DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINKING

Thinking is behaviour which is often implicit and hidden and which symbols (images, ideas and concepts) is ordinarily employed-Garrett in 1965.

Thinking is a cognitive process. Thinking may be defined as a pattern of behavior in which we make use of internal representations.

Knowing how to think in any given situation - which type of thinking to employ - is an interesting matter. The start point understands that there are many different ways to think; that how we think should be a matter of conscious choice.

 DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINKING

1. Critical thinking – It is the mental process of objectively analyzing a situation by gathering information from all possible sources, and then evaluating both the tangible and intangible aspects, as well as the implications of any course of action. This is convergent thinking. It assesses the worth and validity of something existent. It involves precise, persistent, objective analysis. When teachers try to get several learners to think convergent, they try to help them develop common understanding.

2. Creative thinking or Divergent thinking – It is a general term for the ability to develop fresh perspectives and new ideas. This is divergent thinking. It generates something new or different. It involves having a different idea that works as well or better than previous ideas.  This type thinking starts from a common point and moves outward into a variety of perspectives. The thinking of scientists and inventors is an example for divergent thinking.

3. Convergent thinking - This type of thinking is cognitive processing of information around a common point, an attempt to bring thoughts from different directions into a union or common conclusion. Once ideas have been generated, they need to be assessed and developed into workable proposals. This process is often referred to as convergent thinking.

4. Inductive thinking and deductive thinking –It is commonly using in organizing teaching learning situations in classrooms. This type involves two types of elements-rules or principles and examples or illustrations. This is the process of reasoning from parts to the whole, from examples to generalizations.

5. Logical thinking –It is the highest form of thinking. In this type, person employs mental usages and various concepts with a definite objective and links them together in a logical order. It relates to future plans. The future oriented thinking by involving logic and mental images is called logical or imaginative thinking.  It is probably the dominant thinking process in western society and many others too.

6. Parallel thinking - this is the process of avoiding group conflict by all adopting the same mode of thinking at the same time.

7. Positive thinking - although often referred to as an attitude rather than a distinct thinking process.

8. Strategic thinking - a widely used term and therefore one that is used in many different ways. Typically it is used to refer to the sort of thinking required by organizations to set direction rather than individual tactics to deliver results.

9. Associative thinking - The process of linking one thought or idea to another. Associative thinking can be used for creative thinking purposes and has a key role in most memory techniques. It is essentially directed thinking which pertains to reasoning and problem solving procedures aimed at meeting specific goals.

10. Radiant thinking - this is a specific form of associative thinking where the thinking radiates out from a central idea. Mind Mapping is a good example of radiant thinking. 

11. Reflective thinking: This is somewhat higher form of thinking It can be distinguished from simple thinking in the following ways, It aims at solving the complex thinking rather than simple problems. It requires reorganization of all the relevant experience and the finding of new ways of reacting to a situation or removing an obstacle instead of a simple association of experiences or ideas. Mental activity in reflective thinking does not involve the mechanical trial and error type of efforts. There is insightful cognitive approach in reflective thinking. It takes all relevant facts arranged in a logical order in account to arrive at a solution of the problem in hand.