Types of thinking and their characteristics. Classification and main types of thinking Who put forward a new type of thinking human understanding

Thinking largely determines the success of a person in the world, his attitude to life and the ability to solve everyday problems, achieving maximum productivity while expending energy.

Thinking what it is

Thinking is the highest level of human consciousness, allowing a person to navigate in the world around him, gain experience, form an idea about objects and phenomena. It is an internal system capable of modeling the laws of the world of the surrounding person, predicting the development of events, analyzing what is happening and accumulating peculiar truths.

Main functions: goal setting and planning to achieve it, finding a way out of various situations, monitoring what is happening and assessing the degree of achievement of goals based on personal motivation. In psychology, there are different types thinking, both healthy and pathological.

Forms

In psychology, the main forms of thinking are distinguished, including the concept, judgment and conclusion:

concept forms a person's idea of the surrounding phenomena and objects, this form is inherent only in verbal speech and allows you to combine objects and phenomena according to some signs. Concepts are divided into specific (true meaning the object or phenomena "house", "child") and relative (depending on the perception different people e.g. what is good and evil). The content of existing concepts is revealed in speech through judgments.
Judgment- refers to a form representing a negation or affirmation about the world around or a particular subject. The formation of judgments is possible in two ways: the perception of concepts that are closely related or obtained in the form of a conclusion.
inference represents the formation of a new judgment on the basis of two or more existing ones. Any conclusion is formed as a chain of reasonable ideas. The ability to conclude depends on the stage of development of thinking, the higher it is, the easier it is for a person to find a solution to a specific problem.

All reasoning is divided into inductive and deductive. In the first case, the judgment moves from a single concept to a general one, and a deductive one, on the basis of existing general ones, generalizes a whole group of phenomena or judgments into one general one.

Methods of thinking imply different levels, where certain goals are achieved at each stage: collecting information, analyzing available data, and inferring as a guide to action or inaction.

Processes

The process of thinking is a purposeful process of operating with concepts and judgments to obtain a result. The process is preceded by a certain situation (which by default will be the condition of the task), followed by the collection of information and its analysis.

At the end of the chain, a person comes to a conclusion, which involves solving the problem and finding a way out of the current situation or predicting various options for the development of events.

There are only 4 stages of the process aimed at finding a solution:

preparation;
finding a solution;
inspiration to achieve it;
checking the results.

The whole process consists of a chain of points arising from each other.

The process begins with motivation characterized by the desire to find a solution. This is followed by the collection of information (initial data), their evaluation and conclusion.

Ways of thinking:

analysis- this is a mental "decomposition on the shelves." Analysis represents the decomposition of the problem into components and the isolation of the foundations;
synthesis is the process of combining parts into a single whole according to certain characteristics. The relationship of each component to the whole is mentally established. Synthesis is the opposite of analysis and is represented by the generalization of the available details into a single whole;
comparison- this is the process of identifying the similarities of objects and phenomena among themselves and their differences;
classification presents a breakdown of the items forming certain classes and subclasses;
generalization- this is the identification of common among various objects or phenomena and the definition of the identified in one group. Generalization can be simple (by one attribute or property) or complex by different components;
specification allows you to determine the essence of a phenomenon or object;
abstraction- this is the opposite of concretization, when an abstract image is created during the process. The development of abstract perception is influenced by exercises that require a creative approach.

Methods for the development of thinking are known to psychologists, neurologists and educators. Techniques include problem solving, games, learning to look from different angles, training imaginative and intuitive thinking through creativity. In development, it is important to consider individual characteristics thinking.

A person with a pronounced penchant for fantasies should pay more attention to the development of a creative and extraordinary approach in the process of processing information. On the contrary, if you have accuracy and consistency, you should pay more attention in this direction.

Violations (disorders)

Disorders of thinking - a violation of mental activity. Violation is divided into quantitative and qualitative.

Quantitative forms of the disorder are characterized by impaired speech activity, delayed neuropsychological development, or mental retardation.

Forms of quantitative disorder:

Delay mental development(ZPR) diagnosed in children 2-3 years old. Treatment is prescribed by a neurologist.
Oligophrenia(mental retardation is characterized by impaired development of the child from an early age). A child with oligophrenia is observed by a neurologist and a psychotherapist. The goal of treatment will be socialization and self-care training.
dementia represented by a violation mental processes manifested in adulthood or puberty. Seeing a psychotherapist.

The speed of thinking depends on the predominance of processes in the GM cortex (brain). This may be excessive excitement or, on the contrary, inhibition of mental activity:

fragmentation characterized by a rapid change of thought, in which speech becomes absurd, there is no logic and consistency of judgments. Speech consists of fragments of phrases quickly replacing each other. The grammar of speech is usually preserved. This disorder is characteristic of schizophrenia.
manic syndrome characterized by the acceleration of speech and a simultaneous increase in the psycho-emotional background. Speech is accelerated, the patient can speak "excitedly" especially pronounced in certain topics.
Slowing down thought processes inherent in the depressive syndrome. Distinctive features: the absence of thoughts in the head, slow speech, taking into account the smallest details that are not related to the essence of the issue, the predominance of a depressed mood.
thoroughness expressed in excessive "drowning" in the details. The patient hardly switches from one question to another, rigidity of thinking is observed. Circumstantiality inherent in diseases nervous system(Epilepsy).
reasoning is revealed during prolonged communication and is expressed by a tendency to teach. When a person does not answer the question, but talks about things that have nothing to do with him and seeks to teach everyone to live with whom he begins to communicate.
autistic develops in closed people. A distinctive feature of this violation will be isolation from the world, poor orientation in society and immersion in inner experiences, often not corresponding to the real state of affairs.
obsessive syndrome characterized by an obsession with ideas or thoughts from which the patient cannot get rid of, although he understands the absurdity. obsessive thoughts they oppress a person, cause negative emotions, make them suffer, but the patient cannot cope with them. Occur against the background of persistent excitation of a part of the nervous system.
Phobias (unfounded fear). Various phobias arise against the background of overexertion and the performance of a difficult task for an adult or a child. In childhood, the fear of punishment gives rise to various phobias.
Super valuable ideas occur during adolescence. The predominance of a brightly colored emotional background indicates the development of this syndrome. This disturbance of consciousness does not cause suffering to the patient.
delusional thinking(often accompanied by hallucinosis) is characterized by the emergence of stable thoughts of ideas that are not amenable to persuasion. Inference is based on a logical conclusion made on the basis of some data. It can be fear of persecution, baseless jealousy, self-flagellation. Delusional thinking can be dangerous for others and the patient with a pronounced syndrome. Treatment by a psychotherapist or psychiatrist is required.

The pathology of thinking often provokes a violation of the emotional background (depression, euphoria, apathy). Any disturbance of the thought process should be observed by a specialist. If necessary, psychocorrection or drug therapy is carried out. Ignoring the pathology of thinking can lead to the emergence of persistent mental pathology and cause serious problems for societies or the patient.

Diagnosis of thinking involves determining the type of excitation of brain activity and features of thought processes. The ability to solve actual problems is also taken into account. The development of speech and thinking are closely related and begin at an early age.

When delayed speech development there is also a violation of mental activity. It is important to notice the deviation in time and start thinking training using the available methods of thinking development (playful, effective, teaching).

Development (exercises for training)

The development of thinking begins at an early age. At birth, the baby does not have the ability to think, but by the age of one, the beginning of thought processes is formed. Knowledge, experience, memory are necessary for the development of thinking. In the process of development, the child accumulates the necessary components through the knowledge of the world around him, and the simplest thinking begins to manifest in him.

The speed and quality of the formation of thought processes depends on how much attention parents pay to this issue. It is necessary to constantly engage with a child in order to quickly form and consolidate thinking skills.

The ability to form thoughts encourages self-learning and knowledge. The development of thinking occurs continuously from birth to complete extinction in the process of communication. Activities, mastering new things in everyday life forms the subconscious of a person. At each stage of life, it has its own characteristics:

For young children, thinking is visual-effective. All processes aimed at performing the simplest tasks (take a toy, open a box, bring something or get it). The child thinks, acts, develops. This continuous process is learned in everyday life both through the game and through the need to achieve certain actions.
When mastering speech, the child learns to generalize and gradually his thought process goes beyond the visual-active. Thinking and speech are closely related, human speech contributes to the development of abstract thinking, the ability to generalize objects and phenomena, to identify the essence based on the knowledge gained. Speech in adults is the main way of transferring experience and skills, which greatly facilitates learning.
The expansion of speech allows you to express yourself in words, the child goes more towards figurative and abstract thinking. At this stage fantasy is formed. Creativity develops.
Schoolchildren learn to operate with knowledge received verbally (subjects general education). There is no practical reinforcement by experience. This stage teaches to draw conclusions on the basis of a logical connection and accumulated knowledge about objects and phenomena. Various techniques school curriculum increase the efficiency and speed of operating with concepts and reaching conclusions in a short time in the presence of insufficient knowledge about the subject or phenomenon.
Senior classes contribute to the formation of abstract thinking. Study and analysis fiction stimulates the development of thinking and imagination.

The older the child gets, the more methods of thinking are involved in the daily process. The main means of developing children's thinking is education, including the formation of speech, the study of objects and phenomena through verbal data transmission and the formation of abstract thinking and imagination based on fiction, creativity (drawing, knitting, embroidery, woodcarving).

Stages of development of thinking directly depend on the early mastered and the level of intelligence. Usually corresponds to the age categories.

There are several levels in the accumulation of the conceptual base: the higher the level of development, the easier it is for a person to generalize or analyze phenomena (or objects), it is easier to find a solution to the question:

First level characterized by the ability to generalize simple concepts accumulated personal experience or learned when submitting in verbal form.
Second phase marked by the expansion of conceptual thinking.
Third level It is characterized by the ability to give clearer concepts of conditions, to identify specific features and to reinforce what has been said with specific examples from life that are appropriate in terms of the meaning and conditions of the task.
Fourth level- this is the highest stage of conceptual thinking, in which the individual has full knowledge about an object or phenomenon and easily determines its position in the surrounding world, indicating the relationship and differences.

Important! The higher the level of knowledge of concepts, the clearer the judgment becomes and the easier it is to reach a conclusion.

Types of thinking

Thinking is the highest form of human cognitive activity. Thanks to the processes occurring at the subconscious and conscious levels, a person forms concepts about the surrounding world and phenomena. Finds solutions to life's problems.

All processes of mental activity are divided depending on the goals and variations of the worldview. Ways of thinking are different and allow you to find a way out of any situation with a different approach to solving the problem. The main types of human thinking:

Critical thinking

It is used to evaluate the solutions found in the process of thinking regarding the possibility of their application in practice. allows you to choose the most correct solution and assess the reality of its implementation.

positive thinking

Represented by the acceptance of good fortune and goodness. A person who possesses perceives everything in rainbow colors, always retains faith in the best outcome and the ability to find a way out of any situation.

Abstract thinking

Allows you to renounce the details and look at the situation or problem as a whole. It needs to be developed from an early age. Expressed characterizes the speed of thinking and non-standard approach.

A feature of the ability to abstract is the ability to quickly find the essence in an unfamiliar situation, collecting all the information in a short time. That allows you to find a solution in any situation.

Logical thinking

This is the processing of available information with an emphasis on causation. A person uses already existing knowledge by processing them in a certain sequence.

The result of such thinking will be finding the most correct solution for a specific problem. It allows you to draw conclusions, decide on further tactics and find a solution in a situation that requires quick action.

When there is no time and opportunity to comprehensively study the subject and develop in detail tactics for solving the problem, logical thinking allows you to quickly chart a resolution path and take action immediately.

Clip thinking

This is a feature of perception based on the formation of a judgment based on short vivid images taken out of context. People who possess are able to form judgments based on short news clips or snippets of news.

It is inherent in the modern generation of young people and allows you to quickly find the information you are interested in, without delving into the features and details. It is characterized by a surface and little information content. The disadvantage of this type will be a decrease in concentration, the inability to comprehensively study the task.

Creative thinking

Allows you to find solutions that are not recognized by society. Deviation from patterns, an extraordinary approach - these are its main features. Due to a different than expected solution, people with are in a gain under equal conditions with people thinking patterns.

It allows people of the creative profession to create something new and unique, and businessmen to find solutions to seemingly insoluble problems. People with creative thinking often have behavioral deviations in comparison with the general principle.

Visual-figurative thinking

Allows you to quickly get the result, thanks to the instant processing of information based on visual images. A figurative solution is formed mentally and is accessible to people who are able to create visual pictures quite fully.

This kind of thinking is not based on practical facts. Trained from childhood by memorizing the subject, followed by the most complete recreation of its description. are in close connection and are easily trained in childhood in playful and creative activities.

systems thinking

Allows you to determine the relationship of disparate objects and phenomena. All elements are interconnected with each other. The ability to recognize and recreate them allows you to project the result at the beginning.

Thanks to a systematic approach, it is possible to determine various directions for the development of events and choose the most suitable one, or determine the perfect mistake in actions and find a solution.

A person who possesses is able to simplify the solution of a problem, study reality from different points of view and change his beliefs in the process of life.

All this allows you to adapt to a constantly changing environment and get out of any situation with minimal losses.

Spatial thinking

Orientation in space is possible thanks to. This is the ability to navigate in place and perceive the environment as a whole, recreating in memory the location of objects relative to each other and to the person himself, regardless of the point at which he is located.

It begins to form at the age of 2-3 years and can develop throughout life.

strategic thinking

This is the ability of an individual to predict in advance the result of activity in a certain direction (action) not only personal, but also the opponent. Developed allows you to calculate the steps of the enemy and act ahead of the curve, reaching. thereby. high results.

Analytical thinking

This is the ability to get the maximum information from the minimum material available by analyzing each component of the data provided. Through logical reasoning, a person predicts different options when considering an issue from several points of view, which allows finding the most optimal solution.

People who possess say that they will first think it over well, then they will do it. The proverb “try on seven times, cut once” is a guide for people with an analytical mindset.

Creative thinking

It is characterized by the ability to create a subjectively new on the basis of what already exists. In addition to obtaining a phenomenon or object that is different from the original, it allows you to collect information in ways that go beyond patterns, which allows you to get a solution to the problem quickly and efficiently. It belongs to the productive group and develops easily in childhood.

Lateral thinking

Allows you to qualitatively solve the problem by examining an object or phenomena from different sides and from different angles. Lateral thinking uses not only accumulated experience and knowledge, but also intuitive abilities, sometimes going against scientific ideas.

Based on experience and their own feelings, a person can not only find a way out of the situation, but also enjoy the process of solving even complex problems. As a rule, users choose a creative approach and an extraordinary type of problem solving, which allows them to achieve the highest results.

Associative thinking

This is the ability of the brain to create a variety of vivid images associated with an object or phenomenon, which allows you to study the conditions of the problem not only at the conceptual level, but also connect the emotional and sensual background, form your own attitude to the problem and fill it with various colors.

When developed, a person is able to connect various situations that have nothing to do with a specific subject. So, for example, people can associate some events of their personal or social life with any melody or movie.

Thanks to this, a person is able to find non-standard solutions to a problem and create something qualitatively new on the basis of an existing one.

Divergent and convergent thinking

Divergent is characterized by the ability of a person to find many solutions, having one source data. The opposite is convergent - focusing on one option for the development of an event with a complete rejection of the possibility of other options for solving the problem.

Development allows you to select many options for solving a problem that go beyond the generally accepted ones, and choose the most optimal course of action that can quickly lead to the desired result with the least expenditure of energy and money.

Out of the box thinking

Allows you to find an unusual solution to the problem in any situation. The main value lies in the ability to find a way out of a “no way out” situation when standard methods do not work.

Sanogenic and pathogenic thinking

Directed to recovery, pathogenic, on the contrary, leads to diseases due to its destructive influence. The pathogenic species is determined by a person's tendency to replay a negative situation many times over time, which leads to the emergence of negative emotions (anger, resentment, anger, hopelessness). Persons with a pathogenic type tend to blame themselves for what happened and constantly suffer, scrolling through a bad situation.

The owners of the sanogenic worldview are able to abstract from the negative and create a comfortable emotional background, they do not depend on stressful situations.

Rational and irrational thinking

Represented by two opposites. The first type is based on strict adherence to logic and has a clear structure, which allows you to find a solution to most life situations.

The second type is characterized by fragmentary judgments in the absence of a clear thought process.

People jump from one to the other, allowing their thoughts to move randomly. A rationally thinking person always carefully considers everything, chooses the most logically verified way to solve a problem. Irrationalists, on the other hand, rely on feelings and emotions.

Conceptual thinking

Formed in children school age and consists in the formation of certain truths that do not require proof. excludes the possibility of considering an object or phenomenon from different angles due to the formation of a certain cliché. It excludes dissent and creativity in solving the problem.

scientific thinking

It represents the desire to know the essence of an object or the root cause of a phenomenon. It is characterized by consistency, requires the collection of an evidence base and is objective. The advantage is the ability to study the processes of the surrounding world and use the result for the benefit of society or oneself.

stereotypical thinking

It is represented by a tendency to evaluate events and phenomena according to generally accepted standards without the inclusion of logic or creativity. It allows you to socialize, but it kills individuality in a person and makes him not only predictable, but also easily suggestible.

The development of thinking and imagination is the main method of dealing with and developing the ability to independently solve problems and find a way out of situations. Reduces the efficiency of the process due to the inability to act in situations not described in the instructions.

cognitive thinking

Characterized high level the development of all types of processes of mental activity, which allows you to collect and analyze information, evaluate everything from a different angle, apply a logical approach and at the same time act intuitively and on the basis of emotions.

Allows you to solve many problems using the most effective method when taking into account all the factors of the situation (or phenomenon) in accordance with the dependent and independent developments events.

Thanks to the ability to think, people can analyze information, draw conclusions, draw analogies and engage in cognitive activities. Thus, the scope of the surrounding world expands and is not limited only to its material aspects. In this article, I will tell you what types of thinking exist in psychology, give them characteristics using tables, and give examples.

Peculiarities

Reflection through generalization. The participants in the thought process are always general ideas person about phenomena, objects and events. People build a causal relationship by summarizing a huge number of facts that they have encountered in the past.
Mediation of knowledge. In their thoughts, each individual relies on their own feelings, emotions and experiences.
Solving various situations. The search for a way to resolve a particular problem always has approximately one scenario: first, an analysis of what is happening takes place, then the selection of the most suitable options for action. Quests can go through trial and error, in a rational or irrational way.
Direct connection with speech. Thinking is directly related to the speech functions of the individual. Any idea, idea, idea is formulated verbally and expressed verbally.

The main characteristics of objects and phenomena, as well as their interrelationships and relationships determine concepts. They are applicable and the more important features served as a foundation for them, the more effective human activity will be.

Judgment is a reflection of the connection between objects in the form of affirmative or negative statements. It is based not only on knowledge about something, but also on subjective assessments based on the relationship to its truth.

An inference is a combination of several considerations, which in the end can be transformed into a logical conclusion. Mental activity is based on deduction, induction and the use of analogies.

What is thinking: the main types and their characteristics

Neural connections play a major role in the origin of thoughts. Neurons exchange various electrochemical impulses, processing information in a certain way.

The knowledge we acquire in the process of life is necessary only as a basis for the flow of mental activity. For real smart man becomes when it comprehends new information, analyzes and synthesizes it.

The brain works with the received data in two directions:

The right hemisphere pays attention to sensory and emotional images. That is, for him, the outside world is a set of sounds, images, sensations, smells, tastes. These are bright and sensual fragments.
The left handles abstract characters: numbers, words, texts, formulas.

Visual and effective

By processing information in this way, a person connects not only concepts about objects, but also performs a series of actions with them based on his existing knowledge and experience. For example, children often break toys to find out what's inside them.

Visual-figurative

Mental activity is carried out through specific images. It is based on concepts, actions, sensations and emotions. Example: stylists come up with a new image, and fashion designers design clothes by looking at a certain person.

This kind of thinking begins to develop in preschool age. Then the objects and phenomena of the world acquire special properties, often quite non-standard, which is achieved through imagination. It is this type of mental activity that predominates in creative people: writers, musicians, artists, designers.

Abstract (verbal-logical)

It is based on existing, logically proven theories. In other words, this can be called the manipulation of existing concepts through their classification, ordering. This way of thinking is characteristic of philosophers and scientists. So, for example, the electron is studied without carrying out practical experiments.

The listed varieties develop in humans sequentially. In the early stages (in infancy), the child begins to explore objects, forming a visual-effective way of thinking. Later, at preschool age, when he already knows how to look at pictures, perceive texts of songs and fairy tales, watch cartoons, there is a foundation for the formation of a visual-figurative way of carrying out mental activity. By the time they arrive at school or have begun serious learning to read, calculate, and write, children work effectively with abstractions.

Other psychological classifications of types of thinking

Below I will describe other options for distinguishing varieties of mental activity.

By the nature of the tasks

Depending on the purpose, a person’s thought can be directed to building theories or obtaining a visual, practical result.

theoretical

It involves the study of laws and regulations, which is carried out on the basis of existing knowledge. A person analyzes an object, revealing the basis on which all manifestations of this object are formed. After that, the characteristics of the studied element are compared and their classification is carried out. As a result of such an analysis of information, generalized ideas about the essence of things and phenomena are formed. Physics, mathematics, psychology and philosophy are based on this.

Practical

In this format of thinking, it is important to apply theory in practice. Based on theoretical thoughts, concrete ways of transforming reality arise. They may take the form of a project or a diagram. characteristic feature is the lack of sufficient time to test the assumptions, as well as the risk in case of error.

There is no goal here - to create a series of rules and laws. The main task is to move from thought to action as soon as possible.

According to the degree of reflection

The analytic type is based on logic. It proceeds in stages and stretches over time. Each subsequent step flows from the previous one. Intuitive thought process, on the contrary, passes quickly, sometimes even unconsciously. This is a simple impulse without logically arranged stages.

By subject

The realistic is formed on the basis of an adequate, rational assessment of the surrounding world. An individual resorting to this type seeks to proceed from the existing state of affairs, limiting the influence of his expectations and desires on the way of thinking. The main thing for him is the truth, whatever it may be. As a rule, people of such a mindset are characterized by increased criticality. They require proof for each statement.

Autistic thinking is formed on the basis of a person's internal needs, which may not have anything to do with reality. The main task is to find an illusion that will suit him in this moment. There is no place for logical criticality here: everything that does not correspond to the desired is simply swept aside.

The egocentric type is inherent in unformed personalities, for example, children. For them, their ego is at the center of everything. The world is perceived exclusively through the prism of the "I-image", and the experiences of other people are not taken into account.

By degree of novelty

Creativity involves the participation of the imagination, which uses everything that was once perceived by the mind, and gives out a completely new, unique image and idea. An individual can look at a situation from different angles.

Reproductive - cognition is entirely based on existing patterns, previously obtained from various sources. However, the problem must be correlated with the existing decision rules, which also requires some independence. Aimed at the reproduction of past knowledge and their practical application.

According to the degree of arbitrariness

Arbitrary is born due to the will and consciousness of the individual. It is completely controlled by the mind. Involuntary is carried out without the application of additional efforts. It manifests itself in situations where actions are performed unconsciously or under the influence of external factors.

Operations of thinking

Comparison is a comparison of objects or phenomena, the search for similarities and differences in them.
Analysis is the identification of specific characteristics and properties in an object.
Synthesis is the combination of a number of elements into a whole.
Abstraction is a distraction from the general and the selection of one side.
Generalization - the ability to group similar features.

Types of mental disorders

The quality of thought is affected by errors in the perception and processing of information. These, for example, include violations of attention, memory, hearing or vision - that is, from the outside world a person receives data that does not correspond to reality. Based on them, he draws incorrect conclusions and conclusions.

Another cause of distorted thinking is psychosis. The brain stops working in basic mode, leading to erratic considerations.

Unconscious comprehension

The subconscious mind stores almost everything that an individual had in the past: experience, attitudes, doubts, feelings, fears, emotions. It does not seek to find a solution, but rather simply does not notice it. This part of the psyche cannot be controlled independently. However, with its help, the most correct decisions are made, and not at all due to logical analysis. It is the unconscious component of the inner "I" that notices certain phenomena, objects, fixes them and analyzes them. This information is hidden in the depths of the mind for a long time, until the task that is relevant to it arises.

What refers to the main types of thinking, depending on personal characteristics

Certain personality characteristics can also influence the way of thinking.

male

As a rule, it is based on logical analysis and aims at creating a plan of concrete actions. It is characterized by purposefulness, rationality and alienation of the mind from sensations. Men tend to move from thinking to acting and achieving a certain result, and emotions only interfere with the process of understanding.

Women's

Most often it has an intuitive basis, which is almost always accompanied by sensory experience. An important role is played by concretization and detailing of information. The course of a woman's thinking can change under the influence of her mood, although many girls are characterized by logic, rationalism, and the ability to plan and analyze. However, the trend shows that their emotionality still has a strong influence on the perception of the world around them: sometimes it helps, and sometimes it interferes with thinking.

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positive

People with this mindset are more likely to see opportunities around them rather than obstacles. No matter what happens, they strive to remain optimistic, while being realistic and constructive in assessing the situation and finding in it what contributes to success.

negative

Accompanied by emotions associated with dissatisfaction with life and pessimism. People of this mindset tend to passively criticize what is happening, express their unpleasant feelings and thoughts, but do not always take responsibility for solving the problem that has arisen.

strategic

It is possessed by individuals who prefer to plan their activities far ahead and are able to set long-term goals. They stick to their plan and see the most effective ways to achieve their plans. As a rule, these are good managers and businessmen.

idealistic

Instead of knowing the world, idealists create a model of it in their heads, which they try to impose on reality. Most often, these pictures do not match, which causes negative emotions and experiences in a person. An individual with such a mindset may not notice the obvious because of this desire for illusions.

Irrational

The irrational does not always manage to see and realize the reasons for his actions. He does not analyze, does not criticize, but simply believes in what he is doing. For him, the most important thing is the effectiveness of actions, and not the logic or objectivity of the assessment.

Rational

Unlike the previous one, rational refers only to facts, knowledge and skills. Feelings, emotions, he pushes into the background, preferring to think soberly, constructively, quickly and logically solving the tasks.

Analytical

A person with this way of thinking relies solely on logic. He is sure that everything has a causal relationship, so to solve the problem, you need to analyze for a long time, study the situation and get to the bottom of the root cause.

synthesizing

It is well developed among those who are able to recreate a complete and understandable picture of reality from separate pieces of information. Such people are not afraid of routine work and prefer stability rather than change. The world around them is perceived with caution. Often, outstanding scientists are obtained from personalities of such a warehouse. They successfully cope with office tasks, are able to competently collect and structure data, as well as correctly present them, resort to drawing up diagrams and tables for clarity.

Conclusion

The way we think depends on personal characteristics and is formed on the basis of innate qualities. All this affects the efficiency of mental operations, the perception of the world, and the solution of various problems. In most cases, the worldview can be corrected (for example, change negative to positive).

Here are some tips to help you learn to think deeply, efficiently, and effectively:

Read more books and do it consciously: analyze, systematize what you read.
Play educational games, periodically solve puzzles.
Learn math.
Learn foreign languages.

Try to determine what kind of thinking prevails in the psychology of your consciousness, based on its main types (in form and content), briefly and clearly listed in this article. If it seems to you that this way of assessing the surrounding space is not effective enough and requires some reboot, sign up for my . On it, you will learn how to successfully build communications with reality and receive personal benefit from it.

Thinking as the highest form of cognitive activity allows a person to logically connect events and phenomena that occur, as well as to generalize the results of personal sensory experience and reflect general properties items. On the basis of generalizations, we then solve specific cognitive tasks. Thinking helps us to give answers to questions that cannot be resolved by sensory reflection alone. It helps us navigate the world around us and apply in a constantly changing environment the generalizations and experience we have received before.

Classification of types of thinking

Developing in the process of socialization, the way of thinking of a person gradually changed, moving from the concrete to the abstract, from the external (objective) to the internal. Most often, thinking is divided into practical and theoretical. Practical thinking, in turn, is visual-effective and visual-figurative, while theoretical thinking is figurative and abstract-logical (conceptual). The main types of thinking can be depicted, according to this classification, in this way:

From visual-effective, - the main type of thinking of a child up to 3 years old (we try everything by touch, “by the tooth”), growing up (by 4-7 years old), through visual images and representations (auditory, tactile, visual, etc. ) we master visual-figurative thinking.

Theoretical and practical thinking are different in the type of problems they solve, and in the features (structural and dynamic) resulting from this. Theoretical thinking is considered to be at a higher level of development than practical, and conceptual (verbal-logical) is one level higher than figurative. Interestingly, even in the process of implementing any specific activity all these types of thinking can peacefully coexist, but one of them always dominates, based on the ultimate goals and nature of this activity. In this regard, we can talk about the prevailing type of thinking at the moment. All types of human thinking are equivalent in terms of the level of complexity, as well as in terms of the requirements for human abilities, and, first of all, for intellectual abilities.

Let's take a closer look at each type of thinking process:

practical thinking

The purpose of this type of thinking process is the preparation of a specific physical transformation of reality: for example, the creation of a plan, project, scheme. In other words, it is aimed at solving specific practical problems. Usually practical thinking is limited by time constraints.

Visual Action Thinking manifests itself in practical activities, in the course of which we transform real objects. With this prevailing type of thinking, a person directly perceives an object or, in the process of any action with it, changes, transforms the situation. Who uses visual-action thinking the most? These are, as we have already said, kids under three years old and adults involved in the creation of some kind of material product (for example, in production).

Visual-figurative thinking differs in that the thought process in this case occurs directly in the process of perception of the surrounding world, and only in this way. With this type of thinking, a person imagines the situation and the changes that he wants to achieve in the end result. Visual-figurative thinking is characterized by the use of unusual, incredible combinations of objects and their properties. With this type of thinking process, a person uses images presented in his operational and short-term memory (and does not retrieve them from long-term memory with subsequent transformation, as happens when using theoretical figurative thinking).

Who uses visual-figurative thinking most often? First of all, these are children: preschoolers and junior schoolchildren, and among adults, those who are engaged in practical activities, if they observe the object of their activity without touching it. When renovating an apartment and presenting the final result, based on the selected wallpaper options, the color of the ceiling and floor, we also use this kind of thinking.

theoretical thinking

The goal of theoretical thinking is the knowledge and generalization of rules and laws, both scientific and their everyday ones. In most cases, theoretical thinking is aimed at searching and finding some general patterns.

Verbal-logical (conceptual) thinking differs in that in the process of solving a problem a person uses concepts, performs mental operations (actions in the mind), without using the experience received from the senses. As a tool in this case concepts, judgments and inferences appear. This kind of thinking gives an abstract, but accurate and generalized reflection of reality. Who most often uses verbal-logical thinking? These are people of science who carry out theoretical research.

Theoretical figurative thinking gives the possibility of no less real reflection of reality, the verbal-logical. In this type of human thinking, the tools for solving the problem are images that are either retrieved from memory or generated by the imagination, that is, they are recreated creatively. Who most often use theoretical figurative thinking? Creative people working with images, engaged in art and literature.

Both types of theoretical thinking complement each other, coexist, revealing, though different, but interconnected facets of being.

There is a more detailed classification of types of thinking:

By shape the types already considered above are distinguished: visual-effective, visual-figurative, figurative and abstract-logical thinking.

By the nature of the tasks to be solved- also considered above practical and theoretical thinking.

According to the degree of expansion - discursive And intuitive thinking.

discursive(expanded) thinking is different in that a person hears, sees and feels his inner actions, his inner speech. It relies on the logic of reasoning, and not on perception, has clearly defined stages and is deployed in time.

When folded ( intuitive) thinking is based on sensory perception and reflection of objects and phenomena of the surrounding world. It is brief, has practically no stages, almost unconsciously.

According to the degree of originality, novelty the result of mental operations are distinguished productive And reproductive thinking.

Productive Thinking based on creative imagination. It is aimed at understanding what is happening, setting goals, finding solutions and obtaining useful conclusions and experience.

reproductive thinking is based on the use of already existing representations and images.

There is also a classification of types of thinking depending on on the degree of standardization of the tasks being solved. In this regard, they share:

Algorithmic thinking. It is based on ready-made algorithms and rules, on the execution of a certain sequence, and is used to solve typical problems.
Discursive thinking relies on reasoning based on interrelated inferences.
heuristic thinking is to find solutions to non-standard problems.
Creative thinking is a search for discoveries, a path to completely new results.

Some psychologists, classifying the types of thinking, divide it into three types: verbal-logical, visual-effective and visual-figurative, and inside verbal-logical thinking performing logical operations with concepts, there are a number of types of thinking:

theoretical, in which laws and rules are comprehended, hypotheses and concepts are built.
Practical, allowing for a limited time to test hypotheses, draw up practical plans and prepare to change the existing reality. He is characterized by subtle observation, the ability to find and use important details and quickly apply the solution in practice.
Analytical (logical)- Conscious thinking with a clear structure.
realistic thinking based on the laws of logic and directed at the surrounding world.
autistic thinking is inextricably linked to inner world man, the fulfillment of his desires.
Productive- creating something new.
reproductive- reproducing on the basis of what has already been created, according to the model.
involuntary- this thinking in this classification is considered as a transformation of images of dreams.
Arbitrary- which is a purposeful solution of mental problems.

Thinking is the result of the reaction of the cerebral cortex to external stimuli, and thinking disorders are a manifestation of a disorder in information processing processes. In quite healthy people, minor or short-term disturbances in thinking may occur. At the same time, psychopathology reveals thinking disorders that are painful and pronounced. Some diseases can cause one or another type of thought disorder. Among them are dementia, schizophrenia, severe forms of epilepsy, the consequences of serious traumatic brain injuries and other diseases.

Types of thinking disorders

In psychopathology, the following types of thinking disorders are distinguished:

Violation of the dynamics of thinking.
Violation of the operational side of thinking.
Violation of the motivational component of thinking.
Violation of critical thinking.

Violations of the dynamics of thinking

These include the inertia of thinking and its lability.

inertia It is expressed in difficulty when switching from one way of doing work to another. The generalization of the material under changing conditions can be difficult, the viscosity of thinking, excessive thoroughness, excessive detail, and slowness of thought processes may appear.

Lability- this is instability, mobility of the way to perform the task. In this case, adequate and inadequate solutions alternate. With a good level of generalizations in general, from time to time there is a “failure” into random, incorrect combinations. New impressions change the train of thought, the logic of reasoning is broken, associations are chaotic, ideas “jump”, a person is constantly talking - these are the manifestations of this type of thought disorder. Share the following options:

generalized situations alternate with specific situational ones;
logical connections are erroneously replaced by random combinations;
groupings are formed.

Violations of the operational side of thinking

These include lowering the level of generalization and distortion of the generalization process.

Downgrading It is characterized by the predominance of direct, concrete connections between objects and phenomena in judgments. So, for example, when classifying objects, heterogeneous concepts are combined into one group (for example, a pen and a table, because it is convenient to write with a pen at the table), that is, objects are combined on the basis of particular or secondary features.

Distortion of the generalization process- the opposite process, in which there is a departure from specific connections, and in an exaggerated form. At the same time, generalization is carried out on the basis of either insignificant, external signs, or on the basis of such general signs that they go beyond the content of the phenomena. For example, a spoon, a table and a shovel in this case end up in the same group, “because they are all solid”, that is, the connections do not reflect either the content of the phenomena or the semantic relationships between them.

Violation of the motivational component of thinking

This violation is expressed in the distortion of generalizations, diversity of thinking and reasoning. The loss of purposefulness of thinking leads to superficiality and incompleteness of judgments and to the loss of the function of regulating human actions by thinking.

Generalization distortion- this is a violation, which is expressed by the allocation of unrealistic generalizing features and properties. For example, a generalization of a spoon and a car because "both move".

Diversity of thinking. In this case, judgments simultaneously flow in several channels, and when generalizing, either the properties of objects or personal, sometimes paradoxical attitudes and views are taken as the basis. The shift in meaning as a result of such a violation of thinking can lead to a change in the structure of any activity.

reasoning- a violation in which reasoning is unproductive, since it is long-winded fruitless sophistication.

Violation of critical thinking

With this violation, there is a lack of control over their actions and correction of errors. Criticality is the ability to evaluate, control the work of thought, analyze, weigh the pros and cons. The most typical manifestations in the performance of experimental tasks in violation of critical thinking are indifference to one's own mistakes and thoughtless manipulation of objects.

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Thinking - it is a mental cognitive process of generalized and indirect reflection of objects and phenomena of the objective world in their essential connections and manifestations.

Mental cognitive process reflecting the essential connections and relationships of objects and phenomena of the objective world is called thinking. Thinking is mediated, i.e. relies on sensations and perceptions, on the data of past experience stored in memory. Thinking is connected with speech, because the reflection of connections and relations between phenomena occurs in verbal form. It is also related to practical activities.

Thinking is higher cognitive process. In the process of thinking, a person reflects the objective world differently than in the processes of perception and imagination. In perceptions and representations, external phenomena are reflected in the way they affect the sense organs: in colors, shapes, movement of objects, etc. When a person thinks about any objects or phenomena, he reflects in his mind not these external features, but the very essence of objects, their mutual connections and relationships.

Thinking process:

Always has an indirect character;

It relies on the knowledge that a person has about the general laws of nature and society;

It proceeds from "living contemplation", but is not reduced to it;

Reflects the connections and relationships between objects in verbal form;

It is always in inseparable unity with speech;

Organically connected with practical activities.

The most important feature thinking is that thinking is always associated with the decision of one or another tasks, arising in the process of cognition or practical activity. Therefore, thinking always starts with question, the answer to which is purpose.

Thinking is a special kind of activity that has its own structure and types:

The main types of mental operations include: analysis, synthesis, comparison, abstraction, generalization, concretization.

Analysis is a mental operation of dividing a complex object into its constituent parts.

Synthesis - it is a mental operation that allows one to move from parts to the whole in a single analytical-synthetic process of thinking.

Comparison - This is an operation that consists in comparing objects and phenomena, their properties and relations with each other and thus identifying the commonality or difference between them.

abstraction- a mental operation based on abstraction from non-essential features of objects, phenomena and highlighting the main, main thing in them.

Generalization- this is a combination of many objects or phenomena according to some common feature.

Specification - it is the movement of thought from the general to the particular.

Basic forms of thinking: concept, judgment and conclusion.

concept- this is a reflection in the mind of a person of the general and essential properties of an object or phenomenon. Concepts are based on knowledge about these objects or phenomena. Concepts can be general and singular, concrete and abstract.

Judgment- the main form of thinking, in the process of which the connections between objects and phenomena of reality are affirmed or reflected. It allows you to verbally attribute objects or phenomena to a particular class.

inference- this is the selection of one or more judgments of a new judgment. In some cases, the inference determines the truth or falsity of judgments. There are inferences inductive, deductive, Similarly.

By type, thinking is divided into visual-effective, visual-figurative, abstract-logical (abstract).

Visual Action Thinking is thinking directly involved in activity. (Playing Rubik's Cube is an example of visual-effective thinking. Visual-effective thinking is thinking based on the direct perception of objects in the process of acting with them. In this example, it occurs in a step-by-step mode, when the current goal is determined only by the criteria for successful completion this step, and is also characterized by the absence of a completed action plan.).

Visual-figurative thinking- this is thinking, carried out on the basis of images, ideas of what a person perceived before.

abstract thinking- this is thinking that takes place on the basis of abstract concepts that are not figuratively represented.

From a physiological point of view the process of thinking is a complex analytical and synthetic activity of the cerebral cortex. The entire cerebral cortex is involved in the implementation of thought processes.

When making decisions in the course of thinking, certain functional systems are formed that provide different levels of decision-making and the presence of potentials evoked for them - certain reactions of different areas of the cerebral cortex to a specific external event, which are comparable to the real psychological process of information processing. The activity of the functional systems of the psyche, the presence of specific levels of decision-making and the manifestation of certain evoked potentials in general act as psychophysiological mechanisms of mental activity.

According to S.L. Rubinstein, every thought process is an act aimed at solving a specific problem, the formulation of which includes a goal and conditions. Thinking begins with a problem situation, a need to understand. At the same time, the solution of the problem is a natural completion of the thought process, and its termination when the goal is not achieved will be perceived by the subject as a breakdown or failure. The emotional well-being of the subject, tense at the beginning and satisfied at the end, is connected with the dynamics of the thought process.

Initial phase thought process is the awareness of the problem situation. The very formulation of the problem is an act of thinking, often it requires a lot of mental work.

First sign thinking person - the ability to see the problem where it is. The emergence of questions (which is typical in children) is a sign of the developing work of thought. A person sees the more problems, the larger the circle of his knowledge. Thus, thinking presupposes the presence of some initial knowledge.

From understanding the problem thought moves to its solution. The solution of the problem is carried out different ways. There are special tasks (tasks of visual-effective and sensory-motor intelligence), for the solution of which it is enough to correlate the initial data in a new way and rethink the situation.

In most cases To solve problems, some base of theoretical generalized knowledge is needed. The solution of the problem involves the involvement of existing knowledge as means and methods of solution.

The application of the rule involves two mental operations:

Determine which rule to use for the solution;

Application of the general rule to particular conditions of the problem.

Automated schemes actions can be considered skills of thinking. It is important to note that the role of thinking skills is great precisely in those areas where there is a very generalized system of knowledge, for example, in solving mathematical problems.

When deciding a complex problem, a solution path is usually outlined, which is recognized as a hypothesis. Awareness of the hypothesis generates the need for verification.

criticality- a sign of a mature mind. An uncritical mind easily takes any coincidence as an explanation, the first solution that comes up as the final one.

When does verification end?, the thought process proceeds to the final phase - judgment on the matter.

In this way, the thought process is a process that is preceded by awareness of the initial situation (conditions of the task), which is conscious and purposeful, operates with concepts and images, and which ends with some result (rethinking the situation, finding a solution, forming a judgment, etc.).

Thinking activity is realized both at the level of consciousness and at the level of the unconscious, it is characterized by complex transitions and interactions of these levels. As a result of a successful (purposeful) action, a result is achieved that corresponds to the previously set goal, and the result that was not provided for in the conscious goal is a by-product (by-product of the action) in relation to it.

The problem of the conscious and the unconscious was concretized into the problem of the relationship between direct (conscious) and side (unconscious) products of action. The by-product of an action is also reflected by the subject. This reflection can participate in the subsequent regulation of actions, but it is not presented in a verbalized form, in the form of consciousness. A by-product "is formed under the influence of those specific properties of things and phenomena that are included in the action, but are not essential from the point of view of the goal."

Speech

speech The process of a person's practical use of language in order to communicate with other people is called.

Unlike speech, language- this is a system of conditional symbols, with the help of which combinations of sounds are transmitted that have a certain meaning and meaning for people. In the process of communication, people express thoughts and feelings with the help of language, achieve mutual understanding in order to carry out joint activities.

Language and speech, like thinking, arise and develop in the process and under the influence of labor. They are the property of only man: animals have neither language nor speech.

Speech has its own content. The sounds that make up the words of oral speech have a complex physical structure; they distinguish the frequency, amplitude and shape of the vibration of air sound waves.

Of special importance in the sounds of speech is their timbre, which is based on overtones that accompany and complement the main tone of the speech sound.

Speech has its own properties:

- content of speech is determined by the number of thoughts, feelings and aspirations expressed in it, their significance and correspondence to reality;

- intelligibility of speech is achieved by syntactically correct construction of sentences, as well as the use of pauses in appropriate places or highlighting words with the help of logical stress;

- expressiveness of speech associated with its emotional richness (by its expressiveness, it can be bright, energetic or, conversely, lethargic, pale);

- lack of speech lies in its influence on the thoughts, feelings and will of other people, on their beliefs and behavior.

Speech performs certain functions:

- expressions(consists in the fact that, on the one hand, thanks to speech, a person can more fully convey his feelings, experiences, relationships, and, on the other hand, the expressiveness of speech, its emotionality significantly expands the possibilities of communication);

- impact( lies in the ability of a person through speech to induce people to action);

- designations(consists in the ability of a person through speech to give objects and phenomena of the surrounding reality their names inherent only to them);

- messages(consists in the exchange of thoughts between people through words, phrases).

There are the following types of speech:

- oral- this is communication between people through the pronunciation of words, on the one hand, and their perception by people by ear, on the other;

- written- it is speech through written signs;

- monologue- this is the speech of one person, for a relatively long time expressing his thoughts;

- dialogic- a conversation in which at least two interlocutors participate;

- external- speech, which performs the functions of communication;

- internal- this is speech that does not perform the function of communication, but only serves the process of thinking of a particular person;

Systems that provide speech can be divided into two groups: peripheral and central. The central ones include certain structures of the head movement of the brain, and the peripheral ones include the vocal apparatus and hearing organs. Speech is based on the activity of the second signal system, the work of which is, first of all, in the analysis and synthesis of generalized speech signals.

speech at the same time- the most complex system conditioned reflexes. It is based on the second signaling system, the conditioned stimuli of which are words in their sound (oral speech) or visual form. The sounds and outlines of words, being at first neutral stimuli for an individual, become conditioned speech stimuli in the process of re-combining them with the primary signal stimulus, causing perceptions and sensations of objects and their properties.

As a result, they get semantic meaning, become signals of direct stimuli with which they were combined. The temporary neural connections formed in this case are further strengthened by constant verbal reinforcements, become strong and acquire a two-sided character: the sight of an object immediately evokes a reaction of its naming, and, conversely, an audible or visible word immediately evokes the representation of the object denoted by this word.

The information received by a person from the surrounding world allows a person to represent not only the external, but also the internal side of an object, to represent objects in the absence of themselves, to foresee their change in time, to rush with thought into boundless distances and the microcosm. All this is possible through the process of thinking. In under thinking understand the process of cognitive activity of an individual, characterized by a generalized and indirect reflection of reality. Objects and phenomena of reality have such properties and relationships that can be known directly, with the help of sensations and perceptions (colors, sounds, shapes, placement and movement of bodies in visible space).

The first feature of thinking- its mediated nature. What a person cannot cognize directly, directly, he cognizes indirectly, indirectly: some properties through others, the unknown through the known. Thinking is always based on the data of sensory experience - representations - and on previously acquired theoretical knowledge. Indirect knowledge is also indirect knowledge.

The second feature of thinking- its generalization. Generalization as knowledge of the general and essential in the objects of reality is possible because all the properties of these objects are connected with each other. The general exists and manifests itself only in the individual, in the concrete.

People express generalizations through speech, language. Verbal designation refers not only to a single object, but also to a whole group of similar objects. Generalization is also inherent in images (representations and even perceptions). But there it is always limited visibility. The word allows you to generalize without limit. Philosophical concepts of matter, motion, law, essence, phenomenon, quality, quantity, etc. - the broadest generalizations expressed in a word.

The results of people's cognitive activity are recorded in the form of concepts. A concept is a reflection of the essential features of an object. The concept of an object arises on the basis of many judgments and conclusions about it. The concept as a result of the generalization of people's experience is the highest product of the brain, the highest stage of cognition of the world.

Human thinking proceeds in the form of judgments and conclusions.. Judgment is a form of thinking that reflects the objects of reality in their connections and relationships. Each judgment is a separate thought about something. A consistent logical connection of several judgments, necessary in order to solve any mental problem, understand something, find an answer to a question, is called reasoning. Reasoning has practical meaning only when it leads to a certain conclusion, a conclusion. The conclusion will be the answer to the question, the result of the search for thought.

inference- this is a conclusion from several judgments, giving us new knowledge about the objects and phenomena of the objective world. Inferences are inductive, deductive and by analogy.

Thinking is the highest level of human cognition of reality. Sensual basis of thinking are sensations, perceptions and representations. Through the sense organs - these are the only channels of communication between the body and the outside world - information enters the brain. The content of information is processed by the brain. The most complex (logical) form of information processing is the activity of thinking. Solving the mental tasks that life puts before a person, he reflects, draws conclusions and thereby cognizes the essence of things and phenomena, discovers the laws of their connection, and then transforms the world on this basis.

Thinking is not only closely connected with sensations and perceptions, but it is formed on the basis of them. The transition from sensation to thought is a complex process, which consists, first of all, in the selection and isolation of an object or its attribute, in abstraction from the concrete, individual and the establishment of the essential, common to many objects.

Thinking acts mainly as a solution to problems, questions, problems that are constantly put forward before people by life. Solving problems should always give a person something new, new knowledge. The search for solutions is sometimes very difficult, so mental activity, as a rule, is an active activity that requires focused attention and patience. The real process of thought is always a process not only cognitive, but also emotional-volitional.

For human thinking, the relationship is not with sensory cognition, but with speech and language. In a stricter sense speech- the process of communication mediated by language. If language is an objective, historically established system of codes and the subject of a special science - linguistics, then speech is a psychological process of formulating and transmitting thoughts by means of language.

Modern psychology does not believe that inner speech has the same structure and the same functions as extended outer speech. By internal speech, psychology means an essential transitional stage between the idea and expanded external speech. A mechanism that allows you to recode the general meaning into a speech statement, i.e. inner speech is, first of all, not a detailed speech statement, but only preparatory stage.

However, the inseparable connection between thinking and speech does not at all mean that thinking can be reduced to speech. Thinking and speaking are not the same thing. Thinking does not mean talking about yourself. Evidence of this is the possibility of expressing the same thought in different words, as well as the fact that we do not always find the right words to express our thought.

The objective material form of thinking is language. A thought becomes a thought both for oneself and for others only through the word—oral and written. Thanks to the language, people's thoughts are not lost, but are transmitted in the form of a system of knowledge from generation to generation. However, there are additional means of transmitting the results of thinking: light and sound signals, electrical impulses, gestures, etc. Modern science and technology widely use conventional signs as a universal and economical means of transmitting information.

Thinking is also inextricably linked with the practical activities of people. Any type of activity involves thinking, taking into account the conditions of action, planning, observation. By acting, a person solves any problems. Practical activity is the main condition for the emergence and development of thinking, as well as a criterion for the truth of thinking.

thought processes

The mental activity of a person is a solution to various mental problems aimed at revealing the essence of something. A mental operation is one of the ways of mental activity through which a person solves mental problems.

Thinking operations are varied. These are analysis and synthesis, comparison, abstraction, concretization, generalization, classification. Which of the logical operations a person will use will depend on the task and on the nature of the information that he subjects to mental processing.

Analysis and synthesis

Analysis- this is a mental decomposition of the whole into parts or a mental separation from the whole of its sides, actions, relations.

Synthesis- the reverse process of thought to analysis, it is the unification of parts, properties, actions, relations into one whole.

Analysis and synthesis are two interrelated logical operations. Synthesis, like analysis, can be both practical and mental.

Analysis and synthesis were formed in the practical activity of man. People constantly interact with objects and phenomena. Practical development of them led to the formation of mental operations of analysis and synthesis.

Comparison

Comparison- this is the establishment of similarities and differences between objects and phenomena.

The comparison is based on analysis. Before comparing objects, it is necessary to select one or more of their features, according to which the comparison will be made.

The comparison can be one-sided, or incomplete, and multi-sided, or more complete. Comparison, like analysis and synthesis, can be of different levels - superficial and deeper. In this case, a person's thought goes from external signs of similarity and difference to internal ones, from the visible to the hidden, from the phenomenon to the essence.

abstraction

abstraction- this is a process of mental abstraction from some signs, aspects of the concrete in order to better know it.

A person mentally highlights some feature of an object and considers it in isolation from all other features, temporarily distracted from them. An isolated study of individual features of an object, while simultaneously abstracting from all the others, helps a person to better understand the essence of things and phenomena. Thanks to abstraction, a person was able to break away from the individual, concrete and rise to the highest level of knowledge - scientific theoretical thinking.

Specification

Specification- a process that is the opposite of abstraction and is inextricably linked with it.

Concretization is the return of thought from the general and abstract to the concrete in order to reveal the content.

Thinking activity is always aimed at obtaining some result. A person analyzes objects, compares them, abstracts individual properties in order to reveal what is common in them, in order to reveal the patterns that govern their development, in order to master them.

Generalization, therefore, is the selection in objects and phenomena of the general, which is expressed in the form of a concept, law, rule, formula, etc.

Types of thinking

Depending on what place the word, image and action occupy in the thought process, how they relate to each other, distinguish three types of thinking: concrete-effective, or practical, concrete-figurative and abstract. These types of thinking are also distinguished on the basis of the characteristics of tasks - practical and theoretical.

Actionable Thinking

Visual and effective- a type of thinking based on the direct perception of objects.

Specifically effective, or objectively effective, thinking is aimed at solving specific problems in the conditions of production, constructive, organizational and other practical activities of people. Practical thinking is, first of all, technical, constructive thinking. It consists in the understanding of technology and in the ability of a person to independently solve technical problems. The process of technical activity is the process of interaction between mental and practical components of work. Complex operations of abstract thinking are intertwined with the practical actions of a person, inextricably linked with them. Characteristic features concrete-effective thinking are bright strong observation, attention to detail, particulars and the ability to use them in specific situation, operating with spatial images and schemes, the ability to quickly move from thinking to action and vice versa. It is in this kind of thinking that the unity of thought and will is manifested to the greatest extent.

Concrete-figurative thinking

Visual-figurative- a type of thinking characterized by reliance on ideas and images.

Concrete-figurative (visual-figurative), or artistic, thinking is characterized by the fact that a person embodies abstract thoughts, generalizations into concrete images.

Abstract thinking

Verbal-logical- a kind of thinking carried out with the help of logical operations with concepts.

Abstract, or verbal-logical, thinking is mainly aimed at finding common patterns in nature and human society. Abstract, theoretical thinking reflects general connections and relationships. It operates mainly with concepts, broad categories, and images, representations play an auxiliary role in it.

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

Types and types of thinking

Practical-active, visual-figurative and theoretical-abstract - these are the interconnected types of thinking. In progress historical development Human intellect was originally formed in the course of practical activity. So, people learned to measure land plots by experience, and then on this basis a special theoretical science gradually arose - geometry.

Genetically, the earliest kind of thinking is action-oriented thinking; actions with objects are of decisive importance in it (in its infancy it is also observed in animals).

On the basis of practical-effective, manipulative thinking arises visual-figurative thinking. It is characterized by operating with visual images in the mind.

The highest level of thinking is abstract, abstract thinking. However, here, too, thinking retains a connection with practice. As they say, there is nothing more practical than a correct theory.

The thinking of individuals is also divided into practical-effective, figurative and abstract (theoretical).

But in the process of life, one and the same person comes to the fore either one or another type of thinking. So, everyday affairs require practical-effective thinking, and a report on scientific topic- theoretical thinking, etc.

Structural unit of practical-effective (operational) thinking - action; artistic - image; scientific thinking concept.

Depending on the depth of generalization, empirical and theoretical thinking are distinguished.

empirical thinking(from the Greek. empeiria - experience) gives primary generalizations based on experience. These generalizations are made at a low level of abstraction. Empirical knowledge is the lowest, elementary level of knowledge. Empirical thinking should not be confused with practical thinking.

As noted by the well-known psychologist V. M. Teplov (“The Mind of a Commander”), many psychologists take the work of a scientist, a theorist, as the only model of mental activity. Meanwhile, practical activity requires no less intellectual effort.

The mental activity of the theoretician is concentrated mainly on the first part of the path of cognition - a temporary retreat, a retreat from practice. The mental activity of the practitioner is concentrated mainly on the second part of it - on the transition from abstract thinking to practice, that is, on that "hit" in practice, for the sake of which the theoretical digression is made.

A feature of practical thinking is subtle observation, the ability to focus on individual details of an event, the ability to use to solve a particular problem that special and singular that was not completely included in theoretical generalization, the ability to quickly move from thinking to action.

In the practical thinking of a person, the optimal ratio of his mind and will, the cognitive, regulatory and energy capabilities of the individual is essential. Practical thinking is associated with the operational setting of priority goals, the development of flexible plans, programs, great self-control in stressful conditions of activity.

Theoretical thinking reveals universal relations, explores the object of knowledge in the system of its necessary connections. Its result is the construction of conceptual models, the creation of theories, the generalization of experience, the disclosure of the patterns of development of various phenomena, the knowledge of which ensures the transformative activity of man. Theoretical thinking is inextricably linked with practice, but in its final results it has relative independence; it is based on prior knowledge and, in turn, serves as the basis for subsequent knowledge.

Algorithmic, discursive, heuristic and creative thinking are distinguished depending on the standard/non-standard nature of the tasks being solved and operational procedures.

Algorithmic thinking is focused on pre-established rules, the generally accepted sequence of actions necessary to solve typical problems.

discursive(from lat. discursus - reasoning) thinking based on a system of interconnected inferences.

heuristic thinking(from the Greek heuresko - I find) - this is productive thinking, consisting in solving non-standard tasks.

Creative thinking- thinking that leads to new discoveries, fundamentally new results.

There are also reproductive and productive thinking.

reproductive thinking- reproduction of previously obtained results. In this case, thinking merges with memory.

Productive Thinking- thinking that leads to new cognitive results.