What Type of Thinker Are You?(9 Distinct Types of Thinking)

The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically...
- Martin Luther King

Thinking is the cognitive activities we use to make sense of, interpret, represent or model the world we experience, and to make predictions about that world. It helps us to define and organise experiences, plan, learn, reflect and create.

We think automatically all the time, even when we sleep. In fact, while human beings can speak at the rate of 150 to 200 words per minute, we think at the rate of 1300 to 3000 words per minute .

Because we spend so much time doing it,how we think dictates how we feel and how we react to situations in life. That, in turn, determines our success or failure.

We all think, but we don't all think the same way . Here  are 9 different types of thinking:

1. Critical Thinking:

Critical thinking refers to the ability to analyze information objectively and make a reasoned judgment.

It involves  synthesis, evaluation, reflection,conceptualization and reconstruction in addition to precise, objective analysis.

2. Creative Thinking:

Creative thinking is 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.”

Creative thinking is exploring connections, meeting new challenges and seeking solutions that are  unorthodox ,original and fresh.

Because the world is advancing at a remarkable pace ,  innovative thinking has become a characteristic of successful people nowadays.

3.Analytical Thinking:

Analytical thinking is the ability to  apply logical thinking to breaking complex problem/information into it's component parts in order to examine the parts and how they relate.

4. Concrete Thinking:

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.

It involves only those things which are visible and obvious allowing any individual to observe and understand. Concrete thinking does not have any depth. It just refers to thinking in the periphery. It involves FACTS and DESCRIPTION about everyday, tangible objects.

Example:
A  concrete thinker will look at the flag and only sees specific colors, marking, or symbols that appear on the cloth.

5. Abstract Thinking:

Abstract Thinking is the ability to think about objects, principles, and ideas that are not physically present. It's using  concepts to make and understand generalizations then relating or connecting them to others items, events, or experiences.

For example, a concrete thinker looks at the Statue of Liberty and only sees it as a lady with a torch. An abstract thinker will see the Statue of Liberty differently. He may think of it as a symbol of liberty and freedom.

6. Divergent Thinking: 

Divergent thinking is generating creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions in an effort to find one that works.

It involves breaking a topic apart to explore its various component parts and then generating new ideas and solutions.

7. Convergent Thinking:

 Convergent is a form of the word “converging” and so it means “coming together.”

It follows a particular set of logical steps to arrive at one solution. It involves putting a number of different pieces or perspectives of a topic together in some organized, logical manner to find a single answer.

8. Linear Thinking:

Linear thinking is thought process following KNOWN cycles or step-by-step progression where a response to a step must be obtained before another step is taken.

9. Non-Linear Thinking:

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.

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