Chapter 7: Thinking a Thought Process

CHAPTER VII

THINKING A THOUGHT PROCESS

Introduction

                Thinking is a huge part of what makes humans superior and more capable than the other forms of life in the environment. An individual is always engaged in thought all the time. Whether it is thinking about what to eat for lunch, making sense of the unfamiliar words or concepts in a book or daydreaming about what to do after class, it is said that an individual is  always lost in thought.

Thinking is a mental or a brain process which involves formation of imagery, letters forming words, concepts or ideas. With a higher intelligence, an individual is given more ability to manipulate these thoughts efficiently and effectively. Exploration to this specific field has led to a whole branch of Psychology called Cognitive Psychology as coined by Ulrich Neisser. This is a more comprehensive study that delves with thought processes and the way people think and process information.

Definition

                The definition of thinking according to Freeman(1982) is any mental process including everything from random associations and images to spectacular acts of creativities.

 Thinking is not limited to abstract thought, imagery, creative endeavors, reasoning ability, remembering, problem solving, and analytical thinking among other things.

The Thinking Process

Thinking as a brain activity. Thoughts triggered by something a person sees, hear, smell, taste or touch.  The sensation is relayed to the brain to be interpreted and analyzed. Take for example a child who tries to swallow a sour candy, will he spit it out  or just swallow it regardless of what it tastes like to him. Another example is when a person smells a rotten food, is he going to throw it away or still manage to eat it despite of its odor.

                Thinking as a motor activity. Thinking can be associated with actions or motor activity of the body. In some cases, bodily reactions occur simultaneously with thinking, but there are also instances when a person will process the thought first before  acting on it. Impulsive people are very typical of this process.  Since they are impulsive, they usually act in a matter of split second after receiving the thought.

Types of Thinking

1.     Free associations – relationships of ideas as cued by the external environment.

2.      Fantasy – these are free associations coming from the person’s inner world of feelings, desires and wishes.

3.     Delusional thinking- type of thinking that  is more focused than free association or fantasy but it is not close to reality.  Delusions are false beliefs which has  no basis.  They are irrational thoughts but usually has specific meaning for the individual.

4.       Creative thinking – type of problem solving which involves extraordinary instead of conventional solutions.

Elements of Thinking    

• Imagery - Some people are inclined to think in pictures, or in imagery. They relate to past experiences with visual representations in their minds. Problems or situations are solved the by use of the imagination to picture out a plan of action.

For example, a mother who is going to the grocery to shop may try to recall the layout of the grocery store when making her shopping list. Listing Items she encounters near the entrance first, followed by items she will pass along the way, determining her shopping path.            

• Conceptual Thinking – Ideas and abstract thought are represented in the mind through symbols and associations. Intangible ideas which cannot be represented by concrete images are molded into concepts. Concepts also help organize ideas. 

For example, if a student is asked to memorize a great number of plants and their scientific names, he needs to arrange them according to their characteristics whether they are fruit-bearing or not.  In this way, it will be easier for him to remember these concepts while studying all about plants.

• Verbal Thinking – Most people think with the use of words and speech. They talk to themselves or utilize an inner voice that walks them through thought and mental activities.

Much of our thinking occurs in this form because we have learned to associate words with images and concepts. This is the easiest way for humans to make sense of the world.

CREATIVE THINKING

Graham Wallas’s book Art of Thought (1926) presented five models of creative process :

• Preparation – is preparation to work on a problem that focuses the individual's mind on the problem
• Incubation-  it involves internalizing the problem into the unconscious mind.
• Intimation - the person feels and anticipates that a solution is on its way and something good is about to happen.
• Illumination- where the creative idea bursts forth from its preconscious processing into conscious awareness
• Verification - where the idea is consciously verified, elaborated, and then applied

PROBLEM SOLVING

Problem solving is an activity of the brain which also involves visual motor coordination. In solving a problem, people usually divide or categorize their goals by breaking it down into smaller units to obtain the desired results. 

Techniques Used in Problem Solving

1. Rule – proceeding to solve a problem entails certain rules or methods on how to tackle a certain problem. 

2. Planning – involves a means-end analysis of the problem. Choosing an action each step further to achieving a certain goal.      Devising a strategy is very important in problem solving.  Some people use top to bottom approach, some use bottom to top approach,and also  divide and conquer (breaking down a problem into smaller and manageable parts) among others.

3. Trial and Error – entails testing the hypothesis whether the assumption made prior to solving the problem is true. It may involve several trials until the right solution is achieved.

Factors that influence success in problem-solving:

1.    Intelligence of the person may affect his problem solving skills. Intelligent people can solve a problem in less time as compared to an  individual with average intelligence.

2.    Motivation is also a factor because if it is low, performance or desire to achieve the goal may be hampered.

 3.    Mindset is also affected because a person may already be conditioned to do or think differently from what is being instructed upon him by a person in authority.

4.    Training according to Scandura (1977) also affects his problem solving skills because normally, his success depends on his experience.  If a person has already developed a certain skill, or has practiced the task a lot , it will no longer be difficult for him because he may have conjured up his own strategy that is unknown to others.