How to develop abstract thinking: methods for adults and children

The universe is full of unexplored and unusual things. It functions according to its own laws and often defies rationality and logic. Using exclusively accurate knowledge, we do not know much of what was previously shrouded in mystery. And at the moment when a person is faced with something that he does not understand, abstract thinking comes into force - what is it in psychology in simple words, as well as examples from life, I will give below.

Definition of the concept

The ability to think helps an individual find a way out of the current situation and form his own view of the world. But this ability comes in several varieties:

Accurate – there is knowledge, information and a clear understanding of what is happening.
Generalized – there is no data, and a person can only assume and guess.

Abstraction belongs to the second type. In scientific terms, this is a type of cognitive activity when general reasoning occurs without taking into account specific details. This makes it possible to consider what happened from different angles and find various methods for resolving it.

Of course, this doesn't always happen. Let's imagine that a man is lying on the bed and scrolling through his feed on a social network. The first thing that comes to mind is “He’s lazy.” We will most likely draw this conclusion based on what we see. But in fact, something else could have happened. He lay down to rest for 10 minutes after a hard day at work. He was ill and therefore unable to attend to his business. There are many options, and if we move away from the specifics and look at everything from different angles, we can understand and learn a lot of new things.

Abstract thoughts have approximate meaning. There is no room for specific information, and phrases such as “in general” and “maybe” are used throughout the process.

Ways to develop logical thinking

If you are determined to take up pumping your brain, then the first thing you need to do is eradicate your laziness and start looking for suitable methods and tasks. There are a huge number of ways to train your thinking. Let's look at some of them in more detail:

Board games. Couples and for a large group of friends, serious and humorous - the choice is huge, you just need to determine which type is more interesting to you. The most popular board games for developing human logical thinking include:

Chess;
Checkers;
Backgammon;
"Monopoly" ("Big Business");
“Scrabble” (“Scrabble”, “Bulda”);
Card games (“Munchkin”, “Uno”).

Logic problems. When searching for and selecting logical problems, use books or the Internet, which is full of various examples and thematic collections. Start with the easiest level, gradually increasing the load, moving towards the highest level of difficulty. If you don’t know the answer, don’t hesitate to peek, because knowing the source data will help you understand the solution and the construction of a logical chain. This type of task includes:

Puzzles;
Graphic puzzles;
Word problems;
Puzzles;
Anagrams;
Puzzles;
Rubik's Cube;
Solitaire games (“Mahjong”, types of card layouts).

Example of a logical problem: Seven sisters spend their leisure time together. The first one plays chess. The second one is reading. The third one is cleaning. The fourth one is watering the flowers. The fifth one is playing with the cat. The sixth one is embroidering. What does the seventh sister do? Correct answer: The seventh sister plays chess with the first.

Test tasks for intelligence. There are many online tests based on the principle of cause and effect. Most often these are games of the “Find the odd one out” type.
Puzzles, crosswords, scanwords, teawords and more. Particularly difficult are the digital types - Japanese crosswords and Sudoku. Also, an excellent task for developing the ability to think logically would be to independently compose a crossword puzzle.
Mastering deductive and inductive methods. Deduction is logic in its purest form. In 99.99% of cases, the deductive method gives the correct answer to the problem. In everyday life, induction is more often used - reasoning based on facts that have a certain percentage of falsity. In simpler terms, inductive reasoning begins with particular conclusions and seeks confirmation in general concepts. The deductive method, on the contrary, originates from the external world, and the conclusion is already presented in the form of individual conclusions.

Example of a deductive method: Winter has come and that’s why it’s snowing outside.

An example of the inductive method: It snowed outside, therefore winter has come.

Essence and benefits

So, the ability to think helps a person build his own views on the world around him, cope with life’s difficulties, and achieve goals. But in most cases we use the exact variety, operating with detailed data.

When we see a guy sitting on a bench and cracking sunflower seeds, it seems to us that he is a slacker. That is, we think based on the specifics that are in front of us. But we can do this more generally, and then we will learn much more.

Stepping away from the facts and assuming context, we understand that perhaps the young man had a fight with his girlfriend, and before that he had given up smoking and therefore replaces the cigarette in a similar way. Or today he has a free day and he decided to relax and get some fresh air. Abstract thinking gives us room for imagination, to look at what is happening from different points of view and to learn a lot of interesting things.

This method is especially useful in specific everyday events when a person finds himself in an intellectual dead end. That is, she finds it difficult to find a solution to a problem or develop an objective view. But abstraction allows you to notice what was not so obvious before.

How and in what ways does abstract thinking manifest itself?

Professional activity. Abstract thinking is involved in many areas of human activity. For example, in psychology, philosophy, engineering or logistics. Abstract thinking allows you to quickly solve problems, remember a huge amount of data and understand it.
Relationship. Abstract thinking makes our ideas and thoughts about other people more voluminous and detailed.
Education. Abstract thinking begins to form in childhood and develops throughout life. This ability helps in the study of sciences and arts, in particular mathematics, biology, philosophy, etc.
Personal growth. By developing abstract thinking, a person increases his level of intelligence, begins to look at the world more broadly, and his judgments become deeper.
Psychological health. Abstract thinking develops the ability to work with your emotions, cope with fears, stress and depression.
Creation. Abstract thinking is directly related to the work of our imagination, with the ability to dream, fantasize and visualize.

Abstract-logical type of thinking

In this case, abstractions are used - these are individual units of precise patterns. They are distinguished from the abstract properties of an object, that is, those that cannot be seen with your own eyes, touched or felt.

A fairly clear example is mathematics, where scientists try to explain phenomena that do not occur in nature in material form. There is no such thing as the number 3. You and I understand that these are three absolutely identical units, and the name was developed to simplify it.

As people evolved, they began to use terms that essentially did not exist. For example, language is a set of sounds, letters and words. But you can’t touch them, and the alphabet itself was invented only so that we could formulate our own thoughts, transmit and receive information. This allowed individuals to communicate with each other.

Psychologist Daria Milai

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An abstract-logical thought process is necessary in the presence of some certainty or, as mentioned above, a dead end. When something that exists in reality is revealed, there is a need to give an explanation for it.

Types of abstractions

Images formed without the participation of the content side of the concept:

Insulating. Its goal is to highlight a characteristic feature of an object and increase attention to it. For example, there is an apple on the table. A person notices that it is green or sour.
Generalization. Here the brain receives a complete picture of the appearance of the entire image. Let's use a mathematical equation as an example. The goal is a solution without taking into account individual numbers, pluses, minuses and other signs.
Idealization. Discarding unimportant elements. A method of obtaining knowledge, without which exact and natural sciences cannot do.

In reality, there are no separate, unrelated elements. They cannot be touched or measured in isolation.

Types of Abstractions

To understand what abstract thinking means, it is worth understanding the units of patterns, their varieties and purposes. There are only six of them:

Isolating – helps highlight those elements that are emphasized.
Constructivization – expresses “blurry” objects in a clearer form.
Actual infinity – establishes infinite components as finite.
Generalizing – cuts off the personal characteristics of the object and concentrates on its general characteristics.
Primitive-sensual - highlights some properties and traits and avoids others.
Idealizing - changes the real description to an ideal template that hides all the shortcomings.

In addition, there is a classification by task:

Formal - phenomena are considered through specific external manifestations, without which they would not exist.
Substantive – elements that can exist independently are highlighted.

Using all abstractions and the possibilities they present, a person isolates from reality what he physically cannot see, hear or feel. But the generalized patterns of what is happening are conveyed to us through speech by parents, teachers or educators. With this wealth of knowledge, we do not have to explain already known truths every time they happen. But here it is worth mentioning the other side of the issue.

Recommendations

If you want to increase your level of development, you need to find time for classes lasting an hour and a half at least several times a week. Even with a heavy workload, this is quite possible, the main thing is desire and perseverance. And within a month you will be able to notice how easier it has become to make plans, solve tasks that were not so easy to cope with before, and generally think.

This type of thinking is inherently an acquired skill, an ability. It develops only through mental work, when the brain is busy solving problems, and is not simply an innate ability, the level of which is inherited. So it’s up to you how effectively you can use the gift given by nature.

There are two most basic ways to develop it: theoretical and practical. Theory is mainly taught in higher educational institutions, where they talk about categories, laws and, accordingly, the rules of logic. If you missed these points, it wouldn’t hurt to look for the information yourself. But practice is aimed at translating the resulting theory into reality, consolidating and applying it in order to gain experience. It is ideal when a person uses these two methods in a comprehensive manner. So, directly the most relevant practical methods of development:

1.Games

Yes, having fun playing games helps keep your brain sharp.

The most popular are chess, checkers and backgammon . Because you have to calculate your steps in advance, anticipating events and possible moves of the enemy. If you don't know how to play, there are many mobile applications that will help you not only learn, but also practice without wasting time in a long line or on the road.
“Words”, “Cities” ... Who doesn’t know the game where you need to make up others from the letters of a very long word? Or use a single letter to name objects that will fit in a bottle? Educate your children, because they could use not only mental development, but also information, for example, about existing cities.
Puzzles . A very painstaking process, especially when choosing a complex picture, for example, a landscape. In fact, this method not only helps to develop logic, but also perseverance, patience, and self-control. Fine motor skills in action, attention is focused as much as possible on finding the necessary parts, while the brain “completes” possible options for those already found. If you gather him as a family, this will also be able to bring you closer, because there is no better way to improve relationships than spending time together, especially with pleasure.
Rubik's cube , even if you cannot solve it by color, with daily practice you can work out possible combinations.
Poker . Just not for money, but for pleasure, making sure that gambling addiction does not appear. It helps to develop not only logic and calculate possible combinations, but also memory, attentiveness, and also such a useful skill as recognizing emotions through gestures and facial expressions. For those who have read the article about non-verbal manifestations of emotions, poker will be an excellent method for practicing and gaining experience.

2.Learning a foreign language

The sounds of new foreign words force our brain to work, because it is necessary to discover connections and make associations between our native speech and the one we decided to study. With this method, you, as they say, will “kill two birds with one stone” - you will improve your abstract-logical type of thinking and at the same time learn a new language.

The best option, of course, is to attend courses, but if for some reason this is not possible, do not despair, download online applications to your phone. Learn at least 10 new words every day, and the effect will not be long in coming. I recommend reading the article “Why do you need a plan for self-education and how to make it?”, because in it I included a ready-made plan for self-study of the English language, you will only have to make adjustments if necessary.
Be sure to practice to consolidate the acquired knowledge and learn correct pronunciation. If you don’t know native speakers of the language you are studying, find communities of people on the Internet who are united by a common goal - sharing knowledge and practice.

3.Reading

We have already talked about its benefits in the article at this link.

One caveat - you need to read it, analyzing every page, line and phrase. The task is not to read at speed, but to store the necessary knowledge in memory.
Set up a game for yourself, thinking through different outcomes of events. Allow yourself to fantasize, play Sherlock Holmes.
Focus on fiction, classics, and scientific literature, from which, among other things, you can also gain knowledge that will certainly be useful in everyday life.

4.Exercises

Modern psychology is constantly coming up with a lot of ways so that you can not only study yourself, but also advance. Take some tests more often that will motivate you to think, and at least a banal test to determine your level of intelligence. I wrote about him in this article.

Look for some mathematical and logical problems, and take the time to solve them in your spare time. The material can be school textbooks, yours and your children's.
Solve crosswords, puzzles, sudoku... whatever you like and enjoys.
An excellent way is to use online services with games to develop memory and thinking. For example this one, here is the link.

Forms of abstract thinking

During the thought process, the individual has at his disposal a mass of various information, as well as the experience he received during development in this matter. As already noted, there are a huge number of phenomena in the world that are not subject to the human organs of vision, hearing and touch (and some of them are not at all). But since they are present in our lives and we know about them, they must have a certain structure. I will describe the types of thoughts.

Judgment

It is used when there is a need for confirmation and denial. It is divided into simple and complex. Here is the first type - “the dog barks.” It is expressed specifically and has only one meaning. But here’s a more complicated thought: “The child is crying because he wasn’t given candy.” It consists of several narrative structures.

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In addition, reasoning can be true or false. True ones allow us to consider the real picture and, as a rule, they lack a subjective assessment of what happened. And the latter become incorrect in the case when a person shows his interest in this subject and begins to rely on personal preferences and views, and not on what is really happening.

Inference

It is formulated using 2 or more judgments. That is, in fact, this is a more complex consideration. It includes a premise (initial reasoning), a conclusion and a conclusion. And all this is achieved in a logical way. Let’s give an example: “All women are beautiful. Masha is a female representative. So she's beautiful." From the two premises we created a new hypothesis.

Concept

This is a thought that conveys a generalized property of different objects. Their characteristics can be anything. But a prerequisite is their similarity. After all, this is the only way to combine them into one category.

I will describe a word like “car”. It comes in passenger cars, trucks, and hatchbacks. All cars have different colors, functions and shapes. But the presence of wheels, seats, and an engine allows us to call all the options in one word.

People learn this skill from a very early age. When a mother says “dog” to a child, the child immediately imagines a barking animal with four legs, ears and a tail. But they come in different breeds, colors, etc. But the unifying characteristics make it possible to include all dogs under this concept.

Logic is the science of conceptual thinking.

Logic, as a science of thinking, was born more than 2 thousand years ago in Ancient Greece. At the same time, the main types of logical thinking were described and the laws of logic were formulated, which remain unshakable to this day.

Two types of thinking: deduction and induction

The elementary unit of abstract-logical thinking is the concept. Several concepts combined into a coherent thought is a judgment. They are affirmative and negative. For example:

“In autumn, the leaves fly off the trees” - affirmative.
“There are no leaves on the trees in winter” – negative.

Judgments can also be true or false. Thus, the proposition “In winter, young leaves grow on trees” is false.

From two or more judgments one can draw a conclusion or inference, and this whole construction is called a syllogism. For example:

1st premise (judgment): “In autumn, leaves fall from the trees.”
2nd premise (judgment): “Now the leaves have begun to fly off the trees.”
Conclusion (syllogism): “Autumn has come.”

Depending on the method on the basis of which the inference is made, there are two types of thinking: deductive and inductive.

Induction method. From several particular judgments a general conclusion is drawn. For example: “schoolboy Vasya doesn’t study in the summer,” “schoolboy Petya doesn’t study in the summer,” “schoolgirls Masha and Olya don’t study in the summer either.” Consequently, “schoolchildren do not study in the summer.” Induction is not a very reliable method, since an absolutely correct conclusion can be drawn only if all particular cases are taken into account, and this is difficult and sometimes impossible.

Method of deduction. In this case, reasoning is built on the basis of general premises and information given in the judgments. That is, the ideal option: one general judgment, one particular one, and the conclusion is also a private judgment. Example:

“All schoolchildren have summer holidays.”
“Vasya is a schoolboy.”
“Vasya has a summer vacation.”

This is what the most basic conclusions in logical thinking look like. True, in order to draw the right conclusions, certain conditions or laws must be observed.

Laws of logic

There are four basic laws, and three of them were formulated by Aristotle:

Law of identity. According to him, any thought expressed within the framework of logical reasoning must be identical to itself, that is, remain unchanged throughout the entire argument or dispute.
Law of contradiction. If two statements (judgments) contradict each other, then one of them is necessarily false.
Law of the excluded middle. Any statement can be either false or true, something third is impossible.

In the 17th century, the philosopher Leibniz supplemented these three with the fourth law of “sufficient reason.” Proof of the truth of any idea or judgment is possible only through the use of reliable arguments.

It is believed that it is enough to follow these laws, be able to correctly formulate judgments and draw conclusions, and you can solve any most complex problem. But it has now been proven that logical thinking is limited and often fails, especially when a serious problem arises that does not have one single correct solution. Abstract logical thinking is too straightforward and inflexible.

The limitations of logic were proven already in the era of Antiquity with the help of so-called paradoxes - logical problems that have no solution. And the simplest of them is the “liar paradox,” which refutes the inviolability of the third law of logic. In the 4th century BC. e. The ancient Greek philosopher Eubulides shocked supporters of logic with one phrase: “I am lying.” Is this a true or false proposition? It cannot be true, since the author himself claims that he is lying. But if the phrase “I am lying” is false, then the proposition becomes true. And logic cannot overcome this vicious circle.

But abstract-logical thinking, despite its limitations and inflexibility, is best manageable and itself “organizes the brain” very well, forcing us to adhere to strict rules in the thought process. In addition, the abstract form of thinking continues to be the highest form of cognitive activity. Therefore, the development of abstract thinking is important not only in childhood, but also in adults.

Examples of how to think abstractly

One of the brightest, perhaps, are the exact scientific fields: mathematics, chemistry, geometry, physics. Such reflections are called fundamental to them. Scientists do not see or feel numbers, figures and chemical elements as such, but they know how to operate with them: count, measure, combine.

Or take the concept of “life”. What it is? Many philosophers have sought the answer to this question. Essentially, this is the existence of a body where consciousness is placed. But we still won’t be able to say clearly about this concept.

This type also occurs when a person thinks about the future. We will never know for sure what will happen to us tomorrow, in a month or a year. But we tend to make plans, dream or set goals and go towards achieving them. Human activity has a certain direction. We are unlikely to be able to change some things, but such thinking helps us develop a strategy and go towards what we want. In other words, this reality does not yet exist, but we are trying to do everything so that it is in accordance with our ideas.

It is impossible not to mention such a property as idealization. Many people imagine reality and the individuals living in it as ideal. A well-known stereotype is to wait for the “prince.”

It is worth touching on examples of deceptive judgments. The first thing that comes to mind again concerns the topic of relationships. Some female representatives confidently claim that all guys are bad.

But such a conclusion is based solely on subjective opinion. If a girl is unlucky with her chosen one, and he offended or deceived her, this does not mean that everyone is like that. But in this case, men are spoken of as a specific category with their own characteristics, and therefore the traits that one of them has are attributed to all.

There are many similar examples, but they all prove that abstract thinking is of great importance in our everyday thought process. Of course, each person manifests it differently and there will always be something that needs to be developed. And if you don’t know where to start, then I will help you take the first steps in self-improvement; to do this, you just need to sign up for my personal consultation.

How to develop thinking in a child General recommendations:

Educational games and tasks contribute to the development of a child’s thinking, and to increase their effectiveness, you can use special recommendations:

1. Encourage even the child’s small success: this will motivate him and bring him closer to new achievements.

2. Don’t rush your child, don’t rush to correct his mistake, give him time to think again and try to find it on his own. All children are different, and what comes easily and quickly to one may be difficult for another. The results may be affected by the child’s temperament, environment, mood, perception, attentiveness, memory, motivation, attitude, etc.

3. Take your time to suggest the correct answer. If the child’s solution is incorrect, praise him for trying to find the right one, encourage him for looking for or finding an original, unusual way to solve it; show that solving such a problem is not easy at first, and that next time he will definitely do better.

4. Try to study at the same time. Let the child look forward to it.

5. Gradually increase the level of difficulty of tasks, but gradually: the load should not be overwhelming, and at the same time it should become a little more complicated, and the tasks should become more varied.

Thinking and memory, perception and attention can be trained on educational brain trainers online in the form of exciting daily games, with rewards, competitions, achievements and their visual graphs. We sincerely wish you success in self-development!

We sincerely wish you success in self-development!

Photo: Lauro Maia

Why is it necessary to develop these skills?

This type begins to develop in a child from an early age. Every child loved to fantasize and daydream as a child, imagining things that are unlikely to happen. This is the very thinking when we abstracted from reality.

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At school, this skill contributed to the study of exact fields of science (the same geometry). At university, the ability was also useful in solving numerous abstract problems. And finally, at work we distribute responsibilities, group them according to specific characteristics, cope with difficulties and often even find some connection between them. We do the same thing when we think about the meaning of our own lives.

There are quite a few areas where this property plays a major role. This is a philosophical teaching, and writing, and psychology. Another advantage is that we can dream, plan for the future, talk about religion or joke. And this list can be continued endlessly.

Such reflections allow us to remain developed and intelligent. We see what formally does not exist, and we know how to study the phenomena of reality. Therefore, the importance of this improvement cannot be overestimated - this is how we increase intelligence, achieve success both at work and in personal life, and use simple methods for this.

Types of thinking

Human thinking is divided into several types, and in each individual only one of them is most pronounced.

Visual and effective thinking, as a rule, is clearly expressed in children under 3 years of age. The child does not yet know words, but already expresses emotions and performs a certain sequence of actions. For example, show your baby how to add cubes one by one, and he will happily repeat it. Moreover, he will gradually begin to come up with new ways to build and then destroy the pyramid. This process will involve imaginative thinking.

Verbal-logical (verbal) thinking is knowledge that a person already possesses, although it is difficult to present it in the form of a specific subject. Children aged 4-5 years old use this particular way of thinking - they talk and reason a lot. Visual and verbal thinking differ in the content of the means used. If this is visual thinking, then clear images of objects and actions appear in the brain. Its opposite is verbal thinking - these are abstract sign structures.

Development

Here are a few exercises to help improve your skills. But they may change for different ages, so we will consider them separately.

In children

During this period, such thinking progresses automatically. But parents have the power to create more favorable conditions. It is advisable to start training from the first years of a baby’s life, since at this time his brain is just beginning to form and grow. The main goal at this stage is to broaden your horizons as much as possible.

Here's what you can do for this:

Spread paint on a piece of paper to make a stain. Make a picture out of it with your child. Give him room for imagination and let him voice his own idea.
Come up with words or names together. For example, choose an illustration and give it some unusual names. It can be anything: nature, flora and fauna.
Take up home theater performances. Together with your child, create costumes from scrap items and various props, arrange rehearsals, and improvise. Shadow theater is also quite effective.

At the same time, solve puzzles and all sorts of puzzles. Teach your child the rules of playing chess or checkers, and assemble a mosaic. Most likely, the first steps in this matter will not be easy, but in the future the thought process will progress much faster.

In adults

In this case, abstract-logical thinking is improved in more complex ways than in childhood. But it still remains possible. The reason is that this skill has already been formed, and knowledge is much more difficult to comprehend. But you can do exercises to increase your creativity:

Lie down comfortably and close your eyes. Your task is to clearly and in detail imagine all the people with whom you communicated that day. Scroll in your head what they were wearing, their voice, gestures and facial expressions. At the same time, think about your feelings and sensations received during communication.
Now start imagining different emotions: sadness, happiness, anxiety, sympathy. At the same time, do not assign them to a specific object, but create an imaginary image for each state.
Then come up with silhouettes of intangible phenomena or terms. Observe your own associations, track the symbols that arise.

In addition, you can take up drawing, solve the same puzzles, or read thematic literature.

Exercises for children

Techniques intended for children are different from those used by adults. But at the same time they are no less effective. This happens because a child’s curious brain is completely open to learning new things.

Clouds

They all differ in sizes, colors, shapes. To develop abstract thinking, you need to often invite your child to imagine what a specific cloud can be compared with. In the process of thinking about this task, the brain actively works, new neural connections are established, and intelligence develops.

Shadow play

By playing with the shadows of various objects, you can create many images. All you need is a light source in a dark room and prepared contours. By moving the details, you get a variety of images. The child himself, while playing, learns to predict the outcome depending on the location of the parts. You can also invite other children. In company, they will be much more willing to play this game.

You may also be interested in the article How to better develop a child - an overview of children's developmental techniques, games, objects and exercises

Mental arithmetic

The technique is intended for the development of children 4-14 years old. It allows you to teach your child fast, almost instant counting. It is based on a system of arithmetic operations using special Chinese or Japanese abacus. The technique is difficult to fully understand, so it is not used at an early age. But it can be successfully used in adolescents to improve thinking processes. The only condition is the child’s perseverance and perseverance.

Constructor

The special “Abstract Thinking” is designed to create a variety of shapes and figures. The child, by manipulating details, learns to form the final goal in his head. The skill is gradually improved, and the level of developing intelligence is steadily growing. Such toys are especially useful for young children, as they stimulate the brain to active mental activity. And the inclusion of fine motor skills in the process further accelerates the child’s development.

Conversation

Even simply discussing everyday activities with your child allows him to quickly increase his level of intelligence. During conversations, children think about the meaning of what they hear and formulate an answer. Of course, you don’t need to talk about just anything. It is advisable to stimulate the child to fantasize and find the right answer.

Visual-effective thinking

Thanks to the work of the brain, a person is able to understand the world around him and act in it. One of the types of concrete thinking is visual-effective. It has been the basis of such human activities since primitive society. Visual-effective, or concrete-effective thinking has always been responsible for solving practical problems facing a person. An example of this is the problem of cultivating land or building a home.

An effective, concrete style of thinking manifests itself in a person from the first months of his life. In addition, up to 3 years it is his main one. And only by the age of three is concrete imaginative thinking activated, allowing one to solve emerging problems in the imagination.

Starting from an early age, the baby is able to analyze objects in close proximity to him due to direct contact with them. He touches them with his hands, connects and separates them. Many children often break their toys. However, parents should not scold them for this, because for a child such an act is not at all pampering or hooliganism. When breaking a toy, the baby tries to see what is inside it. And this can be called an early research step.

In the process of solving various practical problems, the child develops the ability to think. At the same time, he uses specific situational thinking. The kid acts like a great Roman operator: “I came, I saw, I conquered.” A small child’s thinking is based on the current situation in which a certain object is involved. Specific situational thinking is implemented immediately in actions. An example of this is a situation when a two-year-old child tries to take a toy that is too high for him. Without reaching it with his hands, he will definitely climb onto the chair next to him.

Examples of concrete thinking of the visual-action type in older children are the same actions. However, the child’s behavior in this case will be more skillful. This suggests that with age, concrete thinking of an effective type does not go anywhere. It just takes slightly different forms. And already older schoolchildren rely in their thinking process on their existing experience in solving problems, imagining the potential consequences of their own actions. All this allows the child to smoothly move to the next, more complex stages of development of the thinking process.

Nevertheless, a visually effective concrete type of thinking cannot be considered inferior or primitive. It is also present in adults in their objective activities. Examples of this include cooking soup, knitting socks, or repairing a bathroom faucet. For some adults, concrete logical thinking prevails over figurative and abstract logical thinking. Such people are spoken of as masters from God, having golden hands (by the way, it’s their hands, not their heads). These specialists are capable of repairing the most complex mechanism without completely understanding the principle of its operation. While disassembling the unit, they realize the reasons for its breakdown. Having assembled the mechanism, they will not only restore its functionality, but also improve it.