COG - Introduction to Thinking and Problem-Solving Lesson

Learning Target:

  • Identify problem-solving strategies as well as factors that influence their effectiveness.
  • List the characteristics of creative thought and creative thinkers.

AP psychology course and exam description, effective fall 2020. (n.d.). https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-psychology-course-and-exam-description.pdf

Introduction to Thinking

Thinking AllowedWhat do you think about? School, friends, family? But what do you think? Words, images, sounds? Are you constantly aware of all your thinking that is taking place at any given moment? Never thought about these questions, huh? Thinking is something we do daily, so it is time to develop a greater appreciation of our brain's daily tasks.

Thinking or cognition is a term that describes conscious mental activities. Thinking is involved in the analysis of situations, solving problems, making decisions, and use of language. We can break thinking down into two types of thought: mental images and concepts.

Mental Images

Mental images are representations of objects and/or events that are not physically present. They make it easier for us to learn new information by trying to accomplish some cognitive tasks. It is important to remember that mental imagery is not limited to visual pictures. Humans can form mental images that utilize senses other than vision.

Concepts

Concepts are mental groupings of similar objects, events, ideas, or people with the goal of simplifying information. They provide mental shortcuts that help us to remember information and learn new information. There are two types of concepts that you should know:

Formal Concepts Natural Concepts
  • Mental categories are formed by learning the distinct rules or features that define them.
  • Rules are truly clear-cut.
  • Logical
  • Formed by the result of everyday experience.
  • Not always sharply defined; have fuzzy boundaries.
  • Prototypes (The most typical instance of a particular concept.) provide the best or most typical instance of a natural concept.

Creative Thought

Creative thought and creative thinking are key areas of study in the field of psychology. Creative thinking refers to the ability to generate novel and useful ideas or solutions to problems, while creative thought involves the mental processes that lead to these innovative ideas. Here are some of the key characteristics of creative thought and creative thinkers. 

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