Types of thinking. Thinking is visually-effective - this is ...

Thinking, as a complex process of reflection and knowledge of reality, is the source of new knowledge, such that a person can not receive in direct experience. Modern thinking, capable of solving complex problems and operating with abstract concepts, has passed a long way of formation. Thinking is visually effective - it is genetically the first, the earliest stage of its development.

Types of thinking

The human brain continuously receives from the surrounding world and processes a huge amount of information. This treatment occurs, as it were, on two levels: at the level of immediate sensory cognition (sensation and perception) and at the level of thinking.

From simple sensory cognition, thinking is characterized by an indirect character. "Mediators" in the thinking process may be images (visual, auditory, tactile, etc.) and signs - words and concepts.

Visual-efficient thinking is a kind of cognitive process in which objects of the material world are used as "intermediaries". This is its qualitative difference from other types of thinking. This thinking is also called sensorimotor, emphasizing, therefore, its connection with the sensory and motor spheres.

The highest level of thinking is considered abstract-logical, conceptual, which has an abstract character. However, no one, even the most intellectually developed person, thinks only with the help of word-concepts. The process of cognition of reality necessarily includes images, moreover, the creative process is connected precisely with visual-figurative thinking.

Consequently, in the minds of modern man two types of thinking interact constantly : abstract and visual-figurative thinking. Clearly effective, it would seem, remains on the sidelines. Or does it not play a role in the adult's mental life?

Features of sensorimotor thinking

First, it is closely related to activities and is included in direct operations with objects, as a result of which a person converts them, combines them, creates new objects.

Secondly, thinking is visual-effective - this is a concrete thinking, it only arises when you manipulate objects and allows you to comprehend only specific actions. Unlike him, both the abstract and the visual-figurative are of an abstract nature. They allow a person to leave in his thoughts from the situation in which he is, to present things that at present do not exist, to fantasize and plan activities.

Thirdly, visual-effective thinking is a situational cognitive process. It can not lead a person beyond the limits of a concrete situation. This thinking is "here and now." It is as if limited, constrained by the conditions in which a person is.

The oldest form of understanding the world

Sensomotor thinking emerged from our very distant ancestors. Paleopsychologists believe that they had primitive people, and it largely determined the mental activity of backward peoples, still in the XIX century were at the stage of primitive society. For example, ethnographers (M. Wertheimer, R. Turnwald), describing the thinking of savages, noted that they are incapable of an abstract account. It was important for them to know which items should be considered. Bears can only count 6 pieces, since no one has been able to see more of these animals at the same time. But the cows can be considered up to 60.

That is why in the language of many archaic peoples there were no common concepts, but there were a lot of words denoting specific objects, actions, states. K. Levy-Bruhl, who studied primitive thinking, counted in the language of one of the African tribes 33 words for walking. Verbs varied depending on who, where, with whom and why.

Thinking visual-effective - this is a kind of "premonition", which in rudimentary form exists in animals. As early as the beginning of the 20th century, studies of the behavior of chimpanzees conducted by the German psychologist W. Keller showed that apes are capable of solving simple mental problems in the process of manipulating objects.

Children's thinking

The most vivid and distinct manifestation of this kind of knowledge of reality can be seen in children under 3 years old. In such crumbs, thinking is visually-effective - it's a game. All their thought processes occur in the process of manipulation with objects. The basic operations of thinking are accessible to the child, but only as direct practical actions.

Here the kid with enthusiasm assorts the small house which was just constructed by mum from cubes. Do not take offense at him, because that's how the child is analyzed - the dismemberment of the whole into separate elements.

Then the kid sorts the cubes - compares them, selects the ones that are needed, throwing away, from his point of view, superfluous. This comparison, and then comes the turn and more complex mental operation - the synthesis. The child starts to build, erecting, seemingly, on anything not like a figure.

The design grows, with each cube getting higher. The Kid looks at it with interest and at a certain moment exclaims joyfully: "It's a tower! Mom, look, I built a tower! ". Comparing his construction with the image in his memory, the child performed a generalization operation and concluded.

He is a small thinker, only his thinking is so obvious and effective, inseparable from objective, "manual" activity. Therefore, the child needs to understand and reassemble toys, because it is in the game with them that visual-efficient thinking develops.

Formation of thinking in children

By manipulating various objects, the child learns to establish connections between them, to allocate their main and secondary qualities. But most importantly, he keeps in memory the images of once perfect actions and uses them later to solve new problems. So begins the formation of more complex, imaginative thinking.

Sensomotor thinking is not only objective, but also emotionally. Surprise the new, created by their handles, irritation from the failed action and delight, when it is possible to achieve the desired result - all this enriches and develops the inner world of the baby.

The role of sensorimotor thinking in the psyche of a modern adult

The psychic of man is one, as well as one's thinking, and it is impossible to separate out any kind of harmonious process from this harmonious process. Each of them is important and fulfills its function.

But quite often a certain kind of thinking dominates this or that person. For people creative, visionaries are characterized by highly developed imaginative thinking. And mathematicians and economists have a high level of thinking conceptual.

People with a predominance of sensorimotor thinking also occur. These are the ones that are said to have golden hands. Masters "from God", capable of knowing nothing about the principles of the operation of this or that mechanism, to disassemble it, repair it, reassemble it, and even improve it in the process of assembling.

Can we say that abstract and figurative are more important types of thinking? Visual and effective is also necessary for any person, it accompanies all objective actions. Without it it is impossible, not to make repairs in the apartment, or weed the garden bed in the garden, or tie up the cap. Even soup without this thinking can not be welded.

Originating in childhood, sensorimotor thinking does not remain at a primitive level, but develops in the same way as other types of cognitive activity.