, convergent thinking is a type of reasoning that is the opposite of divergent thinking.

In fact, while divergent thinking is driven by neural processes in the right hemisphere of the brain, convergent thinking will be driven by processes in the left hemisphere.

It is characterized by functioning through associations and relationships between elements. It has no ability to imagine, seek or explore alternative thoughts and usually results in the creation of a single idea.

Intelligent Thinking

This type of reasoning, recently introduced and coined by Michael Gelb, makes reference to the combination between divergent and convergent thought.

Thus, intellectual thinking that incorporates the detail and evaluative aspects of convergent thinking and relates them to the alternative and novel processes associated with divergent thinking.

The development of this reasoning allows creativity to be linked to analysis, positing it as thought with a high ability to achieve effective solutions in several areas.

Conceptual thinking

Conceptual thinking involves the development of reflection and self-assessment of problems. It is closely related to creative thinking, and its main goal is to find concrete solutions.

However, unlike diversity reasoning, this type of reasoning focuses on reviewing pre-existing associations.
Conceptual thinking involves abstraction and reflection and is very important in various scientific, academic, everyday and professional fields.

It is also characterized by the development of four basic intellectual operations:

Subordination: consists of linking specific concepts to broader concepts in which they are included.

Coordination: It consists of linking specific concepts included in broader and more general concepts.

Infraordination: deals with a certain relationship between two concepts and aims to determine the specific features of concepts, relationships with others.

Elimination: It consists of detecting elements that are characterized by being different or not equal to other elements.

Metaphorical thinking

Metaphorical thinking is based on making new connections. This is a very creative type of reasoning, but it does not focus on creating or obtaining new elements, but on new relationships between existing elements.

With this type of thinking it is possible to create stories, develop imagination and generate through these elements new connections between well differentiated aspects that some aspects share.

Traditional thinking

Traditional thinking is characterized by the use of logical processes. It is solution-focused and focuses on finding similar real-life situations to find elements that may be useful for resolution.

It is usually developed using rigid and pre-designed schemes. This is one of the foundations of vertical thinking, in which logic takes on a unidirectional role and develops a linear and sequential path.

This is one of the most commonly used types of thinking in everyday life. It is not suitable for creative or original elements, but it is very useful for solving everyday situations and is relatively simple.

It is important to understand that thinking is a qualitatively heterogeneous process; the relationships between different types of thinking are very complex.

In psychology, the following somewhat conditional classification of types of thinking has been accepted and widespread on such various grounds as:

1) the genesis of development;

2) the nature of the tasks being solved;

3) degree of deployment;

4) degree of novelty and originality;

5) means of thinking;

6) functions of thinking, etc.

1. By genesis development distinguishes between thinking:

    visually effective;

    visual-figurative;

    verbal-logical;

    abstract-logical.

Visual-effective thinking - a type of thinking based on the direct perception of objects in the process of acting with them. This thinking is the most elementary type of thinking that arises in practical activity and is the basis for the formation of more complex types of thinking.

Visual-figurative thinking - a type of thinking characterized by reliance on ideas and images. With visual-figurative thinking, the situation is transformed in terms of image or representation. Verbal and logical thinking - a type of thinking carried out using logical operations with concepts. With verbal-logical thinking, using logical concepts, the subject can cognize significant patterns and unobservable relationships of the reality under study. Abstract-logical (abstract) thinking - a type of thinking based on selection essential properties and connections of the subject and abstraction from others, unimportant.

Visual-effective, visual-figurative, verbal-logical and abstract-logical thinking are successive stages in the development of thinking in phylogenesis and ontogenesis.

2. By the nature of the tasks being solved distinguish between thinking:

    theoretical;

    practical.

Theoretical thinking - thinking based on theoretical reasoning and inferences.

Practical thinking - thinking based on judgments and inferences based on solving practical problems.

Theoretical thinking is the knowledge of laws and rules. The main task of practical thinking is to develop means of practical transformation of reality: setting goals, creating a plan, project, scheme.

3. By degree of deployment distinguish between thinking:

    discursive;

    intuitive.

D incursive (analytical) thinking - thinking mediated by the logic of reasoning rather than perception. Analytical thinking unfolds in time, has clearly defined stages, and is represented in the consciousness of the thinking person himself.

Intuitive Thinking - thinking based on direct sensory perceptions and direct reflection of the effects of objects and phenomena of the objective world. Intuitive thinking is characterized by rapidity, the absence of clearly defined stages, and is minimally conscious.

4. According to the degree of novelty and originality distinguish between thinking:

    reproductive

    productive (creative).

Reproductive thinking - thinking based on images and ideas drawn from certain sources.

Productive thinking - thinking based on creative imagination.

5. By means of thinking distinguish between thinking:

    verbal;

    visual.

Visual Thinking- thinking based on images and representations of objects.

Verbal thinking- thinking that operates with abstract sign structures. It has been established that for full-fledged mental work, some people need to see or imagine objects, while others prefer to operate with abstract sign structures.

6. By function distinguish between thinking:

    critical;

    creative.

Critical thinking aimed at identifying shortcomings in the judgment of other people.

Creative thinking associated with the discovery of fundamentally new knowledge, with the generation of one’s own original ideas, and not with the evaluation of other people’s thoughts.

Typological classifications of thinking

visual verbal

(according to the degree of correspondence to reality)

realistic autistic

(also “emotional”, according to Mayer)

(according to the nature of the course)

intuitive analytical

(depending on the nature of the tasks)

practical theoretical

(according to the degree of novelty of the thinking product)

productive reproductive

(according to the degree of conscious control and management)

voluntary involuntary

Functional classifications of thinking.

a) creative - critical

b) abstract and concrete (Goldstein)

Genetic classifications of thinking.

There are three levels of development of thinking, differing in the form of presentation of the object and ways of understanding the world:

1) visually effective (through practical action with an object)

2) visual-figurative (using figurative representations)

3) verbal-logical (using logical concepts and signs)

In psychology it is customary to distinguish three types of thinking:

    Practical,

    Concretely figurative (artistic)

    Abstract (verbal-logical)

1. Practical thinking is aimed at solving specific problems in the conditions of production, constructive, organizational and other activities of people. This is primarily technical, constructive thinking. It consists of understanding technology and a person’s ability to independently solve technical problems. Characteristic features of practical thinking are pronounced observation, attention to details, particulars and the ability to use them in a specific situation, operating with spatial images and diagrams, the ability to quickly move from thinking to action and back. It is in this type of thinking that the unity of thought and will is most manifested.

2. Concretely figurative(artistic) thinking is characterized by the fact that a person embodies abstract thoughts and generalizations into concrete images.

3. Abstract(verbal-logical) thinking is aimed mainly at finding general patterns in nature and human society. It operates mainly with concepts, broad categories, and images and ideas play a supporting role in it.

All three types of thinking are closely related to each other. Many people have equally developed practical, concrete-figurative and theoretical thinking, but depending on the nature of the problems that a person solves, first one or the other type of thinking comes to the fore.

Thinking is inextricably linked with the practical activities of people. Every type of activity involves thinking, taking into account the conditions of action, planning, and observation. Human mental activity is the solution of various mental problems aimed at revealing the essence of something.

Mental operation- this is one of the methods of mental activity through which a person solves the problems set before him by life.

Mental operations are very diverse:

  • comparison,

    abstraction,

    specification,

    generalization

    classification.

Which of this list a person will use will depend on the nature of the information that he is subjected to mental processing. This processing takes place

in the form of judgments and inferences: 1. Judgment

- this is a form of thinking that reflects the objects of reality in their connections and relationships. Each judgment is a separate thought about something. 2. Inference

- this is a conclusion from several judgments that gives new knowledge about objects and phenomena of the objective world. results mental activity

people are captured in the form of concepts. To know an object means to reveal its essence. 3. Concept

- is a reflection of the essential features of the subject. In order to reveal these signs, you need to comprehensively study the subject and establish its connections with other subjects.

The development of concepts, judgments and conclusions occurs in unity with mastery, generalization, etc. Successful mastery of mental operations depends not only on the assimilation of knowledge, but also on the special work of the teacher in this direction. The ability of the brain to think is one of the main differences between the higher nervous system and nervous systems other living beings. Most often, psychologists and neurophysiologists define thinking as a continuous process of modeling and reflecting all system connections

and the interconnections of the surrounding world on the basis of certain unconditional provisions. However, there are other definitions of the term “thinking,” since almost every scientist conducting his research in the field of cognitive psychology gave his own definition of thinking.

Thinking in psychology is one of the highest functions of the human psyche, since it can be characterized as a mental activity that has a motive, goal, criteria, a system of methods and actions, a result, and control. The goal of thinking in psychology is always to find a solution to some issue or problem, because it is the emergence of a problem that requires a solution that is the reason for the beginning of mental activity. It doesn’t matter what question you need to find an answer to: solve a simple mathematical problem, figure out where to go on vacation or or colleagues to quickly finish their work, or develop a fundamentally new technical tool - in all these cases the same forms, stages and operations of thinking are used.

Psychologists distinguish three main forms of thinking: concept, judgment and inference. A concept is a definition and systematization of all essential properties and characteristics of objects to which the thought process is directed, as well as the identification of general and specific factors and properties for each of the objects of thought. The concept makes it possible to create a holistic picture of the objects of thought, their basic properties and relationships. The second, no less important form of thinking, without which full understanding is impossible, is a judgment - an affirmation, or vice versa, a denial of any property of the object of thought or relationship. Based on the concept and judgment, an inference is made - a conclusion, which is the result of the thought process.

Without mental operations, understanding and judgment are impossible; Experts in the field of psychology and neurophysiology identify the following operations of thinking in psychology:

Comparison - determining the similarities and differences between objects of thought;

Analysis - dividing an object of thought into components and determining the properties of each individual part of the object;

Synthesis - structuring and combining into one system various objects of thought that have interconnections;

Abstraction is the deliberate ignoring of unimportant properties of an object in order to highlight the most significant characteristics;

Concretization is the identification of particular characteristics for each of the total mass of objects of thought;

Induction - determining conclusions about general provisions based on known data about particular provisions;

Deduction - inferences based on application general provisions in private situations;

Classification - determining the relationships between objects of thought and their position relative to each other;

Generalization is the identification of the most essential properties and connections common to all objects of thought.

Types of thinking in psychology

The huge number of logical and mental problems that the human brain solves every day has led to the identification of several types of thinking in psychology, which differ from each other in content, in the nature of the tasks and in originality. The following classification of types of thinking is most often used in psychology:

1. Visual-figurative thinking - its essence is to transform images of perception into image-representations. This kind of thinking is typical creative people, and also in a simple form - for children preschool age who primarily think in images. A striking example The result of imaginative thinking is a picture drawn by the artist, depicting his vision and understanding of the world, the scent created by the perfumer, etc.

2. Visual-effective thinking - a type of thinking in psychology, which is based on observing the object of thinking and determining all the relationships in the process of direct participation in the situation, conducting an experiment. This type of thinking is used by children: in order to determine the properties of an object, they need to look at it, touch it, etc.

3. Abstract (discursive) thinking - based on judgments, inferences and concepts; with it, a person does not rely on data obtained experimentally. To understand mathematical theorems, study practical use laws of physics and chemistry, abstract thinking is used.

By nature of tasks

1. Theoretical - thinking in psychology, the goal of which is to understand the rules, laws and theories, as well as the connections between and the properties of abstract objects of thought. All mathematical formulas, philosophical laws, as well as the summary table of Mendeleev’s elements are all visual results of theoretical thinking

2. Practical thinking - mental processes aimed at the physical transformation of objects from the surrounding reality. The invention and constant improvement of technical means, new discoveries made almost every day in laboratories and research institutes are obvious results of practical thinking.

By originality

1. Reproductive thinking - with it, a person uses methods and methods previously invented by other people to solve his problem

2. Productive (creative) thinking - consists of determining one’s own solutions to assigned tasks, and during the thought process a person relies only on his own experience and his own judgments, and not on conclusions and solution schemes invented by others.

By accepting information from the world around us, it is with the participation of thinking that we can realize and transform it. Their characteristics also help us with this. A table with this data is presented below.

What is thinking

This higher process knowledge of the surrounding reality, subjective perception Its uniqueness lies in the perception of external information and its transformation in consciousness. Thinking helps a person gain new knowledge, experience, and creatively transform ideas that have already been formed. It helps to expand the boundaries of knowledge, helping to change the existing conditions for solving assigned problems.

This process is the engine of human development. In psychology there is no separately operating process - thinking. It will necessarily be present in all other cognitive actions of a person. Therefore, in order to somewhat structure this transformation of reality, types of thinking and their characteristics were identified in psychology. A table with these data helps to better assimilate information about the activities of this process in our psyche.

Features of this process

This process has its own characteristics that distinguish it from other mental

  1. Mediocrity. This means that a person can indirectly recognize an object through the properties of another. Types of thinking and their characteristics are also involved here. Briefly describing this property, we can say that cognition occurs through the properties of another object: we can transfer some acquired knowledge to a similar unknown object.
  2. Generality. A combination of several properties of an object. The ability to generalize helps a person to learn new things in the surrounding reality.

These two properties and processes of this human cognitive function contain general characteristics thinking. Characteristics of types of thinking - a separate area general psychology. Since types of thinking are characteristic of different age categories and are formed according to their own rules.

Types of thinking and their characteristics, table

A person perceives structured information better, so some information about the types of cognitive process of cognition of reality and their description will be presented systematically.

The best way to understand what types of thinking are and their characteristics is the table.

Visual-effective thinking, description

In psychology, much attention is paid to the study of thinking as the main process of cognition of reality. After all, this process develops differently for each person, it works individually, and sometimes the types of thinking and their characteristics do not correspond to age standards.

For preschoolers, visual and effective thinking comes first. It begins its development in infancy. Descriptions by age are presented in the table.

Age period

Characteristics of thinking

InfancyIn the second half of the period (from 6 months), perception and action develop, which form the basis for the development of this type of thinking. At the end of infancy, the child can solve basic problems based on the manipulation of objectsAn adult hides a toy in right hand. The baby first opens the left one, and after failure, reaches for the right one. Having found a toy, he rejoices at the experience. He learns about the world in a visually effective way.
Early ageBy manipulating things, the child quickly learns important connections between them. This age period is a vivid representation of the formation and development of visual and effective thinking. The baby performs external orienting actions, thereby actively exploring the world.While collecting a full bucket of water, the child noticed that he reached the sandbox with an almost empty bucket. Then, while manipulating the bucket, he accidentally closes the hole, and the water remains at the same level. Perplexed, the baby experiments until he understands that to maintain the water level it is necessary to close the hole.
Preschool ageDuring this period, this type of thinking gradually passes into the next, and already at the end of the age stage the child masters verbal thinking.First, to measure the length, the preschooler takes a paper strip, applying it to everything that is interesting. This action is then transformed into images and concepts.

Visual-figurative thinking

Types of thinking in psychology and their characteristics occupy an important place, since the age-related formation of other cognitive processes depends on their development. With each age stage, more and more mental functions are involved in the development of the process of cognition of reality. In visual-figurative thinking, imagination and perception play almost a key role.

CharacteristicCombinationsTransformations
This type of thinking is represented by certain operations with images. Even if we don’t see something, we can recreate it in our minds through this type of thinking. The child begins to think this way in the middle of preschool age (4-6 years). An adult also actively uses this type.We can get a new image through combinations of objects in the mind: a woman, choosing clothes for going out, imagines in her mind how she will look in a certain blouse and skirt or dress and scarf. This is the action of visual-figurative thinking.Also, a new image is obtained through transformations: when looking at a flowerbed with one plant, you can imagine how it will look with a decorative stone or many different plants.

Verbal and logical thinking

It is carried out using logical manipulations with concepts. Such operations are designed to find something in common between different objects and phenomena in society and the environment around us. Here images take a secondary place. In children, the beginnings of this type of thinking occur at the end of the preschool period. But the main development of this type of thinking begins at primary school age.

AgeCharacteristic
Junior school age

When a child enters school, he already learns to operate with elementary concepts. The main basis for operating them are:

  • everyday concepts - elementary ideas about objects and phenomena based on one’s own experience outside the school walls;
  • scientific concepts are the highest conscious and arbitrary conceptual level.

At this stage, intellectualization of mental processes occurs.

AdolescenceDuring this period, thinking takes on a qualitatively different color - reflection. Theoretical concepts are already assessed by the teenager. In addition, such a child can be distracted from visual material, reasoning logically in verbal terms. Hypotheses appear.
AdolescenceThinking based on abstraction, concepts and logic becomes systemic, creating an internal subjective model of the world. At this age stage, verbal and logical thinking becomes the basis of the young person’s worldview.

Empirical thinking

The characteristics of the main types of thinking include not only the three types described above. This process is also divided into empirical or theoretical and practical.

Theoretical thinking represents the knowledge of rules, various signs, and the theoretical basis of basic concepts. Here you can build hypotheses, but test them in practice.

Practical thinking

Practical thinking involves transforming reality, adjusting it to your goals and plans. It is limited in time, there is no opportunity to study many options for testing various hypotheses. Therefore, for a person it opens up new opportunities for understanding the world.

Types of thinking and their characteristics depending on the tasks being solved and the properties of this process

They also divide types of thinking depending on the tasks and the subjects of the tasks. The process of cognition of reality happens:

  • intuitive;
  • analytical;
  • realistic;
  • autistic;
  • egocentric;
  • productive and reproductive.

Every person has all these types to a greater or lesser extent.

“I think, therefore I exist” (lat. Cogito ergo sum) is Descartes’ philosophical reflection on the awareness of one’s thinking as an argument for discovering one’s existence.

Every person is endowed with the ability to think. A person’s thinking, including ideas and images, is not only an indicator of his mentality (mind, wisdom) and intelligence (IQ), but also, depending on the type, type, form of thinking - an indicator of his feelings, emotions and behavior, and therefore of his life program , fate, if you want...

Today on the psychological site http://site, you, dear visitors, will learn about such types, types and forms of human thinking as abstract, visual, effective, figurative, verbal-logical, scientific thinking, etc., and about that, how does this affect our life and destiny.

So, what are the types, types and forms of human thinking?

How I think is how I live (or exist). The whole scheme: How I think (think, imagine) in this or that situation (at this or that life event), so I feel... and how I feel (emotions), so I behave (actions, behavior, physiology) .
In general, all this forms learned, automatic patterns of thinking, feeling and behavior in similar situations, i.e. a successful, banal or unlucky (the latter - comic, dramatic or tragic) life scenario. Solution: Change your thinking and you will change your life

There are many types, types and forms of human thinking, through which our psyche perceives, processes and transforms all information read by the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste) coming from the outside world.

We will consider the main types, types and forms of thinking: visual, figurative, objective, effective, verbal-logical, abstract, professional and scientific, as well as thinking errors that lead a person to psychological, emotional and life problems.

Visual and figurative thinking

Visual-figurative thinking - the work of the right hemisphere of the brain - is predominantly visual (visual) processing of information, although it can also be auditory (auditory). This type of thinking is inherent in animals (they do not have a second signaling system - they cannot think in words) and small children.

In adult life, visual-figurative thinking (it is also called artistic look) is typical for people with a leading right hemisphere, creative professions, for example, artists, actors...

People with imaginative thinking often think in pictures, like to imagine situations in pictures, fantasize, daydream... and even daydream...

Practical or objective, effective thinking

Operating with objects, interacting with them: looking, feeling, listening, maybe even smelling and tasting - represents object-active thinking. It is characteristic of small children who learn the world in this way, acquiring a certain life experience, and animals.

An adult also exhibits objective and effective thinking - this type of practical, concrete thinking is used not only by people in practical professions, where objects need to be constantly manipulated, but also in ordinary, everyday life, for example, when a person puts all objects in their places and knows where what is there (in contrast to the creative type of thinking - such people are characterized by “creative disorder” and a constant search for something new).

Verbal and logical thinking

As a person develops and matures, he learns to speak and think logically. Pictures and images, direct perception (see, hear, touch, smell, taste) are replaced by verbal designations and logical chains of reasoning leading to certain conclusions.

For many, the left hemisphere begins to work more, people perceive and interpret the world: life situations and various phenomena in words, trying to logically comprehend what is happening around.

Right-hemisphere (figurative, emotional thinking) also does not disappear anywhere, and everything that was perceived visually-figuratively and objectively-effectively, together with emotional coloring, is stored in the human subconscious. However, most people do not remember their childhood and especially childhood experiences, because... As an adult, a person thinks logically, in words, and not in images and pictures, as in childhood.

And for example, if someone was frightened by a dog in childhood, as an adult he may continue to be terribly afraid of them, not at all understanding why... after all, he does not remember the moment of fright, because... Then I thought in images and objects, but now in words and logic...
And in order for a person to get rid of cynophobia, he needs to temporarily “turn off” (weaken) the left, verbal-logical hemisphere... move to the right, emotional-figurative hemisphere, remember and re-experience the situation with the “scary” dog in fantasies, thereby working out this fear.

Abstract thinking

Abstraction, distraction from what can be directly perceived, seen, touched..., thinking in generalized concepts, is abstract thinking characteristic of older schoolchildren and adults who have already developed verbal-logical thinking.
For example, the concept of “Happiness” is an abstraction, i.e. it generalizes many different human benefits, it cannot be touched or seen, plus, everyone understands in their own way what happiness means for them...

For example, it often happens that due to too abstract thinking a person generalizes every situation in life, instead of looking at it in detail, objectively and practically. Those. if someone strives for something abstract, not concrete - besides happiness - then he will never achieve success.

Professional and scientific thinking

In adulthood, a person acquires a profession, he begins to think in professional terms, and this is how he perceives the world and what is happening around him.

For example, what do you think, if you say the word “Root” out loud, what will people in such professions as a dentist, a literature teacher, a gardener (botanist) and a mathematician think about?

Professional thinking intersects with subject thinking, and scientific thinking intersects with creative thinking, because any scientist, researcher, constantly in search of new discoveries.

However, all these people are not alien to verbal-logical, abstract, and visual-figurative thinking. Another thing is when people often make - usually unconsciously, as if by program - many mental errors. Those. they subconsciously confuse when and how to think in order to achieve success in life, and the same notorious happiness...

Thinking errors that lead a person to failure and collapse

Our thinking (words, pictures and images) largely depends on internal global, often generalized beliefs stored in the depths of the psyche (laid there from the outside, in the process of education, cultivation and primary socialization).

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