Don't lose. Subscribe and receive a link to the article in your email.

Our world is full of amazing things, and it exists according to its own laws, often defying logic and rational mind. Operating only with exact knowledge and instructions, we can lose sight of much that has not yet been known and keeps a secret. And just when a person comes into contact with what he does not know, abstract thinking is activated in him, allowing him to reason, make some conclusions, and speculate. This kind of thinking is very important, but in order to understand why it is so and what it is in general, it is necessary to delve into its description, forms and types, examples and methods of development. This is what we will do.

The essence and benefits of abstract thinking

The ability of a person to think, in short, allows him to form a vision of the world, resolve many life situations, achieve success and, in general, be a person. Thinking can be precise and generalized. We operate with exact thinking when we have some knowledge and data, when we clearly understand what is happening. And generalized thinking begins to work in any opposite situation. Then we guess, assume, draw general conclusions. Simply put, generalized thinking is abstract thinking.

Scientifically speaking, abstract thinking is a special kind of cognitive activity when a person begins to talk in general terms, moving away from specifics. Here the picture of something is considered as a whole, and accuracy and details are not affected. This, in turn, allows you to move away from dogmas and rules, expand the boundaries and look at the situation from different angles, find extraordinary ways solution to any problem.

In most everyday situations, people start from specific knowledge. For example, a guy sits on a bench at the entrance and clicks seeds. You might immediately think that he is lazy and does not want to do business. And in this case, the basis of our reasoning is our own ideas about what is happening. However, how can it be in reality?

The guy was returning home after a hard shift at work, where he patrolled the territory of a facility under construction for a day. He has a day off and he is free to do whatever he wants, including relaxing, clicking seeds on the bench. Or it could have been that a quarrel took place at his house, and he only, and therefore, in order not to renew a bad habit, he bought seeds and ponders what happened in their company. Variants of events can be very different, and if you move away from the specifics (the guy sits and clicks the seeds), you can abstract and look at the event from different points of view and find a lot of interesting things.

Thinking abstractly, a person thinks, as it were, approximately, which is very useful in everyday situations that lead him into an intellectual dead end, i.e. when he finds it difficult to find a way out or a solution, to form an objective opinion. Abstraction allows you to find in everything that was imperceptible before.

It is important to note that abstract thinking is often also called abstract-logical thinking. This clarification is typical for situations in which a person logically operates with abstractions - units of specific patterns, isolated earlier from the "represented", "imaginary" or "abstract" qualities of a phenomenon or object. In other words, a person uses what he cannot see, hear or touch.

Abstract-logical thinking is most clearly manifested in mathematics, which explains phenomena that are absent in mathematics. physical nature. For example, there is no such thing as the number "4", and a person simply understands that four identical units are meant. The very same figure was invented by people in order to simplify certain phenomena. As the development and progress of mankind has become forced to apply concepts that do not exist in essence.

Another good example is human language. By themselves, there are no lexical units in nature, such as letters, words, and sentences. But people have created the alphabet and the phenomena that flow from it in order to simplify the expression of their thoughts and facilitate their transmission. Thanks to this, today we can find mutual language with each other, because each of us understands what this or that word means, is able to recognize letters and build sentences. Therefore, by the way, abstract thinking and speech are closely interconnected.

Abstract-logical thinking is necessary for us in situations where there is some uncertainty, incomprehensibility and uncertainty, and, again, when an intellectual impasse arises. Thinking in abstractions and , we are able to find what is in the surrounding reality, and look for a definition for this.

Thus, we can single out several useful practical possibilities that abstract (abstract-logical) thinking gives a person:

• distraction from the framework of circumstances and separation from the object or phenomenon of individual signs;
• assessment of objects and phenomena and their comparison;
• generalization and concretization of objects and phenomena;
• finding correspondences between general and particular;
• systematization and classification of knowledge;
• extracting the necessary and cutting off the excess for specific situations;
• analysis of what is happening;
• isolating individual components of events;
• combining disparate information into a big picture.

Each of these mental abilities already exists in each of us, but it is developed and manifests itself to varying degrees. However, they can be successfully improved to get more practical benefits. Therefore, the development of abstract thinking is very important. However, we will talk about this very soon, but for now let's look a little more at the types of abstractions and forms of abstract thinking. But before we continue, we offer you to pass an amusing video test for abstract thinking.

Types of abstractions

As you remember, abstract-logical thinking involves manipulations with abstractions (units of specific patterns). And in order to get closer to understanding abstract thinking and its mechanism, it is necessary to talk about the types of abstractions and their purposes.

There are six kinds of abstractions:

• isolating abstraction - allows you to highlight the components of the phenomena on which attention is focused;
• general abstraction - allows you to highlight general characteristics in a specific phenomenon, cutting off individual characteristics;
• constructivization - allows you to give clearer forms to phenomena with "blurred" boundaries;
• idealizing abstraction - allows you to replace the real properties of the phenomenon with an ideal template that eliminates shortcomings;
• abstraction of actual infinity - allows you to define infinite sets as finite;
• primitive sensory abstraction - allows you to highlight some properties of the phenomenon and ignore the rest.

In addition, abstractions are also divided by purpose:

• formal abstractions - necessary to consider phenomena, based on external manifestations, without these phenomena do not exist;
• meaningful abstractions are necessary for separating properties from phenomena that can exist autonomously outside of these phenomena.

Operating with abstractions of all kinds (and thanks to the possibilities that they give), we can "select" from the world around us that which cannot be recognized with the help of natural senses.

The general patterns of all phenomena are transmitted through special linguistic expressions. With them, we no longer need to identify each time different concepts, because we learn about them from the very beginning of life - from parents, educators, teachers, etc. And it is here that we must speak about the forms of abstract thinking.

Forms of abstract thinking

In abstract thinking, a person operates with different knowledge and mental experience. Over time, all this came to a certain system. Many phenomena of the world are not subject to sight, hearing or touch (and about some it can be said that they do not exist at all as such). But such phenomena are part of human life, and therefore must have at least some form.

There are three main forms of abstract thinking: concept, judgment, and inference. Let's talk about them briefly.

concept

A concept is a thought that conveys a common property of various phenomena. Properties may differ, but be homogeneous and similar, which allows them to be combined into one group. Let's take a car for example. It can be an SUV, sedan or hatchback; different cars have different shape, color, characteristics. But their common feature that they all have wheels, an engine, a gearbox, etc., and that they can be ridden. It is these signs (design, purpose) that make it possible to attribute properties to one group.

And we are taught such things from the cradle. Mom talks about “cat”, and we immediately understand that this is a meowing and purring four-legged animal with a tail, etc. Cats come in different breeds and colors, but they all have common features by which they belong to the general concept of "cat" or "cat".

Judgment

Judgment a person uses, intending to confirm or refute something. It can be simple or complex. Here is a simple one - “the cat meows” - it can be expressed specifically and unambiguously. But the complex one - “the cat began to meow because he is hungry” - it can be expressed in several declarative sentences.

Judgments are also true and false. True ones reflect the actual state of affairs and are based, as a rule, on the absence of an individual assessment of a person, i.e. he judges objectively. A false judgment becomes when a person shows his interest, based on personal arguments, and not on what is happening in reality.

inference

An inference is a thought formed by two or more judgments. This is a new, more complex proposition. Any conclusion consists of a premise, a conclusion and a conclusion. The premise is the initial judgment, the conclusion is the logical reasoning leading to the conclusion.

These three forms of abstract thinking form its basis. We operate with all abstractions with their help. But what we have said about (forms and types of abstract thinking and abstractions, their goals, etc.) may not be quite enough to understand abstract thinking and its features, because, in fact, all this is theory. Therefore, it makes sense to talk separately about specific examples.

Examples of Abstract Thinking

The clearest example of abstract thinking is the exact sciences, such as astronomy, physics and mathematics, etc. Most often it serves as their base. As such, a person does not see numbers and formulas, but he knows how to calculate, measure, count, combine objects into groups and find their number.

The same goes for life itself. What is life? This is when there is a body in which consciousness functions. We cannot give an exact definition of the concept of "life", but we can say with accuracy when a person is alive and when he is dead.

Abstract thinking is no less obvious when we look to the future. We do not know what awaits us, but we have aspirations and desires. If we couldn't dream and fantasize, we wouldn't be able to plan for the future. Now we are making efforts to achieve results. Our movement in life has a direction. Abstract thinking gives us tactics and strategies that lead to the desired future. This reality does not yet exist, but we are trying to make it match our ideas.

Considering examples of abstract thinking, one cannot but recall idealization. Many idealize both the world in which they live and the people who surround them. There are, for example, men who dream of "possessing" a woman, and at the same time do not even think that one can only possess an inanimate object or an unthinking being. There are also women waiting for the “prince on a white horse” and not paying attention to what many “princes” are in real life.

There is also a great example of false judgments. Let's talk about relationships again: some women believe that all men are "bad", but this judgment is based on bitter experience - situations in which men betrayed these women. In any case, a woman singles out men as a separate class with her own specific properties, and therefore she can attribute to all of them what was manifested in one representative.

From false judgments, in addition, false conclusions often grow. For example, a house may be called "dysfunctional" due to faulty wiring, poor heating, unfriendly neighbors. Based on his emotional discomfort that arises in the current conditions, a person makes unambiguous judgments, from which conclusions are formed that form a conclusion that distorts reality - after all, a house may well be “normal”, you just need to bring everything in it to mind.

There are many such examples, but all of them will say that abstract thinking (including the false judgments and conclusions resulting from it) is a huge part of our everyday thought process. It manifests itself differently for everyone, and there will always be components that require development. Someone can systematize information well, but find it difficult to isolate individual elements of events. Someone can ideally find correspondences between the particular and the general, but it is difficult to specify something, etc. And in order to train your brain and improve your intellectual abilities, you need to develop abstract thinking.

Why develop abstract thinking?

Let's start small: abstract thinking, constantly present in our lives, begins to form from an early age. Remember how, as a child, you fantasized and invented all sorts of fables. This is how your abstract thinking developed, with the help of which you abstracted from something concrete and began to do all sorts of manipulations with its properties.

AT school years this skill helped you master math and other exact sciences. Then, at an institute or university, you used it to solve many abstract problems. And, finally, already in the professional field, abstract thinking allows you to operate with huge amounts of data, a lot of tasks and their properties, divide them into groups according to different parameters, solve problems, and even find the relationship between what you are doing and.

Time management, engineering, philosophy, psychology, writing are just a few areas where abstract thinking is involved. In addition to this, only with its help you can dream about the future and make plans, think about God and love, use a sense of humor and joke, create something new. It’s just not enough to list everything, and does it even make sense?!

Abstract-logical thinking makes a person a rational being and helps to see what is "not there", create a cosmos in chaos and cognize the phenomena of the surrounding world. The value of these abilities cannot be overestimated, and even they are quite enough to understand why it is necessary to develop abstract thinking - in order to achieve better results in everything, increase the level of intelligence, achieve success and conquer new heights. But the most surprising thing is that completely simple methods are suitable for this.

Development of abstract thinking

In this block, we want to briefly talk about how to develop abstract thinking in children and adults. Considering that the ways of its development in these cases will differ, we will talk about them separately.

The development of abstract thinking in children

Despite the fact that abstract thinking develops automatically in a child, parents can create special conditions to improve this process. It is recommended to start classes from the first years of life, when the children's brain is formed and grows. The main task is to help the child move from operations with specific objects to work with abstract concepts, as well as to expand his horizons as much as possible.

Here are some suitable exercises for this:

• Take a landscape sheet and pour some gouache or ink on it to make a blot. It is necessary, together with the baby, to make some kind of drawing out of this blot, for example, a cheerful face or a funny little man.
• Come up with unusual names and names with your child. You can pick up an image on the Internet and come up with at least three interesting names. Unusual names can be made for animals and even people.
• Put together with the child small theatrical performances. Create costumes and other props from improvised means. Abstract thinking in children is perfectly developed by playing shadow theater.

Together with these exercises, solve puzzles, riddles, riddles and anagrams with your child. Play and chess, collect puzzles and pick up associations. Initially, the baby may have difficulty completing tasks, but very soon his abstract thinking will develop very quickly, and much faster than in an adult.

The development of abstract thinking in adults

Developing abstract-logical thinking in an adult is a little more difficult than in a child. The fact is that the thinking of an adult has already been formed and has become less flexible. New knowledge is perceived and assimilated more difficult. But this is not a hindrance if you follow special exercises on and ability to think in abstract categories:

• Close your eyes and imagine as vividly as possible everyone with whom you had to communicate during the day. Do it in every detail: remember the clothes, the timbre and volume of the voice, gestures, facial expressions. At the same time, remember your feelings in the process of communicating with people.
• Close your eyes and start imagining different emotions: joy, horror, fear, tenderness, anxiety, distrust, etc. Create in your mind an image of an emotion without a specific object.
• Close your eyes and imagine an image of an idea, concept or term that interests you. Try to track the associations, sensations and symbols that arise during this. Such abstract phenomena as infinity, energy, freedom, space, religiosity, etc. are wonderfully suitable for performing the exercise.

In addition to the proposed exercises, all the same puzzles, rebuses, sudoku are suitable; engage in drawing and invent non-existent words and expressions. Also, try to read books in an unusual way - backwards, upside down, obliquely, etc.

Also look at books on abstract thinking. Among the most popular are “Abstract Thinking” by Kirill Berendeev, “Intellect Training” by Andrey Rodionov, “Develop the Intellect” by Philip Carter, “Teach Yourself to Think” by Edward de Bono, “Rules of the Brain” by John Medina and.

Learn to think abstractly. If we did not know how to do this, the first aircraft or car would hardly have appeared, there would not have been many discoveries and a stunning technical progress. All this comes from the human ability to imagine, fantasize, go beyond the boundaries of the reasonable and familiar. Knowing how to think in abstractions, each of us easily rebuilds and adapts to circumstances, finds ways out of situations and solves problems, creates and creates, thinks, argues, analyzes and predicts.

However, we think that it will be useful for you to get acquainted with a professional point of view on abstract thinking. In the video below, professor talks about its importance high school in Economics, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, teacher and consultant in strategic management and corporate governance Gennady Nikolaevich Konstantinov. We wish you a pleasant viewing and, of course, successful in any important direction for you!

In the process of understanding the world, a person is faced with exact values, quantities, definitions.

However, in order to compose a complete picture of a particular phenomenon, this is often not enough.

Moreover, it is often necessary to operate unknown or inaccurate data, generalize and systematize information on any individual properties, build various hypotheses and conjectures.

It is in such cases that a person uses abstract thinking.

Abstraction - what is it in psychology?

Abstraction- this is such a process of cognition, in which there is a distraction from non-essential properties, parameters, connections of phenomena or objects in order to identify their more important generalizing patterns.

In other words, this is a generalization that can be made over objects or phenomena, processes, abstracting from some of their properties.

The following concepts are associated with abstraction:

1. abstract logic. It reflects a person's ability to reason, think, build statements, operating not with specific data, but with concepts.
2. Abstract images- these are images that do not correspond to any real object.
3. abstract reasoning- a thought that was formed on the basis of several judgments about something.

The concept of abstract thinking

What is abstract thinking in simple terms? What does it mean to think abstractly?

Before considering abstract thinking in detail, it should be noted that there are the following types of thinking:

At the same time, all human mental activity can be represented in the form of the following mental operations:

1. Analysis. Separation of the whole into parts. At the same time, knowledge of the whole is achieved through a more thorough study of its individual parts.
2. Synthesis. Connecting disparate parts into one whole.
3. Generalization. Identification of common features that are inherent in phenomena or objects, with their subsequent unification on this basis.
4. Classification. Separation and grouping of phenomena or objects into classes (groups) based on both common features and their differences.
5. abstraction. Determination of the properties of phenomena or objects, based on their common features with a one-time abstraction from their other specific qualities that are not significant in this situation.

In ordinary words, abstract thinking is activated when a person does not have any accurate information, illustrative examples, does not contact real objects, but forced to speculate and draw certain conclusions.

Such thinking is inherent in theoretical scientists, mathematicians, economists, programmers.

They assimilate information in the form of numerical values, codes and transform it using formulas and mathematical operations - that is, they work with what cannot be seen, touched, heard, perceived through the sense organs.

Forms

There are such forms of abstract thinking:

1. concept. With this form of thinking, a common property is determined that is inherent in objects that also have some differences. For example, a telephone. Phones can be touch-sensitive, push-button or even rotary, be made of various materials, have completely different additional functions - a flashlight, a camera or an infrared port, but, abstracting from these differences, we can distinguish them general function- make calls.
2. Judgment. The purpose of judgment is to get confirmation or refutation of something. In this case, the judgment can be both simple and complex. There is no water in the cup - this judgment is simple. It is unambiguous and brief; there are no additional actions or phenomena in it. An example of a complex judgment - a cup was overturned, water poured out of it.
3. inference. This form is a thought based on two or more judgments.

   Inference includes three stages - a premise (initial judgments), a conclusion (a logical thought process over initial judgments) and a conclusion (formed final judgment).

Examples

A clear example of abstract thinking - maths.

When solving examples, we operate only with numbers, having no idea what subjects we are talking about - meaning only some kind of digital value.

Nevertheless, performing certain actions with this value and coming to some conclusion.

Also abstract thinking manifested in planning. A person sets any goals for himself, calculates his own possible steps and situations to which they will lead.

In this case, the supposed situation does not exist in reality, but on the basis of inferences, a person's life becomes more predictable, purposeful and organized.

And yet, abstract thinking does not always lead to a correct assessment of the situation.

For example, a woman who has had a negative experience of communicating with several male partners can make a judgment that all males have certain -, rudeness, indifference.

How to develop?

The child's use of abstract thinking starts at preschool age .

As a rule, this coincides with the time when he begins to speak.

He compares his toys, finds differences between one type of animal and another, learns to write and count.

During the school period confidently thinking abstractly is already a necessity, as such subjects as mathematics and physics appear.

At the same time, the more attention was paid to the development of abstraction in childhood, the more easily a person uses this type of thinking in adulthood.

Developed abstract thinking gives a person the following Benefits:

1. Reflection of the world without the need for contact with real objects. A person can operate with any data without the need to use the senses.
2. Generalization of phenomena. This makes it possible to more effectively obtain and use their own knowledge in different situations. A person receives any information, generalizes it with existing knowledge, and subsequently remembers and extracts it better.
3. Clear presentation of ideas. Thought processes can proceed even without internal dialogue, but the final judgment is easily converted into speech.

Although great importance has the development of abstract thinking in childhood, even an adult can train him by doing certain exercises.

It is important that they are systematic - only constant training can lead to tangible results.

Tasks

Tasks for abstract thinking:

1. Making up oxymorons. You should come up with several phrases in which the words will be opposite in meaning - for example, black snow, cold fire, bright darkness.
2. Reverse reading. For this exercise, you need to read a fiction book chapter by chapter in reverse order, trying to determine how exactly the story began in the book, what preceded this or that event.

   This is a rather difficult exercise, so it is best to take works with a simple plot.

3. Item functions. You should come up with the maximum possible number of ways to use this or that thing - for example, you can write a letter on a piece of paper, make an envelope out of it, light a fire with it, etc.
4. Communication analysis. In the evening, you need to imagine the people with whom you communicated in the daytime, while remembering not only the content of the conversation, but also the tone, posture of the interlocutor and his gestures, facial expressions, surroundings - and reproduce the dialogue in memory as detailed as possible.
5. Initial. You should write any letter on a piece of paper and for a certain time period try to remember the maximum number of words that begin with this letter.

abstraction

Abstraction in psychology- this is such a focus of a person's attention on a particular situation, in which he perceives it from the third position, that is, without participating in it, being above it.

Abstraction sets the general direction, helps better formulate the goal, discard irrelevant factors in the situation, focusing on more important nuances.

Lack of abstraction from the situation can lead to a feeling of moral dissatisfaction, low and problems with communication.

How to learn to abstract?

Applying not very complex psychological tricks, one can learn to abstract from what might be bothering you set your own goals and achieve them:

From society

Prolonged stay in the same society can negatively affect a person as a person - gradually this society, patterns of thinking and perception of certain situations enter his life. This reduces the flexibility of behavior and response in different situations.

In order to abstract from society, try to stay alone longer. At the same time, try not to remember your surroundings. Concentrate on your own desires.

Choose something the activity you like best- walking in the forest, picking mushrooms, fishing, meditation, reading a book - one that does not require the presence of another person nearby.

Change the type of activity- new experiences will make you digress from the usual patterns and switch to your own perception.

From a man

Some people, despite not being perceived as unpleasant by us, can significantly influence to ours.

At the same time, the desires of this person can be superimposed on our own ideas and desires.

In order to abstract from a particular person, you can time to change the circle of communication.

It is desirable that new acquaintances sympathized you, and communication delivered.

Analyze what this person different from your new acquaintances and spot the differences. You can also be alone while doing what you love.

From bad people

It happens that you have to be in the company of people unpleasant to you, which you cannot avoid - for example,. At the same time, the actions or behavior of these people can interfere with concentration on the task in progress.

In order to abstract from them, do not try to exclude them from your attention, do not perceive their speech as something that can be stopped, but imagine that this is background noise that can disappear by itself.

Like, for example, you can often not hear the ticking of a clock or not think about what is happening on the screen of an always-on TV.

From the situation

In difficult situations, your thoughts may be confused, and your emotions impede a sensible cold-blooded decision.

In such cases, you need to focus on breathing and count, for example, to ten.

Correct estimate can only come with time.

Also try to imagine that you are away from the place, or that the situation is with another person. Try to brush aside minor distracting details, focusing on the most important issues.

Habit can help you learn to abstract plan your affairs in advance setting a clear goal and following it.

In any situation, try to highlight important and minor points - you may first have to analyze several cases and write the conclusions in a notebook. Learn to sequence - do not try to do several things at once.

Abstract thinking used by us in many life situations Therefore, the ability to think quickly and correctly in the abstract cannot be ignored.

Take it for granted that thought processes are similar to sports exercise- regular classes help you develop your skills.

About abstract human thinking in this video:

In psychology, thinking is called a cognitive process in which reality is generally and indirectly reflected. Indirectly - means, knowing some properties through others, the unknown - through the known.

In the process of development of the psyche, a person goes through a difficult path, moving from concrete thinking to more and more abstract, from objective to internal, classifying thinking according to form. In psychology, there are:

- visually effective

— Visual-figurative

- figurative

— Abstract-logical thinking.

This is a kind of stage of human development.

The child learns the world by examining objects by touch, taste, taking apart, breaking, scattering, throwing, observing, etc., that is, through practical actions. These are manifestations of visual-effective thinking, its period is approximately from 1 year to 3 years.

In the future, visual-figurative thinking is connected, which is still based on a practical study of reality, but already uses images that it both creates and stores. These images may not be based on specific sensations (for example, fairy-tale heroes). This is thinking, presented in the form of images and ideas based on visual, tactile, auditory perception. The peak of visual-figurative thinking falls on the age of about 4 to 7 years, but it also persists in adults.

The next step is figurative thinking. At this stage, images are born with the help of imagination or are retrieved from memory. In the case of using figurative thinking, right hemisphere brain. Unlike visual-figurative thinking, verbal constructions and abstract concepts are widely used in figurative thinking.

Finally, in abstract-logical thinking, symbols, numbers and abstract concepts are used that are not perceived by our senses.

Abstract thinking

Abstract thinking is engaged in the search and establishment of general patterns inherent in nature and human society. Its purpose is to reflect through concepts and broad categories of certain general connections and relations. In this process, images and representations are secondary, they only help a more accurate reflection.

Thanks to the development of abstract thinking, we can perceive a general, holistic picture of phenomena and events, without focusing on the details, abstracting from them. Going this way, you can go beyond the usual rules and make a breakthrough by discovering something new.

The development of abstract thinking was largely facilitated by the creation of a language system. Words were assigned to objects, abstractions and phenomena. The meaning inherent in the words became possible to reproduce regardless of the situations associated with these objects and their properties. Speech made it possible to turn on the imagination, imagine this or that in the mind and consolidate the skills of reproduction.

Abstract thinking reflects reality in the form of concepts, judgments and conclusions.

The concept reflects and unites objects, phenomena and processes through some essential features. It has become the primary and predominant form of mental abstract reflection of events. Examples of concepts: "wolf", "1st year student", "tall young man".

Judgments either deny or confirm phenomena, objects, situations, etc., reveal the presence or absence of any connections or interactions between them. They are simple and complex. An example of a simple one: "a girl plays ball", a complex one - "the moon came out from behind the clouds, the clearing lit up."

Inference is a thought process that allows you to draw completely new conclusions from an existing proposition (or from propositions). For example: “All birches shed their leaves in autumn, I planted a birch, therefore, it will also shed leaves in autumn.” Or the classic: "All people die, I am a man, therefore, I will die too."

Abstract-logical thinking through logical operations with concepts reflects the relationship, the relationship between objects and phenomena in the world that surrounds us. It favors the search for unusual solutions to a variety of problems, adaptation to constantly changing conditions.

There are some features inherent in abstract-logical thinking:

— Knowledge of concepts and criteria, both existing and only supposedly existing in the real world, and the ability to use them.

- Ability to analyze, summarize and systematize information.

- The ability to identify the patterns of the surrounding world, even without direct interaction with it.

- Ability to form cause-and-effect relationships.

Abstract-logical thinking is the basis of the learning process, and it is applicable in any conscious activity, both in science and in everyday life.

The development of abstract thinking occurs in childhood, and it is very important to pay due attention to it. In one of the following articles, we will talk about how to develop abstract-logical thinking in a preschool child.

The flexible mind and receptivity of the child at an early age make this period the most optimal for classes. However, an adult can also develop his abilities, logical skills, improve ingenuity and ingenuity. Abstract-logical thinking is helped to develop exercises to identify patterns, combine words based on common feature, any logical tasks.

It has been proven that until old age we can develop the abilities of our brain, improving its functions such as thinking, attention, memory, perception. Classes can be carried out in a fun way, with the help of.

We wish you success in self-development!

Each person roughly understands what abstract thinking is, but often only intuitively gets confused in the connections between abstraction, abstraction, reflection.

What is meant by abstract thinking? Why is it needed and why can't we get by with a specific one? What forms of abstract thinking are usually distinguished? What can be done to develop the ability to think? What things do not belong to this kind of thinking? To all this, I will try to answer you today.

For an easier understanding of today's topic, I recommend starting by watching a short video.

The first thing that comes to mind when I am asked about this mindset ( psychologists also call it theoretical, conceptual): is thinking using abstract concepts. But, having answered in this way, we will understand absolutely nothing either about thinking, or about what concepts can be called abstract.

So, abstract thinking is a psychological process in which a person searches for a solution to a problem by applying concepts and performing actions in the mind, but without referring to experience or to the senses.

Why can't we solve problems based on the surrounding reality? It must be remembered that the knowledge that we possess is too insufficient. We are constantly faced with the incompleteness of our ideas about the world. If we relied only on them, it would not end well. Abstraction helps us at least roughly orient ourselves in the situation, start acting. Thus, at first the purely theoretical passes into the practical. The following forms of abstract thinking help us in this.

Concept, judgment, conclusion

By using concepts we name an object or several objects through its characteristic features. For example, a chair as furniture with a back, designed for one person - this is already a concept. But love, meaning, pain, sadness are no longer just concepts. They are abstract: we cannot touch them, feel them.

Judgment contains a statement about the laws of the world and its relationships. Good weather today is a simple judgment. But the difficult one: “Today there is no rain, which means the weather is good.”

inference takes several related judgments, combines them, creates a new one as a result. Recall from Rene Descartes: “I think; therefore, I exist."

The Gift of Abstract Thinking

The theoretical ability to think helps us to understand each other, not to get lost in the diversity of experience: before you take a step, think! It also brings us a couple of steps closer to knowing the truth. All people have been rewarded with the gift of thinking conceptually, but not all do it equally skillfully.

The development of abstract thinking occurs in childhood, when the child begins to explore the world, gets acquainted with the basic concepts. Already at preschool age, it is necessary to help the baby: offer to solve puzzles, answer his tricky questions about the structure of the world, give him the opportunity to fantasize.

An adult who seeks to think better can begin to solve logical problems. They will give a very quick effect, and they are also able to really captivate. In the network, for example, every day a large number of data appears, solving which will be a useful joint pastime.

Oddly enough, logic is associated with creativity, the development of the imagination. Take a look at the clouds. Do they remind you of anyone? Look for those that look like animal or human figures. Share your discovery with loved ones. It not only develops thinking, but also brings together.

How long have you been playing with shadows in a dimly lit room? But this comic lesson also seriously develops the head.

Signs characteristic of abstract thinking

The ability to think allows you to abandon unnecessary details, to see a difficult situation from a new perspective. And this means that the opportunity to make a discovery increases. Or find an original solution to a problem when the situation seems hopeless. It is necessary to remember what features abstract thinking has.

1. Not tied to the senses (which is how it differs from the specific). It is not necessary to be near the object of our thoughts to get fresh information. It is enough to rely on your experience. For example, having received a deuce, the student already knows what awaits him at home.
2. Generalizes various items and reveals the patterns of the surrounding world. Generalization simplifies information, speeds up access to it (due to memorization characteristic features). For example, if several people are asked to imagine a dog at the same time, they will imagine dogs of different breeds, but all will imagine these animals with their inherent features.
3. It is closely related to speech - the verbal expression of thoughts. Thoughts tend to "sound" in our head. It is language that is a means of expressing and fixing information.

If you keep these three characteristics in mind, you can easily distinguish those things that are not a form of abstract thinking. For example, presentation. After all, it is inextricably linked with the perception of our senses. Even if at the moment you are not near the object, once you were and could study it, and then just remember. Ideas about the taste of food, the image of a person, about cold or heat do not belong to thinking, they are much closer to perception.

How does a person think so?

You can be as surprised as you like with the ability of a person to build complex logical chains, to think about the fate of the universe, but the fact remains: we all really have theoretical thinking. This, by the way, is one of our differences from animals.

Human curiosity, the desire to comprehend the truth, to build a complete picture of reality - all this motivates us to think. And the thoughts themselves cause in us the impulse to move on to practice in order to confirm or verify them. Examples of abstract thinking are always associated with real life. This is what we are used to doing:

• think about the existence of God
• argue about true love
• study and apply the goddess of theory and logic - mathematics (this science is completely based on abstract concepts),
• dream about the future
• come up with jokes using a sense of humor,
• create something new.

And so on ... It is impossible to list everything, and is it necessary?

Abstract thinking makes us intelligent. It makes us see without the aid of the eyes. It is through this process that we have the opportunity to cognize and create meanings. How else would we live?

I will be glad if the article started the process of your thinking and you learned something new. If you like it, share it with your friends in social networks. Let the flame of thought not go out.

All the best, with respect, Alexander Fadeev.

Add to bookmarks: https://site

Hello. My name is Alexander. I am a blogger. I have been developing websites for more than 7 years: blogs, landing pages, online stores. Always glad to meet new people and your questions, comments. Add in social networks. I hope the blog is helpful to you.

Reading time: 2 min

Abstract human thinking is one of the options cognitive activity, which allows you to think abstractly, in other words, contributing to the abstraction from minor details in order to be able to consider the situation that has arisen or the phenomenon as a whole. This type the mental activity of the subjects contributes to the vision of the completeness of the picture, allowing not to fixate on insignificant details.

The abstract thinking of a person provides an opportunity to step beyond the boundaries of prescribed norms and sets of rules, which leads to the accomplishment of new discoveries.

The development of abstract thinking from an early age should occupy a central place in children's formation, since such an approach makes it easier to find unexpected solutions, clues and find unusual ways out of situations that have arisen.

Abstract thinking, therefore, is a variation of human cognition, which is the allocation of essential qualities and interactions of objects, abstraction from their other qualities and connections, which are considered private and insignificant. Such a theoretical generalization contributes to the reflection of the key patterns of the studied objects or phenomena, as well as the prediction of new, previously unknown patterns. Abstract objects are indivisible formations that make up the content of human mental activity, namely, inferences, mathematical elements, constructions, judgments, laws, concepts, etc.

Abstract logical thinking

Human thinking is a mysterious phenomenon, as a result of which psychologists are constantly striving to systematize, standardize and classify it, while emphasizing the abstract-logical cognitive function. Such attention is provoked by the fact that this type of thinking itself contributes to finding non-standard solution strategies, increasing people's adaptive skills to ever-changing conditions.

Abstraction is called making mental accents, isolating some structures, elements of a certain set and removing them from other details of such a set. Abstraction is one of the fundamental processes of the subject's mental functioning, which makes it possible to transform various qualities of objects into an object of analysis and is based on sign-symbol mediation. This theoretical generalization helps to reflect the main patterns of the studied objects or events, analyze them and predict qualitatively new patterns.

The need for abstract thinking is due to circumstances in which the differences that arise between the direction of an intellectual problem and the existence of a phenomenon in its certainty become obvious.

Abstractions can be primitive-sensual, generalizing, idealizing, isolating, and there are also abstractions of actual infinity and constructivization.

Primitive-sensory abstraction consists in abstracting from some properties of objects and events, highlighting their other features (for example, highlighting the configuration of an object, abstracting from its structure and vice versa). Primitive sensory abstraction is inevitably connected with any process of perception.

Generalizing abstraction is aimed at creating a generalized idea of ​​the phenomenon, abstracted from individual deviations. The consequence of this abstraction is the selection common property researched items. This kind of abstract thinking is considered fundamental in mathematical logic.

Idealizing abstraction or idealization is the replacement of a real empirical object with an idealized scheme, abstracted from real-life shortcomings. As a result, the concepts of ideal objects are formed, for example, “straight line” or “absolutely black body”.

Isolating abstraction is inextricably linked with the function of involuntary attention, since in this case it is possible to single out the essence on which attention is focused.

The abstraction from the impossibility of fixing each element of an infinite set, in other words, infinite sets are presented as finite, is the abstraction of actual infinity.

Constructivization is a distraction from the vagueness of the limits of real objects, that is, their "coarseness".

In addition, abstractions can be divided according to their goals into formal and meaningful ones.

The selection of certain properties of an object that do not exist by themselves (for example, shape or color) is a formal abstraction.

A method of highlighting the properties of objects that are not perceived by the senses by setting a certain relation of the type of equality on the subject area (for example, identity or equivalence).

The development of abstract thinking in people was significantly influenced by the emergence and creation of a language system for communicative interaction. Words began to be assigned to various phenomena, abstractions, which made it possible to reproduce their meaningful meaning, which would not depend on the situations concerning the corresponding objects, as well as their properties. Speech provides an opportunity to arbitrarily and freely evoke ideas in the mind and consolidate reproductive skills. It was thanks to the emergence of language systems that the reproduction of ideas and the functioning of the imagination were facilitated. The concept is the primary and prevailing form of abstract mental representation of objects and events. In the process of an individual's cognitive activity, one of the key functions of a concept is to single out, by means of representing in a generalized configuration, objects of a certain group according to some specific (essential) features.

The concept as a form of thought, or as a mental formation, is the result of a generalization of objects of a certain group and a mental definition of this group according to a specific set of features common to objects of this group and distinctive properties for them.

The same object can be both a variation of a sensory-sensitive judgment and a form of a concept.

Essential and unimportant attributes of objects, necessary, random, quantitative and qualitative, can be directly in the concepts. In addition, the concepts differ in the degree of generality. They can be less general or more general, as well as extremely general. Concepts are also subject to generalization.

Abstract thinking examples of its brightest application can be traced in science, because the basis of any scientific activity is first the collection and then the systematization of information and knowledge in various fields.

Forms of abstract thinking

Abstract mental activity is characterized by several features. In the first turn, the abstract thinking of a person is purposeful and active, through which individuals can ideally transform objects. Mental activity allows you to highlight and fix something common, meaningful and repetitive in objects, that is, reality is reflected through generalized images.

The function of thinking is mediated by sensory information and past experience. In other words, thanks to thinking, an indirect reflection of reality occurs. In addition, the mental function is inseparably linked with language. It is a means of formulating, consolidating and translating thoughts.

The abstract thinking of a person is an active process, which consists in the reflection of objective reality in the form of concepts, judgments, and conclusions.

Concepts are thoughts that reflect common and important features of objects, events and processes of the real world. They are a reflection of a single thought of significant properties of objects. The concept can be applied to several or to one class of homogeneous objects and phenomena characterized by the same features.

Concepts are divided by scope and content. According to the scope, they can be empty or non-empty. Concepts whose volume is zero are called empty. Non-empty concepts are characterized by a volume containing at least one real-life object. In turn, non-empty concepts are classified into general and singular. Concepts related to a set of objects are called singular, if such a set implies a single whole. General concepts contain a class of objects in their own volume, and they are applicable to any element of this class (for example, a star, a state).

The concepts of the general plan are divided into registering and non-registering. Concepts in which the mass of elements contained in them can be accounted for and fixed are called registering. Registering concepts are characterized by a finite volume.

General concepts related to a non-specific number of elements are called non-registrative. Non-registering concepts are characterized by an infinite scope.

According to the content, the concepts are divided into positive and negative, collective orientation and non-collective, irrelevant and correlative, concrete and abstract.

Positive concepts are called, the essence of which is the qualities inherent in the subject, for example, literate, believer. Concepts, the content of which shows the absence of certain features of the object, are called negative, for example, disorder.

Collective refers to concepts that mean the signs of a separate set of elements that represent integrity, for example, a team. The content of the collective concept cannot be attributed to its individual element. Non-collective concepts are those that mean the properties that characterize each of its elements, for example, a region or a star.

A concept that implies an object or a set of objects, as something that exists independently, is called concrete, for example, a book.

An abstract concept is a concept in which a property of an object or a relationship between them is hidden, for example, courage, friendship.

Irrelevant concepts are those that reflect objects that exist separately and outside of their relationship with other objects, for example, student, law.

Correlative concepts are those that store properties in themselves that indicate the connection of one concept with another, their relationship, for example, the plaintiff - the defendant.

A judgment is a construction of mental activity through which the presence or absence of any relationships and connections between objects is revealed. A distinctive feature of judgment is the assertion or rejection of any information about any object. It is true and false. Correspondence to reality determines the truth of a judgment, since it does not depend on the attitude of subjects to it, and therefore is of an objective nature. False judgment is the distortion of the objective features and relationships of the objects of thought.

The construction of mental activity, which allows one or a pair of judgments to derive a qualitatively new judgment, is called a conclusion.

All conclusions contain premises, conclusions and conclusions. The starting judgments from which a new judgment emerges are called premises of the inference. The conclusion is called a new judgment, obtained through the product of logical operations with premises. Conclusion is called a logical process, consisting in the transition from premises directly to the conclusion.

Abstract-logical thinking examples can be traced in almost every thought process - "Judge Ivanov cannot take part in the consideration of the case if he is the victim." From this statement, one can deduce a judgment that is a premise, namely, "Judge Ivanov is the victim." From this follows the conclusion : “consequently, Judge Ivanov cannot take part in the consideration of the case.”

The relationship of the logical sequence seen between the conclusion and the premises suggests the presence of a meaningful relationship between the premises. In other words, if there is no meaningful connection between judgments, then the conclusion of the conclusion will be impossible.

Speaker of the Medical and Psychological Center "PsychoMed"