Thinking, as a complex process of reflection and cognition of reality, is a source of new knowledge, such that a person cannot receive in direct experience. Modern thinking, capable of solving complex problems and operating with abstract concepts, has come a long way to form. Thinking is clearly effective - it is genetically the first, earliest stage of its development.
Types of thinking
The human brain continuously receives from the outside world and processes a huge amount of information. This processing occurs, as it were, at two levels: at the level of direct sensory cognition (sensation and perception) and at the level of thinking.
Thinking is distinguished from simple sensory cognition by an indirect character. “Mediators” in the thought process can be images (visual, auditory, tactile, etc.) and signs — words and concepts.
Visual-effective thinking is a peculiar type of cognitive process in which objects of the material world are used as “intermediaries”. This is its qualitative difference from other types of thinking. This thinking is also called sensorimotor, thereby emphasizing its connection with the sensory and motor spheres.
The highest level of thinking is considered abstract-logical, conceptual, which is abstract in nature. However, no one, not even the most intellectually developed person, thinks exclusively with the help of word-concepts. The process of cognition of reality necessarily includes images, moreover, the creative process is associated precisely with visual-figurative thinking.
Consequently, two types of thinking constantly interact in the minds of modern man : abstract and visual-figurative thinking. Visually effective, it would seem, remains on the sidelines. Or does it not play a role in the mental life of an adult?
Features of sensorimotor thinking
Firstly, it is closely related to activity and is included in direct operations with objects, as a result of which a person transforms them, combines them, creating new objects.
Secondly, visual-effective thinking is concrete thinking, it arises only at the moment of manipulation with objects and allows us to comprehend exclusively specific actions. In contrast, both abstract and visual-figurative are abstract in nature. They allow a person to escape in his thoughts from the situation in which he is located, to imagine things that are currently non-existent, to fantasize and plan activities.
Thirdly, visual-effective thinking is a situational cognitive process. It cannot take a person beyond a specific situation. This thinking is here and now. It is, as it were, limited, constrained by the conditions in which the person is.
The oldest form of understanding the world
Sensomotor thinking appeared even in our very distant ancestors. Paleopsychologists believe that primitive people possessed it, and it largely determined the mental activity of backward peoples, who were at the stage of a primitive society back in the 19th century. For example, ethnographers (M. Wertheimer, R. Thurnwald), describing the thinking of savages, noted that they are incapable of abstract calculation. It was important for them to know what subjects should be counted. Bears can be counted only 6 pieces, since not a single person could see more of these animals at the same time. But cows can be counted up to 60.
That is why in the language of many archaic peoples there were no general concepts, but there were many words denoting specific objects, actions, states. K. Levy-Bruhl, who studied primitive thinking, counted 33 words in the language of one of the African tribes to denote walking. Verbs changed depending on who, where, with whom and why.
Visual-effective thinking is a kind of “premeditation”, which in its infancy also exists in animals. As far back as the beginning of the 20th century, studies of chimpanzee behavior by the German psychologist W. Köhler showed that anthropoid apes are capable of solving simple mental tasks in the process of manipulating objects.
Baby thinking
The most vivid and distinct manifestation of this type of cognition of reality can be seen in children under 3 years old. At such crumbs, thinking is clearly effective - this is a game. All their mental actions occur in the process of manipulating objects. The basic operations of thinking are available to the child, but only as immediate practical actions.
Here the kid with enthusiasm disassembles a house, just built by mom from cubes. Do not be offended by him, because this is how the child analyzes - the disintegration of the whole into separate elements.
Then the baby goes over the cubes - compares them, selects the necessary ones, throwing away, from his point of view, the excess ones. This comparison, and then comes the turn of a more complex mental operation - synthesis. The child begins to build, erecting a seemingly unlike figure.
The design is growing, with each cube becoming higher. The kid looks at it with interest and at some point exclaims joyfully: “This is a tower! Mom, look, I built a tower! ” Comparing his structure with the image in his memory, the child performed a generalization operation and concluded.
This is a small thinker, only his thinking is so far visually effective, inseparable from objective, “manual” activity. Therefore, the child needs toys that are versed and assembled again, because it is in the game with them that the development of visual-effective thinking takes place.
The formation of thinking in children
By manipulating various objects, the child learns to establish connections between them, to highlight their main and secondary qualities. But the most important thing is that he saves in his memory the images of once committed actions and uses them later to solve new problems. Thus begins the formation of more complex, imaginative thinking.
Sensomotor thinking is not only substantive, but also emotional. Surprise at the new created by your own hands, annoyance at the failed action and delight when you manage to achieve the desired result - all this enriches and develops the inner world of the baby.
The role of sensorimotor thinking in the psyche of a modern adult
The human psyche is one, as well as one mind, and it is impossible to isolate any kind from this harmonious process. Each of them is important and performs its function.
But quite often a certain type of thinking dominates in a particular person. Creative people, visionaries are characterized by highly developed imaginative thinking. And mathematicians and economists are characterized by a high level of conceptual thinking.
People with a predominance of sensorimotor thinking also occur. These are those who are said to have golden hands. Masters “from God”, capable, without knowing anything about the principles of operation of this or that mechanism, disassemble it, repair it, reassemble it, and even improve it in the assembly process.
Is it possible to say that abstract and figurative are more important types of thinking? Visual-effective is also necessary for any person, it accompanies all objective actions. Without it, it is impossible either to make repairs in the apartment, or to weed a bed in the garden, or to tie a hat. Even soup without this thinking cannot be boiled.
Having arisen in childhood, sensorimotor thinking does not remain at a primitive level, but develops in the same way as other types of cognitive activity.