VARIOUS TYPES OF VARIOUS TYPES OF THINKING SKILLSTHINKING SKILLS

Muhammad Nazim Abd. Rahman [February 2011]

Creative ThinkingCreative Thinking A way of thinking that

generates something new or different.

It involves having a different idea that works as well or better than previous ideas

It is generative and divergent in nature

Divergent means thinking that starts from a common point and moves outward into a variety of perspectives

Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking A way of thinking that assesses the

worth and validity of something in existent

It involves precise, persistent and objective analysis

It is focus and convergent in nature Thinking which process information

around a common point - an attempt to bring thoughts from different directions into a union or common conclusion

Analytical ThinkingAnalytical Thinking The abstract separation of a whole

into its constituent parts in order to study the parts and their relations

Separating and distinguishing elements of a concept, idea, problem and issue in order to understand its essential nature and inner relationships

Inductive ThinkingInductive Thinking This is the process of reasoning from

parts to the whole, from examples to generalizations

Analyzing specific observations to reach general conclusions

Works from specific observations to broader generalizations and theories

Is more open-ended and exploratory, especially at the beginning

Deductive ThinkingDeductive Thinking This type of reasoning moves from

the whole to its parts, from generalizations to underlying concepts to examples

Works from the more general to the more specific

From the general theory to predict specific instances

Strategic ThinkingStrategic Thinking Thinking skill in ‘seeing’ issues, problems

and opportunities in a larger and broader perspective and being able to understand the inter-relation of all the elements involved so that the best course of action could be formulated to achieve the desired goals

Lateral ThinkingLateral Thinking The concept was introduce by

Edward de Bono in 1967 which means a way of thinking that involve multiple parallel approach

An example of ‘multiple parallel approach’ in thinking is Edward de Bono’s – ‘Six Thinking Hats’

Muhammad Nazim Abd. Rahman [February 2011]