categories of thinking skils
Explore the 9 major types of thinking skills essential for problem-solving and decision-making. Enhance your cognitive abilities for success.
1. Analytical Thinking:
Analytical thinking skill is your ability to analyze a given the problem, or situation step by step. You perform a complete analysis of all possible ways to interpret the situation/problem before you.
2. Divergent Thinking:
In short, divergent thinking skill is “Go diverse. Conclude with one that works”. Divergent thinking involves exploring all possibilities and viewpoints to find an appropriate solution.
First, you begin gathering related facts, data, or references from all sources. You analyze and apply logic to find the relevant possibilities. Among them, you pick the one that stands out and seems to be precise to solve the problem.
3. Convergent Thinking :
Convergent thinking is about connecting all the dots. You connect scattered thoughts, data, standpoints, or related information and put together one big picture. Convergent thinking is a key thinking skill we need in life.
4. Critical Thinking:
It covers 7 steps like identifying, gathering, analyzing, interpreting, establishing, deciding and communicating the problem.
5. Creative Thinking:
Imagination and creativity proceed here instead of logic and reasoning.
6. Abstract Thinking:
Abstract thinking is like abstract art/painting. Change your normal perspective to see what is being portrayed. Find the hidden meaning. You see the 'actual' truth behind the 'false' truth.
7. Concrete thinking:
As the name suggests, concrete thinking is factual thinking. Only facts and nothing else. A concrete thinker will approach everything with facts, data, and solid knowledge. It is the opposite of abstract thinking.
8. Sequential Thinking:
You think and process in an orderly, sequential manner. You don’t deviate. You progress step-by-step i.e. you can go to the second step only after your first step is complete. Every step in interconnected sequentially here.
9. Holistic Thinking
You go straight for the big picture and then you connect everything.