Exercises for the development of creative thinking. Basic Thinking Skills

I am glad to welcome you, dear readers of my blog! What distinguishes us from animals is not only the ability to recognize our needs and set goals, but also the presence of such a thing as abstract logical thinking. And it not only distinguishes, but also makes a person unique, since not a single living being has this ability. Today we will look at the methods by which it is possible to develop it.

Kinds

First, let's figure out what types exist at all, and what is the difference between them:

• Specifically effective , or it is also called practical. It manifests itself in our life when there is a need to solve some specific tasks. It can be domestic or industrial. Simply put, this is what we do, relying on our experience, as well as the ability to understand drawings, projects and other technical details.
• Concrete-shaped , or artistic. A distinctive feature is the link to the present time, from which inspiration is drawn, ideas appear. It also focuses on feelings and emotions, thanks to various experiences, a person becomes able to create.
• Verbal-logical , abstract. Thanks to him, we see a holistic picture of the world, abstracting from details, concentrating on broad concepts. It is necessary to develop this type, first of all, because it helps us make non-standard decisions, going beyond the boundaries of everyday life and modeling the relationship between real objects and images.

Forms

In our daily life, sometimes unconsciously, we use three forms of abstract-logical thinking:

1. concept - the ability to characterize the subject according to its main features, which must necessarily be justified, using a single word or phrase. For example, "night", "cat", "warm tea" ...
2. Judgment describes the processes in the world, their connection with each other, ways of interaction. Can something to deny, and vice versa, to confirm. It has two types, simple and complex. The difference is that the complex takes on a more narrative character. For example: “It snowed”, and “The water in the pan boiled, so you can pour porridge.”
3. inference - a very interesting form, just the same foundation, because, based on one or more judgments, the process of summarizing takes place, as a result of which a new judgment is born. It contains prerequisites and conclusions. Example: “Winter has come, snow has fallen and it starts to get dark early.”

signs

There are signs by which you can determine that this type of thinking prevails:

• The need to build cause-and-effect relationships;
• Clear systematization of the information received;
• In communication, the use of formulas, calculations, any conclusions predominates, hypotheses are put forward, and skillful handling of words is also noticed.
• High ability to generalize and analyze
• Ability to argue your opinion, justifying it logically

If the above signs are not your forte, do not despair, because it is easy to fix, you just need to be patient, because this is a long process, but very necessary. Because with the help of abstractions and logic, we can find our truth by questioning certain information. Quickly build a chain of certain conclusions, ways of possible solutions to problems. The person becomes able to make decisions quickly and build on their experience without devaluing or ignoring it. And who does not want to calculate in advance the options for events, anticipating them?

If you want to increase the level of development, you need to find time for classes at least a few times a week, lasting an hour and a half. Even with a strong workload, this is quite real, the main thing is desire and perseverance. And in a month you will be able to notice how it has become easier to make plans, solve tasks that were not so easy to handle before, and generally think.

This type of thinking is inherently an acquired skill, a skill. It develops only due to mental work, when the brain is busy solving problems, and is not just an innate ability, the level of which is inherited. So it depends only on you how effectively you can use the gift given by nature.

There are two main ways to develop it: theoretical and practical. Theory is mainly taught in higher educational institutions, where they talk about categories, laws and, accordingly, the rules of logic. If you missed these points, it will not be superfluous to look for information on your own. But practice is aimed at translating the received theory into reality, consolidating and applying it in order to gain experience. Ideally, when a person uses these two methods in a complex way. So, directly the most relevant practical ways of development:

1.Games

Yes, by having fun playing games, you help your brain to be in good shape.

• The most popular are chess, checkers and backgammon . Because you have to calculate your steps in advance, anticipating events and possible steps of the enemy. If you don't know how to play, there are many mobile apps that will help you not only learn, but also practice without wasting time in a long queue or on the road.
• "Words", "Cities" … Who doesn’t know the game when it is necessary to make others from the letters of a very long word? Or for some one letter to name objects that fit in a bottle? Teach your children, because not only mental development, but also information, for example, about existing cities, will not interfere with them at all.
• Puzzles . A very painstaking process, especially when a complex picture is chosen, for example, a landscape. In fact, this method not only helps to develop logic, but also perseverance, patience, self-control. Fine motor skills in action, attention is maximally focused on finding the right parts, the brain at this time “finishes” possible options for those already found. If you collect it with your family, it will also be able to bring you closer, because there is no better way to build relationships than spending time together, especially with pleasure.
• Rubik's Cube , even if you cannot match it by color, with daily practice you will be able to work out possible combinations.
• Poker . Only not for money, but for pleasure, controlling that there is no addiction to gambling. It helps to develop not only logic and calculate possible combinations, but also memory, attentiveness, and also such a useful skill as recognizing emotions through gestures and facial expressions. Who read the article, then poker will be an excellent method for practicing and gaining experience.

2. Learning a foreign language

The sounds of new foreign words make our brain get involved in the work, because it is necessary to discover the connection and make associations between native speech and the one we decided to study. With the help of this method, you, as they say, "kill two birds with one stone" - pump over the abstract-logical type of thinking and at the same time learn a new language.

• The best option, of course, is to attend courses, but if for some reason this is not possible, do not despair, download online applications to your phone. Learn at least 10 new words every day, and the effect will not be long in coming. I recommend reading the article because I included a ready-made plan for self-study of English in it, you will only have to make adjustments if necessary.
• Be sure to practice to consolidate the knowledge gained and learn the correct pronunciation. If there are no native speakers of the language you are studying among your acquaintances, find on the Internet communities of people who are united by a common goal - the exchange of knowledge and practice.

3.Reading

We have already talked about its benefits in the article here.

• One caveat - you need to read, analyzing each page, line and phrase. The task is not to read at speed, but to put aside the necessary knowledge in memory.
• Arrange a game for yourself, thinking through different outcomes of events. Let yourself fantasize, play Sherlock Holmes.
• Focus on fiction, classics, and scientific literature, from where, among other things, you can also draw knowledge that will certainly come in handy in everyday life.

4.Exercise

Modern psychology is constantly coming up with a lot of ways so that you can not only study yourself, but also advance. Take some tests more often that will motivate you to think, and at least a banal test to determine the level of intelligence. I wrote about him

• Look for any mathematical puzzles, logical ones, and take the time at your leisure to solve them. The material can be school textbooks, yours and your children's.
• Solve crosswords, puzzles, sudoku...whatever you like and enjoy.
• An excellent way are online services with games for the development of memory and thinking. For example this one, here is the link.

Conclusion

That's all, dear readers! As you remember, you should never stop there, and then success will definitely await you. Take a cue from people who have achieved worldwide recognition due to the fact that they were able to predict and anticipate events, working hard every day. For example, you can even use the principles of such a giant. It is not necessary to be born a genius, it depends only on you how you organize your life and what you will become. If the article was interesting to you, you can add it to your social networks. networks, the buttons are at the bottom. It will be useful to you, and I will be glad that I was useful to you. Bye bye.

Hello dear friends!

The outcome of the actions performed depends on our way of thinking. The thought process is a deep and meaningful processing of incoming information in the form of a flow of thoughts, perception of emotional sensations and visual images.

Of course, this happens in unique and inimitable variations, degrees of immersion and dedication to what is happening: the style and habit of thinking can be tied to logic and expediency, sometimes it can be complete nonsense or the standard of age-old wisdom. Ways of thinking affect the formation of a person in life and, of course, his success.

Psychologists distinguish between types of thinking models according to their content, namely: visual-effective form, figurative and abstract. There is also a distribution according to the nature of the tasks: a practical and theoretical way to think, and of course, according to the level of originality: a reproductive or productive (that is, creative, non-standard) thought process that can help find.

Have you ever caught yourself thinking that depending on the situation, you use different ways to cope with the difficulty? Often people refine their particular style and develop other kinds and ways of thinking in order to approach problem solving more effectively.

What are the most common ways of thinking?

1. Boolean

Of course, this is the most popular way to get your brain working. Logic is characterized by consistent reflections on the topic of the event. As a result, the conclusions follow one from the other. And when all the bricks are put together, a person comprehends what is happening thanks to personal arguments.

Often this process is quite energy-intensive and takes a long period of time. The individual refers to an internal dialogue with itself, trying to calculate all the options. Such a skill highly recommends itself in those aspects or skills where a person feels like a fish in water.

And at the same time, if he comes across something previously unfamiliar, then such a linear process of comprehension may be ineffective.

A universal way to achieve higher performance is to combine the advantages of different types of thinking, depending on the environment in which you find yourself and, of course, the tasks that lie ahead of you.

2. Geometric

There are people who can't concentrate their brains on a solution until they draw a scale, a graph, or a diagram for deeper understanding. This type of thinking is indicated by a long-term collection of information and is expressed by a graphic representation of the subject of reflection.

Based on the drawn elements, the individual can more specifically and more easily predict the final result, make miscalculations, understand the risks, opportunities and prospects.

Often, people who have an analytical mindset resort to this method. But learning how to use some of the chips from their everyday life is not a bad idea! Developing a scrupulous habit of using constants, primary data, and inputs, and then understanding the extent to which they change, is an important fact in avoiding strategic mistakes and strange behavior.

3. "Brainstorm"

This excellent technique demonstrates its strengths in solving collective problems. But once you've mastered the technique and the specifics, you can conduct these forays into your mind in solitude and full concentration.

It may seem to you that this is a banal communication. But it's not! This is a form of sound, collaborative thinking, where informed people come together and, through joint brainpower, find the right solution. What's the advantage, you ask?

The paradox lies in the fact that the power of "reasonable thought" acts as a hidden and striking form of brainstorming. A person who is passionate about trying to find the perfect way to solve a given problem, due to the presence of other people in the room who are passionate about the same process, there is an increase in efficiency.

The productivity of thinking increases, the standard ones are eradicated, and as a result, we have pure productive thinking with notes of creative solutions.

It is precisely because a person does not get hung up on one idea, but thinks through a whole lot of moves, that he has space for the birth of non-trivial options for implementing what is planned! It is useful to train this method of thinking for every person, because brainstorming is applicable in ordinary, everyday issues.

4. Illumination or "sudden impact of an idea"

I will call this kind of "super speed"! Its essence lies in the very process of developing interesting finds. Illumination, often, rolls like a flash. Its action is not long-term, but very productive.

A person in this state sees all the smallest details of the case with which he had a chance to face. His eyes are wide open, the world is seen in a completely different light and the right solution is found instantly!

"Eureka!" he exclaims! The critical tension in the brain and the irresistible desire to find a way out of the room without corners pushes us to discover the unknown facets of thinking in ourselves.

Similar flashes of insight are observed not only in the work of scientists, pioneers, but also in people who find themselves in conditions that require an immediate response: a threat to life, a state of passion, etc.

It was then that he decides, running away from a pack of dogs, to jump over a two-meter fence. Adrenaline, you ask? “I don’t think that he alone is to blame,” I will answer.

5. Discrete

The square-nest way of thinking has its own weighty nuances. With this way of thinking, the individual thinks and acts according to the principle of “hammering a nail with paper” and at the moment of working or translating what was conceived into reality, he absolutely does not worry that a similar action could be performed better and more efficiently.

The habit of thinking and scratching the back of the head in this way is filled with stereotypes, clichés, the inability to predict the result and consequences of one's own actions.

6. Dialectic

The dialectical way of thinking is based on the works of ancient Greek philosophers, whose philosophy asserted that if you need to achieve the truth, then only by revealing contradictions in the thoughts of the enemy and overcoming them.

The eternal search for truths and the constant comparison of contradictions in one's own judgments can be safely called the above-mentioned way of thinking, where the problem or task acts as an adversary.

Each of us has concentrated in himself the fundamental principles of the construction of thought and auxiliary ones. Ways to train the gray matter are designed to ensure that a person finds new ways to become his highest performance and "inclusion" in the vast world.

The speed of the reaction depends on how well and efficiently you move aside at an important moment. True, creative people, on the contrary, should stick to their emotional fuse, otherwise their level of motivation dries up.

Competent variation between logic and creativity, that is, what can be called the "golden mean" of common sense and the maximum of your capabilities, can be called daily work on yourself, which has no end point of its development.

Friends, on this philosophical note, I have to end today's article.

Subscribe to update my blog and recommend it to your friends for reading. Tell us in the comments what do you think? What are you guided by?

See you on the blog, bye bye!

A comprehensively developed person cannot be imagined without critical thinking - an element that allows him to form his own view of things and not depend on the opinions of others. It promotes personal growth and pushes a person to development. Analysis of the situation and the choice of a solution is the ability of a person, without which it is impossible to have an opinion. How to develop critical thinking?

To learn how to think critically, you need to practice all the time. You can start developing at any age. By training thinking, a person is able to reach a new level of development and get closer to the realization of goals.

Training the mind and following the intended path is not as easy as it seems. But by defining life goals and developing a plan for their implementation with the help of critical thinking, a person is able to achieve success.

How to start developing thinking

For training thinking, you need to set aside time that a person usually wastes. To do this, you need to analyze the daily routine. For the development of thinking, time that was previously spent on:

• watching TV;
• computer games;
• social media.

The first step to develop critical thinking is daily analysis. At the end of the day, it is necessary to weigh and study the achievements made during the day. The number of misses must also be taken into account. The analysis should consist in identifying the actions during the execution of which errors were made. Having identified the shortcomings over the past day, you should think about how they can be eliminated. In the end, it is necessary to draw a conclusion whether what happened brought closer to the goal or moved away from it. Based on these simple actions, thinking will develop, which later develops into critical thinking. Records can be kept to identify recurring activities.

It is necessary to solve 1 task per day. Hurrying to work, on the way you need to outline some main problem and try to solve it during the day. A person should strive to obtain as much information as possible, contributing to the solution of the corresponding problem. To solve a problem, you need to analyze various options and choose the best one. Having determined the action plan, you need to stick to the strategy. If in the course of solving the problem circumstances change, it is necessary to promptly make changes to the plan. In the process of solving problems, one should develop intelligence, attentiveness, logic.

Development of critical thinking skills

Thinking skills should be approached critically. It is worth reviewing them if they lead to undesirable consequences. Try to think positively and avoid negative thoughts. For, a person must learn:

Having decided to develop critical thinking, a person must draw a line between conclusions and observation. You can't argue without checking the information. Only having accurate information, you can draw conclusions. At the same time, during training, you should ensure that the sense of humor does not disappear. The ability to play pranks on oneself and see humor in situations helps to keep a clear mind and unobtrusively express one's opinion about an issue. But care must be taken if laughter is used as a psychological defense.

Self Improvement Skills

To learn to think critically, a person must care about everything. There are many unexplored things in life. Curiosity develops the mind. Through curiosity, discoveries happen, adventures happen. The one who has developed the ability to be interested in what is happening will not only develop a critical mindset, but will also make his life richer and more diverse.

Every inhabitant of the modern world must develop an objective perception of information. You can not completely trust everything that is said in the media, television advertising. It is necessary to take a sober look at reality and check the information that causes mistrust. The truth is established in the course of thinking, and not under the influence of public opinion. Not everything that is supposed to be true is true. It is necessary to learn to resist violent emotions. When they manifest, a person's mind can be obscured.

Developing a critical mindset and modern society

A person living in modern society is constantly trying to impose someone else's opinion. Be critical of information obtained from:

• advertising;
• the mouth of the agitators.

Information disseminated among people is not always true. It is necessary to learn to distinguish truth from lies and not to trust everything blindly.

A person must be mindful of perspectives. Any situation should be evaluated critically, and the action plan should be thought out soberly. Do not overestimate or underestimate self-esteem. It is required to soberly understand your capabilities and act on them. At the same time, self-improvement should be practiced. Reading books, playing sports, learning new information and learning skills can take a person to the next level. It happens that human behavior is dictated by unspoken rules. Their knowledge leads to making the right decision and behavior. In an unfamiliar situation or being in a foreign culture, it is necessary to be observant or ask those who are closer familiar with the situation. The unspoken rules of the modern world must be studied.

Conversation is only an integral part of communication, which takes place daily communication between people. There is an exchange of non-verbal signs. It is necessary to know and be able to apply a variety of communication in practice. If a person smiles sweetly and behaves friendly, but at the same time seeks to cause pain to the interlocutor when shaking hands, one should question the sincerity of this person. If the listener claims that he is interested in the story, but at the same time openly yawns and shows boredom with his whole appearance, the speaker has a good reason to doubt the words.

If a person is under pressure, then in order not to make a mistake in making a decision, one should stop and think, weighing all the pros and cons. A quick decision under someone else's pressure is not always the right one. By learning to analyze before trusting, a person will take a big step towards the development of critical thinking.

Feelings and ability to think critically

To learn to think critically, a person must strive not to succumb to feelings and public opinion. Labels and stereotypes can be confusing and lead to wrong conclusions. Before making an important decision, you should learn as much as possible about all its aspects.

Negativity is a feeling that can confuse anyone. Often a person is too critical of himself. We must try to replace the negative with the positive. This will not only have a beneficial effect on the decision, but also increase self-esteem.

Having embarked on the path of self-development, one should not forget about universal feelings. It is impossible to condemn others without understanding the specific situation and actions of another person in certain conditions. With empathy, you can make the right decision. Having condemned a person without understanding the situation, you can later regret it very much. When deciding someone's fate, you should put yourself in his place. Trying to understand the behavior of other people, you can learn to think and make decisions correctly.

The facts influencing the decision made must be repeatedly verified. There should be many points for analysis. If there are not enough facts, the decision can be made incorrectly. Get as much information as possible from reliable sources.

An important skill is the ability to listen. Often a person asks a question and the other simply skips over his words. Preoccupation with thoughts does not allow you to concentrate and delve into important things. This simple skill is very difficult to develop. If you listen carefully, you can get more useful and important information.

Learning to think illogically

Books on philosophy describe logical thinking and give an example of its distortion. In the modern world, creativity and originality are valued. It is necessary to understand this and soberly evaluate life examples.

During the development of a critical train of thought, the 6th sense can come to the rescue. Guesses about things, events, actions exist at the subconscious level. Intuition is not subject to logic, but it is valuable as an adjunct to decision making.

Benefits of being able to think critically

It is believed that critical thinking is a natural process, a normal train of thought. However, in life situations people deviate from this . To educate and develop thinking means to improve the quality of life, make the right decisions and achieve success in life. The course of thought forms the correct view of the world and develops logic.

The development of thinking provides many benefits. These include:

• the ability to draw correct conclusions;
• the ability to collect the necessary information;
• the ability to justify and reason;
• the ability to clearly understand the problem;
• ability to use ideas;
• interaction with people;
• ability to use alternative thinking.

Having developed a critical mindset, a person begins to think in a direction, correcting his conclusions. This thinking is different from the standards and allows you to solve complex problems.

The highest level of human knowledge is thinking. The development of thinking is a mental process of creating obvious patterns of the surrounding world that do not require proof. This is a mental activity that has a goal, a motive, actions (operations) and a result.

Development of thinking

Scientists offer several options for defining thinking:

1. The highest stage of assimilation and processing of information by a person, the establishment of cause-and-effect relationships between objects of reality.
2. The process of displaying the explicit properties of objects and, as a result, creating an idea of ​​the surrounding reality.
3. This is the process of cognition of reality, which is based on the acquired knowledge, the constant replenishment of the baggage of ideas and concepts.

Thinking is studied by several disciplines. The laws and types of thinking are considered by logic, the psychophysiological component of the process - physiology and psychology.

Thinking develops throughout a person's life, starting from infancy. This is a sequential process of displaying the realities of reality in the human brain.

Types of human thinking

Most often, psychologists divide thinking by content:

• visual-figurative thinking;

• abstract (verbal-logical) thinking;

• visual action thinking.

Visual-figurative thinking

Visual-figurative thinking implies a visual solution to the problem, without resorting to practical actions. The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for the development of this species.

Many people think that visual-figurative thinking and imagination are one and the same. You are wrong.

Thinking is based on a real process, object or action. Imagination, on the other hand, includes the creation of a fictitious, unrealistic image that is not in reality.

Developed by artists, sculptors, fashion designers - people of the creative profession. They transform reality into an image, and with its help, new properties are distinguished from standard objects, and non-standard combinations of things are established.

Exercises for the development of visual-figurative thinking:

Question answer

If the capital letter N from the English alphabet is turned 90 degrees, what letter will be the result?
Ear shape of a German Shepherd?
How many rooms are in the living room of your house?

Image creation

Create an image of the last family dinner. Mentally draw an event and answer the questions:

1. How many family members were present, who was wearing what?
2. What meals were served?
3. What was the conversation about?
4. Imagine your plate, where your hands lay, the face of a relative sitting next to you. Feel the taste of the food you have eaten.
5. Was the picture shown in black and white or color?
6. Describe the visual image of the room.

Description of items

Describe each of the following items:

1. Toothbrush;
2. Pine forest;
3. sunset;
4. your bedroom;
5. drops of morning dew;
6. an eagle soaring in the sky.

Imagination

Imagine Beauty, Wealth, Success.

Describe the selected image using two nouns, three adjectives and verbs, one adverb.

Memories

Imagine the people with whom you have communicated today (or someday).

What did they look like, what were they wearing? Describe their appearance (eye color, hair color, height and build).

Verbal-logical type of thinking (Abstract thinking)

A person sees the picture as a whole, highlights only the significant qualities of the phenomenon, not noticing minor details that only complement the subject. Such thinking is well developed among physicists, chemists - people who are directly related to science.

Forms of abstract thinking

Abstract thinking has 3 forms:

• concept- objects are combined according to signs;

• judgment- approval or denial of any phenomenon or connection between objects;

• inference- conclusions based on several judgments.

An example of abstract thinking:

You have a soccer ball (you can even take it in your hands). What can be done with it?

Options: play football, throw into the ring, sit on it, etc. are not abstracts. But if you imagine that a good ball game will attract the attention of a coach, and you can get into a famous football team ... this is already beyond, abstract thinking.

Exercises for the development of abstract thinking:

"Who's extra?"

From a series of words, select one or more words that do not fit the meaning:

• cautious, fast, cheerful, sad;
• turkey, dove, crow, duck;
• Ivanov, Andryusha, Sergey, Vladimir, Inna;
• square, pointer, circle, diameter.
• plate, saucepan, spoon, glass, broth.

Finding differences

What is the difference:

• train - plane;
• horse-sheep;
• oak-pine;
• fairy tale-poem;
• still life portrait.

Find at least 3 differences for each pair.

Main and secondary

From a number of words, select one or two, without which the concept is impossible, cannot exist in principle.

• Game - players, penalty, cards, rules, dominoes.
• War - guns, planes, battle, soldiers, command.
• Youth - love, growth, teenager, quarrels, choice.
• Boots - heel, sole, laces, clasp, bootleg.
• Barn - walls, ceiling, animals, hay, horses.
• Road - asphalt, traffic lights, traffic, cars, pedestrians.

Read phrases backwards

• tomorrow the premiere of the play;
• Come visit;
• let's go to the park;
• what's for lunch?

Words

In 3 minutes, write as many words as you can that start with the letter w (w, h, z)

(beetle, toad, magazine, cruelty...).

Come up with names

Come up with 3 most unusual male and female names.

Visual Action Thinking

It implies the solution of mental problems through the transformation of the situation that has arisen in reality. This is the very first way to process the information received.

This type of thinking actively develops in preschool children. They begin to combine various objects into a single whole, analyze and operate with them. Develops in the left hemisphere of the brain.

In an adult, this kind of thinking is carried out through the transformation of the practical use of real objects. Visual-figurative thinking is extremely developed among people who are engaged in industrial work - engineers, plumbers, surgeons. When they see an object, they understand what actions to perform with it. People say that people of such professions have a “full hand”.

Visual-figurative thinking helped the ancient civilizations, for example, to measure the earth, because both the hands and the brain are involved in the process. This is the so-called manual intelligence.

The game of chess perfectly develops visual-effective thinking.

Exercises for the development of visual-effective thinking

1. The simplest, but very effective task for the development of this type of thinking is collection of designers. There should be as many details as possible, at least 40 pieces. Visual instructions can be used.
2. No less useful for the development of this kind of thinking and various puzzles, puzzles. The more details, the better.
3. Make 2 equal triangles from 5 matches, 2 squares and 2 triangles from 7 matches.
4. Turn into a square by cutting once in a straight line, a circle, a rhombus and a triangle.
5. Blind a cat, a house, a tree from plasticine.
6. Determine without special devices the weight of the pillow on which you sleep, all the clothes you are wearing, the size of the room in which you are.

Conclusion

Each person must have developed all three types of thinking, but one type always prevails. You can determine this even in childhood, while observing the behavior of the child.