Thinking in images is an essential component of cognition that accompanies a person in all its manifestations. And accordingly, a very important topic.
Scientists have come to an interesting conclusion. In figurative thinking, all receptors in the human brain are involved. What does it mean? Suppose a person has set himself a specific task. He begins to think, to look for a logical chain of relationships. During this process, the left hemisphere “turns on”. But in the future, the right enters the process. And a person begins to feel the image at the level of empathy, to perceive oversensitively. And the result of all this is the so-called mental image.
Sources of thinking
It is necessary to say about them separately. Thinking with images as an indispensable component of cognition has two sources of concept - sensual and historical.
The first of these is always individual. And historical experience is reality, manifested through the theory of understanding.
Is imagination and imaginative thinking the same thing?
Definitely not. These are completely different mental processes. Even a young child has imagination. And this process can be compared with fantasy - mental improvisation.
But this does not mean that the concepts are in no way connected. On the contrary! Figurative thinking develops the imagination, which, in turn, can bring considerable benefits. For example, during stress, you can attract the imagination. Introduce something good and create a positive attitude. It is imagination that helps new ideas be born.
Imagination and fantasy
It is worth focusing on this topic, since we are talking about thinking with images, an essential component of cognition.
So what is imagination? These are images that can be modified, arising from the memory at a specific and always necessary time. At the same time, a person often understands that those looks and “pictures” that the imagination creates may never come true.
One example can be given from the Jumbled children's humorous newsreel, when the girl decided to draw a dog with crayons on the pavement, thanks to her vivid imagination, she came up with an image and color that does not exist in real life.
And science fiction writers? They also write their works, drawing on their rich imagination. Although it is believed that some of their fantasies do occur. Ostensibly it is impossible to come up with that which cannot exist in principle.
Is it worth developing imaginative thinking?
The answer is obvious - yes, of course! Indeed, thinking with images is an indispensable component of cognition. Yes, it can “doze off” until a person wakes him and learns to develop this ability. Everyone comes to this in a different way. But the sooner a person begins and learns to develop the ability to think in images, the faster he will achieve success.
In general, of course, this is initially the task of parents who are obliged to take care of their children and guide them in everything. The role of thinking in cognition cannot be underestimated. Thinking in images is the basis for the formation of oral (verbal) and logical (sequential) thinking, which is necessary for successful learning at school and university. A person who reveals the ability to do this and tries to develop it, begins to solve the problems posed to him by society or himself in a different way.
Thinking in images is an essential component of mental activity in general. The person to whom it is peculiar develops intuitive abilities. It creates many associations, which is very useful for people associated with art. Such thinking dominates all creative people.
The emergence of "pictures"
So, what it means to think in images is clear. Now we can stop on the topic regarding their formation.
After viewing the picture, subsequently divided into parts, you can restore it by applying imaginative thinking. Thanks to this, we will extract a new image. Going to work, you can imagine various combinations of clothes - and the imagination will create new shapes.
But the prevailing “pictures” arise not only as a combination of existing ones, but also by modifying them. Based on this, two groups of images can be distinguished - combinational and transformational.
The first include tasks consisting in the following: to compose something essentially new from the original representation or to recreate the excluded element.
Transformational tasks include tasks when it is necessary to use an already completed image and modify it so that something new is extracted. For example, take a photo of a person and mentally change the appearance (hair color, hairstyle, nose size, etc.).
In the formation of thinking of this type, it is worth paying attention to two main points:
- The development of efforts to form new images.
- Emancipation of fantasy.
The easiest way is shaped thinking during drawing. Or any other artistic activity.
How to develop images?
And a few words should be said about this. The description of thinking in images makes it possible to understand that without the ability to form “pictures” in one’s head, one cannot instill it in oneself. But how to develop this ability? Many find it hard to believe, but not everyone has it.
And in order to understand how developed the imagination is, for a moment you need to look at the lines, patterns or moles in your palm. Then, covering your eyes, try to recreate the image in your head. It is worth remembering the formed visually. Opening his eyes, look again at the palm of his hand and note to what extent the reality coincided with the picture “recovered” in memory.
In order for the imaginary to be seen sharper and clearer, it is important to turn off verbal thinking. You just need to look, but not to outline speech turns.
Exercise "Gala Dinner"
Patience, work and regular practice - these are the things that will help to develop thinking in images. Examples of exercises are numerous. The most popular is an imaginary performance of a gala dinner.
Covering your eyes for one or two minutes, you need to imagine a panorama of the recent feast. To remind guests, the taste of food, the dishes that stood on the table. Then give answers to several questions:
- How did you get a figurative picture - clear or blurry?
- Brighter image in reality or in the head?
- Are the details clear or are some striking more than others?
- Which shades are more: color or gray?
- Is a single optical image of the whole room created?
- Is there a plate, spoon, fork? And the face of the person opposite? And is everything synchronous?
- Do you feel the taste of dishes?
- Is it possible to remember what are those attending at that holiday?
The more positive answers - the better things are for a person with images. So that training is not boring, you can change the situation and recall other events.
Exercise “Actual Object”
Another good technique. You must submit all of the following objects:
- Someone’s face in the photo.
- Comrades of youth.
- Running animal.
- Own living room.
- Dawn.
- Soaring bird.
- Running athlete.
- Starry sky.
- The picture on the wall.
- Forest.
- Sight.
If the images formed in the head are not as clear as in real life, do not make them brighter. You just need to concentrate on the very idea of perceiving the image. You must first focus on the form, and then plunge into the elements. Do not rush, the image should become stable and clear.
Exercise "Not valid object"
Interesting and not quite ordinary. To fulfill it, imagination needs to come up with not quite typical and real objects. It:
- Goblin.
- Sour Coast.
- Nine-headed Hydra.
- Mermaid.
- Zmey Gorynych.
- Lukomorye.
- Flying ship.
- Firebird.
- Magic carpet.
- Side view figures.
Keeping the gaze fixed, it is necessary to observe the entire periphery of the field of view. It's not easy. You need to use lateral vision to see as much detail as possible. Then close your eyes and recreate the image of what you see. Mentally divide the monitored space into four parts, select any square and analyze every detail in it.
Optical result
Everyone knows: looking at an object and then covering his eyes, for a while you can still see its shape. This can also be used as an exercise! Immediately in this case, it is necessary to connect optical memories with an imaginary image.
For example, consider a painted picture, after covering your eyes and admire the image captured in memory. After the image is dulled, opening his gaze, look again at the work of art and again lower the eyelids. With repeated repetition, a vivid image is drawn. Subsequently, this technique can easily be repeated with other objects. The more often such an exercise is repeated, the faster the mind learns to think figuratively.
Other exercises
Another tactic that you should try if you want to understand what it is to consciously think in images is called “Remote imaginary feeling.”
We must imagine in front of us a small object, such as a pencil. What's next? Mentally move it first to the left, then to the right. You can complicate the task and move in a circle, accelerating the process. After returning the pencil to its original place.
You can also try to restore all the people in your memory who met on the way during the day. Who are they? What is their profession? Clothing? Age? What did they do? Having trained on this technique, you can recreate the same thing, but with yesterday. It will be more difficult, but you need to progress.
Conclusion
Much has been said above about figurative thinking, its forms, types and specifics. It is thanks to him that we learn to find (and indeed succeed) a way out of difficult situations: in family life, at work, in communication with friends. This thinking helps solve difficult problems.
But trying to logically understand this process is futile. Only feel and develop. This is the essence of thinking in images, a key component of our knowledge.