Types of Thinking
Thinking is the cognitive activities you use to process information, solve problems, make decisions, and create new ideas. You use your thinking skills when you do the following.
- make sense of experiences,
- organize information,
- make connections,
- ask questions,
- make plans, or
- decide what to do
Different Types of Thinking
There are several different types of thinking or ways to think.
Creative thinking – refers to the ability to conceive new and innovative ideas by breaking from established thoughts, theories, rules, and procedures. It involves putting things together in new and imaginative ways. Creative thinking is often referred to as “thinking outside the box.”
Analytical thinking – refers to the ability to separate a whole into its basic parts to examine the parts and their relationships. It involves thinking in a logical, step-by-step manner to break down a larger system of information into its parts.
Critical thinking – refers to the ability to exercise careful evaluation or judgment to determine the authenticity, accuracy, worth, validity, or value of something. In addition to precise, objective analysis, critical thinking involves synthesis, evaluation, reflection, and reconstruction. And rather than strictly breaking down the information, critical thinking explores other elements that could have an influence on conclusions.
Concrete thinking – refers to the ability to comprehend and apply factual knowledge. It is about thinking of objects or ideas as specific items, rather than as a theoretical representation of a more general concept. It involves thinking only on the surface, always literal, and to-the-point.
Abstract thinking – refers to the ability to use concepts to make and understand generalizations then relating or connecting them to other items, events, or experiences. It involves paying attention to the hidden meanings thus allowing you to observe and understand theories and possibilities.
Divergent Thinking – refers to the ability to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions to find one that works. It involves bringing facts and data together from various sources and then applying logic and knowledge to solve problems or make decisions. It starts from a common point and moves outward in diverging directions to involve a variety of aspects or perspectives.
Convergent thinking – refers to the ability to put several different pieces or perspectives of a topic together in some organized, logical manner to find a single answer. It involves focusing on a finite number of solutions rather than proposing multiple solutions.
Sequential (linear) thinking – refers to the ability to process information in orderly prescribed manner. It involves a step-by-step progression where a response to a step must be obtained before another step is taken.
Holistic (nonlinear) thinking – refers to the ability to see the big picture and recognize the interconnectedness of various components that form the larger system. It involves expanding your thought process in multiple directions, rather than in just one direction, and understanding a system by sensing its patterns.
