We are all Homo sapiens, and, accordingly, we all have a mentality, no matter how improbable this might seem when confronted with some other homo. However, thinking in psychology has many forms that give our mental process an individual color. Each of us owns these or that kinds of thinking, at the same time, we all have the opportunity to develop those varieties that are not originally inherent in us. Therefore now we will consider the basic forms of thinking and their characteristics.
Rational thinking
Rational thinking is the most profitable kind of mental activity. If we talk in a simple way, it means thinking about things in turns, in terms of importance, not everything at once. Rational thinking allows you to spend minimum efforts, resources, emotions to achieve the most beneficial result.
The main forms of rational thinking are:
- analysis;
- inference;
- comparison;
- argumentation;
- judgment;
- conclusion.
Logical thinking
Logical thinking is the most rarely used form of thinking processes. Much more often our mind is busy with pleasant reasoning or reacting to situations with the help of thinking habits. An integral component of logical thinking is logic and a clear knowledge of concepts and rules. This kind of thinking is most valued in exact sciences, where speed is not important, but reliability.
The basic forms of logical thinking are as follows:
- Induction is the derivation from the particular to the general;
- deduction - the conclusion from the general to the particular;
- analogy - a conclusion based on the elements of similarity.
By the way, Sherlock Holmes used exclusively logical thinking.
Abstract thinking
The concept of abstract thinking can be uncovered using the word "abstraction". It means abstracting from the nonessential aspects of the subject and turning his attention to the essential, natural aspects of the subject. Abstract thinking generalizes the properties of objects.
Forms of abstract thinking are as follows:
- sensual abstraction is, for example, a distraction from the color of an object for concentration on its form;
- generalizing form - its result is the isolation of the general properties of objects and phenomena;
- idealization - substitution of real properties of the object, by distraction from shortcomings, by an ideal scheme;
- formal abstraction - the selection of properties of objects or phenomena that do not exist by themselves, for example, the separation of the form and color of the object.