Just like we are all different from the outside, similarly, we all have different types of thinking from each other. Our brain may look the same, but the way of using it is different for everyone. Different types of thinking in psychology make different types of thinkers. Just like everyone has a computer, but someone becomes Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg by using it and some consider it to be just a means of entertainment. What makes the difference between extraordinary and ordinary is their thinking process.
There is the thinking that makes your identity. Despite the different thinking processes of all the people, there are 7 most common types of thinkers in psychology.
What are the 7 Most Common Types of Thinkers?
There are 7 different types of thinkers or types of thinking in psychology:
1. Creative Thinkers
Ability to embrace new and innovative ideas breaking from established ideas, principles, rules, and procedures. People who use this thinking often hear that they “think outside the box”.
2. Analytical Thinkers
The ability to separate a whole into its basic parts to examine the parts and their relationships. People with this type of thinking are great problem-solvers and have a structured and systematic way of doing things.
3. Critical Thinkers
The process of careful evaluation or decision making. Critical thinkers do this to determine the authenticity, accuracy, value, validity, or value of something. Instead of strictly breaking down information into parts, critical thinkers explore other elements that could have influenced the conclusion.
4. Concrete Thinkers
More often than not, this type of thinker prefers to think, understand, and apply factual knowledge. It is about thinking of objects or ideas as specific objects rather than as a theoretical representation of a general concept. It involves only practical thinking, always literal and to-the-point.
5. Abstract Thinkers
The ability to associate seemingly random things with each other and make connections that are difficult for others to see. People with this type of thinking focus on the hidden meanings behind things related to other objects, events, or experiences. Abstract thinkers can generally see things as principles and/or possibilities.
6. Divergent Thinkers
This mindset leads to an infinite number of solutions to find an effective solution. So, instead of starting with a fixed number of possibilities and converging on an answer, divergent thinkers go as far as possible and move outwards in search of solutions.
7. Convergent Thinkers
The process of combining a finite number of perspectives or ideas to find a single solution. Convergent thinkers will target these possibilities, or converge them inward, to come up with a solution.
Treat it as a multiple-choice question in an exam. You have four possible answers but only one is correct. To solve the problem, you would use convergent thinking.
Now, as we’ve explored the 7 most common types of thinkers, let us identify your personal thinking style and learn how you can make the most of it.
What Impact Your Thinking Process?
Your surroundings and social environment play a very important role in your thinking process. As you see a child he learns everything from his surrounding people same his thinking also become accordingly. If a baby takes birth in English speaking he will learn English automatically, same a baby takes birth in a french family he will learn french automatically. It also applies to the concept of thinking.
If a child took birth in a poor family you will his thinking process will be limited. But on the other hand, a child took birth in a rich family, you will find his thinking process accordingly. That’s the reason in many cases a son or daughter of the artist becomes an artist, a professional becomes professional, a sportsman becomes a sportsman, a business becomes business.
Your association with people also affects your thinking style. Perhaps you have heard a story that once by mistake, the lion’s child started living among the dogs by mistake. As he grew up his thinking also became like that of a dog. Dog-like behavior was seen in his behavior. Because he started living in the middle of dogs.
When you change your association then your thinking starts changing automatically. You will feel the change in your behavior, your mindset, in your talk, in your walk. You will find different you.
What Types of Thinking Do You Identify With?
We need to understand how our brain works so that we can make our brain work in a better way.
Would you describe yourself as a logical or creative person? Are you rational or do you prefer to think in abstract terms? Research shows that the kind of thinking you adopt has an impact on the kind of person you become.
To identify which thinking styles or thinking preferences you associate with I made a Thinking Style Test that is also known as a psychometric test or brain dominance test. That is basically based on Split-brain theory.
Thinking Styles Test
This test is basically based on the split-brain theory that says our brain is divided into two hemispheres – The Left Brain and the Right Brain. Each hemisphere has a different style. As the left brain is the Analytical brain and the right brain is the creative brain.
Further, both hemispheres are divided into four-part – upper left brain, lower left brain, and upper right brain, lower right brain.
This test has two assessments with 20 and 8 questions each related to presenting your attitudes and your interests.
Click on Psychometric Test to know more about the test.
Saurabh Goel
He is the Founder and CEO of Training and Counselling Company ‘Brain Soul & You’. He is an NLP Wellness Coach, Life Coach, Brain analyst, and Trainer for Education, Corporate, and Entrepreneurship. For more than 5 years, he delivered presentations on entrepreneurship, mind programming, and motivation. He did his B.tech in IT and later choose to be a successful psychologist. He is helping people in various ways through his counseling and training sessions.