Abstract thinking is one that allows you to abstract from small details and look at the situation as a whole. This type of thinking allows you to step beyond the boundaries of norms and rules and make new discoveries. The development of abstract thinking in a person from childhood should occupy an important place, because this approach makes it easier to find unexpected solutions and new ways out of situations.
Basic forms of abstract thinking
The peculiarity of abstract thinking is that it has three different shapes- concepts, judgments and inferences. Without understanding their specifics, it is difficult to grasp the concept of “ abstract thinking».
1. Concept
A concept is a form of thinking in which an object or group of objects is reflected as one or more features. Each of these signs must be significant! A concept can be expressed either in one word or in a phrase - for example, the concepts “cat”, “leaves”, “student of a humanities university”, “green-eyed girl”.
2. Judgment
A judgment is a form of thinking in which any phrase that describes the world, objects, relationships and patterns. In turn, judgments are divided into two types - complex and simple. A simple proposition may sound like, for example, “the cat eats sour cream.” A complex judgment expresses the meaning in a slightly different form: “The bus has started, the stop is empty.” A complex judgment usually takes the form of a declarative sentence.
3. Inference
Inference is a form of thinking in which, from one or a group of related judgments, a conclusion is made that represents a new judgment. This is the basis of abstract logical thinking. Judgments that precede the formation of the final version are called premises, and the final judgment is called “conclusion.” For example: “All birds fly. The sparrow flies. Sparrow is a bird."
The abstract type of thinking involves freely operating with concepts, judgments and conclusions - categories that do not make sense without correlation with our everyday life.
How to develop abstract thinking?
Is it worth saying that everyone’s ability to think abstractly is different? Some people are gifted with the ability to draw beautifully, others with the ability to write poetry, and others with the ability to think abstractly. However, the formation of abstract thinking is possible, and for this you need to give your brain a reason to think from early childhood.
Currently, there are a lot of printed publications that provide food for thought - all kinds of collections, puzzles and the like. If you want to develop abstract thinking in yourself or your child, it is enough to find only 30-60 minutes twice a week to immerse yourself in solving such tasks. The effect will not be long in coming. It has been noticed that at an early age the brain is easier to decide 
this kind of problem, but the more training he gets, the better the results.
A complete lack of abstract thinking can give rise not only to many problems with creative activities, but also with the study of those disciplines in which the majority key concepts– abstract. That is why it is important to pay a lot of attention to this topic.
Correctly developed abstract thinking allows you to know what has not been known by anyone before, discover various secrets of nature, and distinguish truth from lies. In addition, this method of cognition differs from others in that it does not require direct contact with the object being studied and allows you to make important conclusions and conclusions remotely.
Nothing is clear in the world. If you are guided by accurate knowledge, you may not notice much. The world does not live exactly according to the instructions that were written by man. Much has not yet been explored.
When a person doesn’t know something, he turns on abstract thinking, which helps him make guesses, make judgments, reason. To understand what it is, you need to familiarize yourself with examples, forms and methods of its development.
What is abstract thinking
It is the ability to think in general that helps in finding a solution to a deadlock situation and the emergence of a different view of the world. There is precise and generalized thinking.
Precise thinking is activated when a person has knowledge, information and a clear understanding of what is happening. Generalized thinking is activated when a person does not know exact data and does not have specific information. He can guess, assume, and draw general conclusions. Generalized thinking – abstract thinking in simple words. In scientific language, abstract thinking is the form cognitive activity when a person moves away from specific details and begins to think in general.
The picture is considered as a whole, without affecting details, specifics, or accuracy. This helps to move away from rules and dogmas and consider the situation from different angles. When an event is considered in general, then there are various ways her decisions. Usually a person starts from specific knowledge. For example, a man is lying on the couch and watching TV. The thought arises: “He’s a slacker.”
In this situation, the beholder proceeds from his own ideas about what is happening. What could really be happening? The man lay down for 5 minutes to rest. He had already done everything around the house, so he allowed himself to watch TV. He's sick, that's why he's lying on the sofa. There could be many possibilities for what's going on here.
If you abstract from the specifics and look at the situation from different angles, then you can find out a lot of new and interesting things. With abstract thinking, a person thinks approximately. There are no specifics or details here. Generalized words are used: “life”, “world”, “in general”, “by and large”. Abstract thinking is useful in situations where a person cannot find a way out (intellectual dead end).
Due to the lack of information or knowledge, he is forced to reason and guess. If you abstract from the situation with its specific details, then you can consider something in it that was not noticed before. go to top Abstract-logical thinking Abstract-logical thinking uses abstractions - units of certain patterns that have been isolated from the “abstract”, “imaginary” qualities of an object or phenomenon.
In other words, a person operates with phenomena that he cannot “touch with his hands,” “see with his eyes,” or “smell.” Very a shining example Such thinking is mathematics, which explains phenomena that do not exist in physical nature. For example, there is no such thing as the number "2". A person understands that we are talking about two identical units. However, this figure was invented by people in order to simplify certain phenomena.
Forms
In order to understand the essence of thinking, it is worth understanding what forms it has. Forms of thought processes:
- Concept.
- Judgment.
- Conclusion.
A concept is the ability to characterize an object or phenomenon in one or more words according to its most important features. Example: gray cat, branchy tree, dark-haired girl, small child.
Judgment is a special form of thinking that describes objects and processes in the surrounding world, their interrelation and interaction. It may approve or deny any information. Judgment, in turn, is divided into simple and complex.
Example simple judgment: "The grass is growing." A complex proposition: “The sun is shining outside the window, therefore the weather is good,” it has a narrative character.
Inference is a form of thinking through which, based on several judgments, a person makes a conclusion, which, in fact, will be a generalized judgment. An inference consists of premises and a conclusion. Example: spring has come, it has become warmer outside, and the grass has begun to grow.
Abstract thinking allows you not only to freely operate with these three concepts, but also to apply them in life. Often in everyday activities we use all three forms of abstract thinking without noticing it.
Kinds
The tasks assigned to a person can be standard or non-standard, depending on this, as well as on operational procedures, the following types of thinking are distinguished.
- Algorithmic. Based on pre-established rules, a generally accepted sequence of actions that are required to solve typical problems.
- Heuristic. Productive, aimed at solving non-standard problems.
- Discursive. Based on a set of interrelated conclusions.
- Creative. Helps a person make discoveries and achieve fundamentally new results.
- Productive. Leads to new cognitive results.
- Reproductive. With the help of this type, a person reproduces previously obtained results. In this case, thinking and memory are inseparable.
Do people have the same level of abstraction?
The answer is clear - no. Each of us is endowed with abilities, and they are all different, which is why humanity is so diverse in its views, interests, and aspirations. For example, someone writes poetry, while another composes prose, some cannot imagine themselves without music, while others prefer to draw in silence. Such diversity allows society to develop and make discoveries in all spheres of life. Would it be interesting to live in a world where everyone thinks alike? However, abstract thinking can and should be developed.
In patients with oligophrenia, mental retardation and some other behavioral deviations, psychiatrists note poorly developed abstract thinking or its complete absence.
Development of abstract thinking
In adults, thinking is usually already formed. With age, it becomes more and more difficult to accept new knowledge and new material– thinking loses its flexibility. The following exercises are designed to help you cope with this process. Develop your creativity and open-mindedness.
- Imagine the emotions in your mind: distrust, joy, fear, tenderness. How would interest, for example, look in your imagination without tying it to specific objects? What will pleasure look like?
- Imagine an image of some philosophical concept or idea. For example, how do you represent harmony? Will there be any visual image, sensory sensation, association, symbol? Practice with images: order, religiosity, energy, freedom, infinity, challenge.
- Turn the book upside down and read from bottom to top. Then you will have to read in reverse order. Try to establish logical connections in the plot.
- Pictures with captions like “abracadabra” are now very popular on the Internet. For example: Try to make the same ones yourself.
- Close your eyes. Try to vividly imagine all the people you interacted with during the day: clothes, facial expressions, voice characteristics, gestures. We don't miss a single detail. How did you feel during the conversation?
- Finally, take up painting.
Video test
Abstract thinking disorders
There are quite a lot of pathologies of mental activity, since this process is multifaceted. There is a classification of disorders that combines all properties and varieties mental process, reflecting reality. Types of thinking disorders are as follows:
- Pathology of the dynamics of thinking.
- Violations of the motivational part of the thought process.
- Operational irregularities.
The generally accepted typology of thinking represents such as abstract. The fundamental difference from other types is characteristic only to the human species: in animals that have others, this type is not expressed. In this article we will learn what abstract thinking is and what features it gives a person, and also present a number of exercises for its development.
Forms of abstract thinking
A distinctive feature of this type of thinking is its three components - concept, judgment, inference. In order to understand what this species is, its forms should be explained in detail.
Concept
It is a form that reflects an object as one or a group of characteristics. Moreover, each sign must be significant and justified. The concept is expressed by a phrase or word: “dog”, “snow”, “blue-eyed woman”, “a polytechnic university entrant”, etc.
Judgment
This is the form that denies or confirms an object, world, situation with some phrase. In this case, the judgment has 2 types - simple and complex. The first one, for example, sounds like this: “the dog is gnawing on a bone.” The second is in a slightly different form: “the girl stood up, the bench was empty.” Note that the second type has a narrative sentence form.
Inference
It consists in a form that summarizes from one judgment or group, presenting a new judgment. It is this form that is the foundation of abstract logical thinking.
Signs of abstract-logical thinking
There are main features of this form of thinking that most fully reflect its essence:
- the ability to operate with concepts, groups and criteria that do not exist in the real world;
- generalization and analysis;
- systematization of the information received;
- the optionality of direct interaction with the outside world to identify its patterns;
- building cause-and-effect relationships, creating abstract models of any processes.
The concept of “abstract thinking” has its roots in logic, which, in turn, comes from China, India and Greece. By Historical facts it can be assumed that the basis of logic was laid around the 4th century. BC. This happened almost simultaneously in different parts of the globe, which only emphasizes the importance of abstractions and logical reasoning for studying any subject, situation or world.
Logic is a section of philosophy, which is the science of reasoning, laws, and rules for drawing correct conclusions about the object that are subject to study.
Thus, abstract thinking is the main tool of logic, because allows you to abstract from the material and build a chain of conclusions. Let us note that, unlike other sciences, logic has developed and is developing throughout the history of our world, since the advent of man.
Presentation: "Defining the type of thinking"
Using Abstractions
Abstract thinking begins to develop in childhood from 5 to 7 years. Until this age, children use other forms of thinking:
- from birth – visually effective;
- from one and a half years - concrete subject.
It should be noted that the above forms of the concept of “abstract thinking” remain with a person for life, because help to establish a connection with the surrounding reality, regardless of age. But only an abstract type of thinking is the foundation of the learning process, the ability to understand the world as a whole, as well as for any conscious activity. The most striking example of such activity is science. The basis of any science is the collection and systematization of acquired knowledge.
Despite the fact that in many situations such processes are based on the function of observing material objects and phenomena, the foundation of scientific tools is analysis, synthesis, generalization, development of a conceptual apparatus, etc. - is abstract thinking.
However, in everyday life, abstract logical thinking plays an important role. Thanks to it, a person is able not only to establish connections between events, generalize and distribute experience, but also to build a general picture of the world.
Diagnosis and development of the ability to think abstractly
To determine the severity of abstract thinking, it is enough to go through special test, which are quite diverse:
- Test for . Positive result Abstract-logical thinking is considered to predominate. Such tests are created in the form of questionnaires in which you need to choose the statement that is closest to you, or be based on pictures, i.e. working with images.
- Tests to identify cause-and-effect relationships. The essence of the tasks of such tests is the following: initial conditions are given from which you need to logically make correct conclusion. Often, such tests are used as terminology of non-existent words in order to identify the level of a person’s detachment and his ability to abstract from specific details.
- Tests based on the analysis of proposed word combinations. In this case, it is necessary to identify a pattern due to which various words combined, and extend it to other phrases.
Logic and abstract thinking training
Because abstract thinking is an acquired quality, it should be developed. The best time to start such training is early age. This is due to the fact that children have an increased level of susceptibility to new information and a more mind is more flexible. With age, these properties are somewhat lost, because a person has already adopted certain patterns of behavior and worldview. However, with sufficient persistence, an adult can develop his abstract-logical skills and effectively use them in everyday and work life.
By choosing to take several tests, you can easily determine which types of exercises will be most effective: if training is difficult, then you should start with similar ones.
It makes no sense to choose light types of exercise, because... thinking will remain at the same level.
The best option for starting classes for both children and adults are tasks for quick wits and ingenuity. Usually they are presented in the form of obvious facts, but with an incorrect solution. When solving a problem, the test subject must identify implicit relationships between the initial data and formulate the correct answer.
In addition, you can use questions and tasks from any test as exercises.
The ability to generalize and systematize knowledge gives us a powerful tool for understanding the world. Unlike animals and primitive people, we have a unique resource that we can use for a broader and deeper understanding of reality: the laws of the Universe, social connections and, ultimately, ourselves.
) - mental distraction, isolation from certain aspects, properties or connections of objects or phenomena to highlight essential features.
The word "Abstraction" is used in two senses:
- Abstraction- process, the same as “ abstraction»
- Abstraction - « abstract concept», « abstract", the result of abstraction.
An abstract concept is a mental construction that represents a certain concept or idea that can personify certain objects or phenomena of the real world, but at the same time abstracted from their specific embodiments. Abstract constructions may not have direct analogues in the physical world, which is typical, for example, of mathematics (in general, probably the most abstract science).
The need for abstraction is determined by the situation when the differences between the nature of the intellectual problem and the existence of the object in its concreteness become apparent. In such a situation, a person uses, for example, the opportunity to perceive and describe a mountain as a geometric shape, and a moving person as a certain set of mechanical levers.
Some types of abstraction, by type of non-essential:
- generalizing abstraction- gives a generalized picture of the phenomenon, abstracted from particular deviations. As a result of such abstraction, the general property of the objects or phenomena under study is highlighted. This type abstractions are considered fundamental in mathematics and mathematical logic.
- idealization- replacement of a real empirical phenomenon with an idealized scheme abstracted from real shortcomings. As a result, the concepts of idealized (ideal) objects are formed (“ideal gas”, “absolutely black body”, “straight line”, “spherical horse in a vacuum” (from an anecdote about idealization), etc.)
- isolating abstraction- isolating the phenomenon under study from some integrity, abstracting from options that are not of interest.
- abstraction of actual infinity- abstraction from the fundamental impossibility of fixing every element of an infinite set, that is, infinite sets are considered as finite.
- constructivization- distraction from the uncertainty of the boundaries of real objects, their “coarsening”.
By purpose:
- formal abstraction- identification of properties important for theoretical analysis;
- meaningful abstraction- identification of properties that have practical significance.
The concept of “abstract” is contrasted with the concrete (concrete thinking - abstract thinking).
See the epistemological law “Ascent from the abstract to the concrete”.
Abstract thinking involves operating with abstractions (“man in general,” “number three,” “tree,” etc.), which can be considered a more developed level of mental activity compared to concrete thinking, which always deals with specific objects and processes ( “brother Vasya”, “three bananas”, “oak tree in the yard”, etc.). The ability to think abstractly is one of the distinctive features a person, which, apparently, was formed simultaneously with language skills and largely thanks to language (for example, it would be impossible to even mentally operate with the number “three in general” without having a specific linguistic sign for it - “three”, since in the world around us such an abstract, unattached concept simply does not exist: it is always “three people”, “three trees”, “three bananas”, etc.).
- In the field of mathematical software, abstraction refers to an algorithm and method of simplifying and separating details to focus on some concepts at a time.
see also
- Abstraction layer (level of abstraction) in programming
Links
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
See what “Abstract thinking” is in other dictionaries:
abstract thinking- 3.2 abstract thinking: Thinking, which is the operator’s ability to form general concepts, breaking away from reality in perceptions, to reflect (to be in a state of reflection). Source … Dictionary-reference book of terms of normative and technical documentation
Abstract thinking Dictionary-reference book on educational psychology
Abstract thinking- thinking that operates with complex abstract concepts and conclusions, allowing one to mentally isolate and turn individual aspects, properties or states of an object or phenomenon into an independent object of consideration. So isolated and... ... Dictionary of educational psychology
Abstract thinking- the same as conceptual thinking, i.e. a person’s ability to form abstract, indirect, non-visual, purely mental ideas about objects in which the basic properties of specific things are generalized... The beginnings of modern natural science
ABSTRACT THINKING- See abstraction; thinking... Dictionary in psychology
abstract thinking- Based on language, the highest, actually human type of thinking, carried out in the form of concepts, judgments, conclusions ... Dictionary of linguistic terms T.V. Foal
Operator abstract thinking- Abstract thinking: thinking, which is the operator’s ability to form general concepts, breaking away from reality in perceptions, to reflect (be in a state of reflection)... Source: GOST R 43.0.3 2009. National standard... ... Official terminology
Directed process of information processing in the cognitive system of living beings. M. is realized in acts of manipulation (operation) of internal mental representations, subject to a certain strategy and leading to the emergence... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia
Abstraction, or abstraction, (from the Latin abstractio “distraction”, introduced by Boethius as a translation of the Greek term used by Aristotle) mental distraction, isolation from certain aspects, properties or connections of objects or phenomena for ... ... Wikipedia
thinking- I thinking = we/thinking; see think 1) A person’s ability to think, reason, draw conclusions; a special stage in the process of reflection of objective reality by consciousness. Scientific thinking. The brain is the organ of thinking. Develop thinking... ... Dictionary of many expressions
Books
- How emotions affect abstract thinking and why mathematics is incredibly accurate, Sverdlik, Anna Gennadievna. Mathematics, unlike other disciplines, is universal and extremely accurate. It creates the logical structure of all natural sciences. “The incomprehensible effectiveness of mathematics”, as in its time...
- How emotions affect abstract thinking and why mathematics is incredibly accurate. How the cerebral cortex is structured, why its capabilities are limited and how emotions, complementing the work of the cortex, allow a person to make scientific discoveries, A. G. Sverdlik. Mathematics, unlike other disciplines, is universal and extremely accurate. It creates the logical structure of all natural sciences. “The incomprehensible effectiveness of mathematics”, as in its time...
Thinking is one of the most interesting and at the same time complex cognitive processes our psyche. It is thinking that allows us to cognize, explore the world around us, compare, draw conclusions, make judgments and come to conclusions, and, of course, create, create something fundamentally new based on past experience.
Each of us is endowed with this ability, which allows us to successfully interact with each other. You need to understand that our thinking has a certain classification and unique stages of development. The highest form of development of thinking is abstract-logical.
This type of thinking is based on the concepts of “abstraction”, “abstract”; and it is the meaning of the word “abstraction” or “abstract” that allows us to better understand the nature of this type of thinking. So, abstraction is the concentration of attention on important, essential aspects of an object or phenomenon. As a result of abstraction, abstraction arises, i.e. a certain generalization that becomes the result of a given abstraction.
Forms
It is necessary to consider not only general provisions, but also abstract thinking and its forms. After all, it manifests itself in quite a variety of ways.
So, psychologists identify the following forms of abstract thinking:
2. Judgment is a more complex form, which consists not of one concept, but of several, and with the help of judgment we are able to state the fact of something, and we can also describe objects and phenomena or their relationships. There are simple and complex judgments:
- A simple phrase is a short phrase, such as “It’s raining” or “The plane is flying.”
- Complex is a chain of short phrases that gives a more detailed understanding of what is happening, for example, “It’s cold outside, snowing and the wind blows."
3. Inference is the most complex form, which is a combination of several judgments, on the basis of which we can draw a conclusion, and therefore create a new judgment. For example: “It’s cold outside and the wind is blowing, so you need to dress warmly.” It is a mental process that allows theoretical knowledge to develop.
Our life consists of constantly operating with both concepts and judgments that lead us to new conclusions. Each of us goes through a path from visual-figurative thinking to an abstract and logical type of thinking.
The main features of an abstract type of thinking are also identified:
- The ability to operate with abstract concepts (happiness, law, life, truth).
- Ability to summarize and analyze information.
- The ability to create a system based on the information received.
- Identifying patterns in the surrounding world without real contact with it (for example, understanding that it is cold outside by looking at the weather forecast on the Internet).
- Ability to establish cause-and-effect relationships.
Development
Of course, play contributes to its development; it is through play that a child is able to master basic concepts, learn to operate with them, and also build conclusions based on judgments. It is also important to involve the child in decisions various tasks, especially logical ones or those where abstract concepts are present, such as “perimeter” or “area”.
Creative activities also help develop the ability to think abstractly. This could be drawing, modeling, reading poetry or prose, designing, and so on - the choice of the type of creativity should directly depend on the child’s abilities.
All this allows you to take a fresh look at the world around you, and therefore expand the functions and capabilities of your thinking. We must remember and understand that the ability to think abstractly is different people is not equally developed, so you shouldn’t compare your results with someone else’s - it’s better to see how you were able to develop abstract thinking in yourself and how it changes. Author: Daria Potykan
