Conceptual, or verbal-logical thinking is the latest type of thinking. It deals with concrete concepts, not with images and actions. Developed conceptual thinking is especially important for scientists.
How is conceptual thinking formed and what is it
Conceptual thinking uses concepts and logical constructs. In its development, human thinking goes through several stages, and the conceptual is the latest of them. Before him, a person has visual-effective and visual-figurative thinking. In the evolution of mankind as a whole, conceptual thinking also arose last. Its development is facilitated by the accumulation of practical visual-sensory experience.
Before the development of conceptual thinking, the child is characterized by egocentrism, he cannot look at events through the eyes of other people, take their place. Gradually, clear concepts firmly enter the child's consciousness, and then thinking begins to work in a different way. These concepts are introduced mainly in the course of schooling. The whole world of the child is no longer focused around him, logical thinking is actively developing. Thus, there is a transition from images to concepts indicated by the word.
Developed conceptual thinking does not overshadow the visual-effective and visual-figurative. It contributes to their improvement and development. The ability to think logically and abstractly does not negate practical skills. Moreover, some professions focus on earlier, more practical ways of thinking. This applies to technical professions. And writers, for example, are best developed visual-figurative thinking.
There are people who practically do not use conceptual thinking, relying on everyday experience. For the scientific sphere, however, it must necessarily be developed. The level of intelligence depends on it; in everyday psychology, conceptual thinking is often equated with the mind.
Conceptual Thinking Operations
Conceptual thinking uses many operations. Here are the main ones. Analysis - dismemberment of the general into parts and signs. Synthesis is the generalization of parts into a whole. Comparison is the comparison of objects or phenomena. Abstraction - highlighting important features and abstraction from unimportant ones. The ability to abstract appears in older school age.
Generalization is the grouping of concepts into one category. Systematization is the assignment of categories to one system. Concretization - the transition from generalized knowledge to a specific case. Judgment - the ability to understand the relationship between objects and phenomena. Inference - a conclusion is made based on several judgments. Also, the ability to deduce a cause-and-effect relationship is formed, to have an idea of / u200b / u200bthe goals and means.
