What went wrong when the king rode under the arch?

It was too low and knocked off his crown

How does the chain of blame unfold in the poem?

Each accused person blames another, ending with the king's own changes

Thinking is an internal, organised, goal-directed mental process of manipulating information that can be inferred from a person's overt behaviour.

What are the building blocks of thought?

Mental images and concepts; concepts group objects and ideas into categories and allow economical thinking.

What are mental set and functional fixedness?

A mental set is the habit of solving problems in a fixed familiar way, while functional fixedness is the inability to see new uses for a familiar object; both block problem solving.

Differentiate an algorithm and a heuristic.

An algorithm is a step-by-step procedure that guarantees a solution, while a heuristic is a mental shortcut that is quicker but does not guarantee success.

Distinguish deductive and inductive reasoning.

Deductive reasoning moves from general premises to a specific conclusion, while inductive reasoning moves from specific observations to a general conclusion.

How does decision-making differ from problem solving?

In decision-making the alternatives are already given and the person chooses among them by weighing costs and benefits, while in problem solving the solution itself must be discovered.

Differentiate convergent and divergent thinking.

Convergent thinking narrows down to a single correct answer, while divergent thinking generates many novel and varied ideas.

What are the defining properties of language?

Language is symbolic (uses symbols), generative (produces unlimited messages) and structured (follows rules of grammar).

Thinking

Q: Name the three main processes of thinking.

Problem solving, reasoning and decision-making.

Q: What are the stages of creative thinking?

Preparation, incubation, illumination and verification.

Class 11 Psychology · Psychology · Chapter 7

163 members in the CBSE community

View all

CBSE Class 11 · Psychology

Methods of Enquiry: 13 marks, biggest unit

Marks booster + cheatsheet: key concepts in 2 lines each
11 marks each: Units I and III
9 marks: Learning, Unit V
8 marks each: Perception and Memory
Every school with its founder
Comparisons examiners ask for

Page 1 free about 8 min read, Full kit about 55 min read

₹159See the full kit

CBSE Class 11 · Psychology

Methods of Enquiry: 13 marks, biggest unit

Marks booster + cheatsheet: key concepts in 2 lines each
11 marks each: Units I and III
9 marks: Learning, Unit V
8 marks each: Perception and Memory
Every school with its founder
Comparisons examiners ask for

Page 1 free about 8 min read, Full kit about 55 min read

₹159See the full kit

View all 44 amazing Marks Booster kits →

Summary

Thinking is the base of all cognitive activities; it is an internal, organised and goal-directed mental process that manipulates information and can be inferred from overt behaviour. The building blocks of thought are mental images and concepts, which group objects and ideas into categories and help us think economically. The major processes of thinking are problem solving, reasoning and decision-making. Problem solving moves from an initial state to a goal state, overcoming obstacles such as mental set and functional fixedness, and uses strategies like algorithms, heuristics, means-end analysis and analogies. Reasoning is goal-directed thinking that draws inferences; it may be deductive (from general premises to a specific conclusion) or inductive (from specific instances to a general conclusion). Decision-making involves choosing among given alternatives by evaluating their costs and benefits. Creative thinking produces ideas that are novel, appropriate and useful; it combines convergent and divergent thinking and passes through preparation, incubation, illumination and verification, aided by lateral thinking and strategies that overcome blocks to creativity. Thought and language are closely linked: language is a system of symbols and rules with the properties of being symbolic, generative and structured. Language develops in an orderly sequence from cooing and babbling to single words, telegraphic speech and full sentences, and bilingualism and multilingualism enrich cognitive flexibility.

Nature of ThinkingBuilding Blocks of ThoughtThe Processes of ThinkingProblem SolvingReasoningDecision-makingNature and Process of Creative ThinkingStrategies for Creative ThinkingThought and LanguageDevelopment of Language and Language Use

Key terms

Thinking

An internal, organised and goal-directed mental process of manipulating information, inferred from overt behaviour.

Concept

A mental category that groups objects, events or ideas sharing common properties, helping us think economically.

Problem solving

Thinking directed at overcoming obstacles to move from an initial state to a desired goal state.

Mental set

The tendency to approach a problem in a fixed way that has worked before, which can block new solutions.

Reasoning

Goal-directed thinking that draws conclusions, either deductively or inductively, from available information.

Creative thinking

Thinking that produces ideas or solutions that are novel, appropriate and useful.

Language

A system of symbols and rules of grammar that is symbolic, generative and structured, used for communication.

Extra questions & answers

Try one from this chapter

Thinking is best described as a mental process that is:

Flashcards & interactive practice

Thinking

163 members in the CBSE community

Summary

Key terms

Extra questions & answers

Practice quiz · Thinking

Data & insights