Different Types of Thinking Styles: How We Process Information and Solve Problems

Are you aware that it is possible for two people to see the same challenge, yet solve it using two very distinct approaches? While one person quickly categorizes everything into facts and data, another is busy creating various solutions. One person doubts the given information, and someone else is trying to find the most practical solution to the challenge.

It is because of the thinking styles. The thinking style is a way of processing information, solving problems, making decisions, and comprehending certain situations. Realizing different types of thinking styles allows understanding of your natural approach to challenges and the reasons for various approaches of other people.

The issue of different approaches does not deal with the necessity to choose the right approach or label people according to their thinking style. Most people apply various approaches according to the current context.

Different thinking styles can offer different ways to understand and solve the same problem.

What are Thinking Styles?

Thinking styles refer to the ways individuals perceive, understand, and engage in intellectual activities. For some, information processing involves focusing on facts and details, while for others it includes the search for patterns, opportunities, or practicality. Some individuals find it easier to have plenty of ideas before making any decisions, while others immediately eliminate all the impractical options.

Thinking styles are distinct from intelligence. A certain thinking style doesn't mean that an individual is more intelligent than another individual with a different style.

Your thinking style may impact your reaction to ambiguity, problem solving, idea assessment, and decision-making. In addition, it may influence the way you interact with people with a different approach to the situation.

It should be noted that thinking styles can change, meaning that although you may prefer one strategy naturally, you can learn how to employ the other strategies.

Analytical Thinking

Analytical thinking means dividing data, circumstances, or problems into small pieces to analyze them thoroughly. Analytical thinkers usually find facts, patterns, connections, causes and effects, and evidence before concluding.

In the case of a challenging task while working, an analytical thinker will identify the key problem, obtain necessary information, find out what has led to this problem, and consider all possible solutions. This way of thinking is very helpful when accuracy and logical reasoning matter. Analytical thinking can be used when there is a need to understand complicated data, compare alternatives, establish relationships, and make a decision based on the obtained information.

But pure analytical thinking can slow down decision-making, especially if there is not enough information to make a decision. Thus, combining analytical reasoning with other ways of thinking will be more effective.

Creative Thinking

Creative thinking deals with coming up with new ideas, possibilities, ways of looking at something, and solutions. Creative thinking does not focus on finding the most apparent answer but instead tries to see what else could be possible.

Creative thinking uses imagination, curiosity, experimenting, and seeing the relationship between unrelated things. It can be particularly helpful when the existing solution does not work or when the issue needs an original solution. For instance, a company can use creative thinking in order to come up with an innovative marketing idea rather than imitating other companies' campaigns in order to find new clients.

It is worth noting that creative thinking is not only associated with artistic endeavors. In fact, it can be applied to many other spheres including business, science, education, technologies, relationships, and ordinary life situations.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking entails the process of examining and analyzing the information, ideas, assumptions, and conclusions before drawing conclusions. Unlike a person who readily believes a statement, a critical thinker will consider whether the information presented can validate such a statement.

The process of critical thinking may involve challenging assumptions, exposing biases, comparing different sources of information, and detecting inconsistencies in the process of reasoning. In other words, critical thinking requires an individual to tell the difference between facts, opinions, interpretations, and unsubstantiated claims.

For instance, while reading a statement, a critical thinker will always wonder about the source of that information, its credibility, and whether there are other possible explanations.

Critical thinking is very helpful in making decisions since it discourages individuals from believing certain information just because it sounds credible.

Practical Thinking

The characteristic feature of practical thinking is a concentration on realistic actions. It is based more on considering what is possible than on the potential options in theory. Assume that the group creates an innovative project. The person who thinks practically may wonder about the costs of the project, the amount of necessary resources, the time of realization, and the possible obstacles.

This type of thinking plays a significant role in the process of implementing ideas. It makes people think about what they can really do with what they have rather than what they could do. It does not imply the rejection of innovative or ambitious ideas but serves as a method for evaluating the ways they can be realized in practice.

Abstract Thinking

Abstract thinking entails using ideas, concepts, patterns, relationships, and possibilities that are not necessarily observable. In contrast to the practice of concentrating solely on instances, abstract thinkers tend to search for the underlying principles.

Instead of focusing on one case of the workplace conflict, an abstract thinker will try to find the common communication pattern or principle that causes such conflicts. Abstract thinking can be useful in disciplines like strategy, philosophy, mathematics, theory, and conceptual problem solving. Abstract thinking enables individuals to see the bigger picture and how various ideas interrelate. It can be very helpful in long-term planning and understanding complex notions, especially if the solution is not readily apparent from the provided facts.

Concrete Thinking

Concrete thinking refers to the consideration of information that is tangible. Individuals who use this kind of thinking will probably like facts, direct examples, precise instructions, and information that can easily be understood based on reality. For instance, if a person is trying to learn something new, a concrete thinker will be interested in seeing how the process goes instead of starting with some theoretical introduction first.

In many cases, concrete thinking may turn out to be extremely helpful in case accuracy and precision matter. It allows individuals to concentrate only on those things which are tangible without getting diverted by things which are difficult to prove. There is no opposition between concrete and abstract thinking in terms of their significance. They differ in their considerations of information on different levels.

Convergent and Divergent Thinking

Divergent Thinking

In divergent thinking, one tries to develop a number of possible ideas, answers, or alternatives. Rather than quickly reducing the choices to a few, one aims to increase the choices. One example is brainstorming. As you try to solve a problem, you try to develop a number of potential solutions before making an assessment of them.

Divergent thinking is particularly helpful during the creative phase of problem solving, where discovering the possibilities is more important than finding the solution.

Convergent Thinking

While divergent thinking broadens, convergent thinking goes the other way around. While divergent thinking explores all possible answers, convergent thinking seeks out the best possible answer.

After coming up with several solutions, convergent thinking allows the individual to analyze them according to criteria like availability of evidence, feasibility, costs, effectiveness, and available resources. Divergent thinking and convergent thinking complement each other nicely. Divergent thinking enables the individual to ask himself, "What are my options?" Convergent thinking enables him to ask, "Which option is better?"

How to Recognize and Develop Your Thinking Styles

To recognize and understand your thinking style, one has to be aware of their natural responses to challenging situations. In case of having to make a hard decision, does a person start looking for proof, develop several options, challenge the assumptions underlying the problem, or focus on the practical actions that can be taken?

People will notice their preferred approaches. They may find out that they are naturally analytical but have difficulties dealing with creative and open-ended tasks, or vice versa, that they are very creative, but may occasionally lack the structure needed for analyzing their solutions.

After recognizing the ways of thinking, people should try using the various thinking styles intentionally. This means trying to generate several options before judging them, checking the evidence before making any assumptions, breaking the problem into parts, and considering the idea as well as its details.

Conclusion

By looking at various types of thinking, we see that people have their unique way of processing information, finding solutions, and making decisions based on it. In particular, analytical thinking relies on facts and connections, creative thinking offers novel ideas, critical thinking assesses the information, while practical thinking concentrates on realistic actions. Moreover, abstract and concrete thinking work with information on different levels, while divergent and convergent thinking offer an opportunity to expand and narrow down various options.

All these types of thinking should not be viewed as categories or measures of people's intelligence since all individuals usually combine several of them. In addition, the most efficient type usually depends on the particular case. Identifying your thinking style is quite beneficial, but it is even better to develop flexibility and switch between analyzing information, generating ideas, questioning assumptions, taking practical considerations into account, and assessing the options. This will give you an additional tool to solve problems more effectively.

Finally, knowing the peculiarities of various types of thinking can be helpful when working in teams since one will not assume that another person's view is wrong because of their different thinking style.

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