Abstract thinking is a type of thinking that allows you to abstract from small details and look at the situation as a whole. This type of thinking allows you to step outside the boundaries of norms and rules and make new discoveries. The development of abstract thinking in a person from childhood should take an important place, because such an approach helps to find unexpected solutions and new ways out of the situation easier.
Basic Forms of Abstract Thinking
A feature of abstract thinking is that it has three different forms - concepts, judgments and conclusions. Without understanding their specificity, it is difficult to sneak into the notion of "abstract thinking".
1. The concept
The 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! The concept can be expressed in one word or in a word combination - for example, the concepts "cat", "leaves", "student of a liberal arts college," "green-eyed girl."
2. The Judgment
Judgment is a form of thinking in which any phrase describing the surrounding world, objects, relationships and patterns is denied or affirmed. In turn, judgments are divided into two types - complex and simple. A simple judgment can sound like, for example, "a cat eats sour cream". A complex judgment expresses meaning somewhat in a different form: "The bus started, the stop was empty." A complex judgment, as a rule, takes the form of a narrative sentence.
3. Inference
Inference is a form of thinking in which one or a group of related judgments draw a conclusion that is a new proposition. This is the basis of abstract-logical thinking. Judgments that precede the formation of the final variant are called prerequisites, and the final proposition is called "conclusion". For example: "All birds fly. The sparrow flies. A sparrow is a bird. "
The abstract type of thinking assumes a free operation of concepts, judgments and inferences - such categories that do not make sense without reference to our daily life.
How to develop abstract thinking?
Needless to say, the ability to abstract thinking is different for all? One person is given a beautiful drawing, another - to write poetry, the third - to think abstractly. However, the formation of abstract thinking is possible, and for this it is necessary to give the brain an opportunity to think from early childhood.
At present, there are a lot of printed publications that give food for the mind - all sorts of collections of puzzles on logic , puzzles and the like. If you want to engage in the development of 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 keep you waiting. It is noticed that at an early age the brain is easier to solve
The complete absence of abstract thinking can generate not only a lot of problems with creative activities, but also the study of those disciplines in which most key concepts are abstract. That is why it is important to pay much attention to this topic.
Correctly developed abstract thinking allows you to know what has not been known before, to discover the various secrets of nature, to distinguish truth from falsehood. In addition, this method of cognition differs from others in that it does not require direct contact with the object under study and allows you to remotely make important conclusions and conclusions.