Linear thinking Vs. Picture thinking

In summary: I would recommend this book:In summary, left and right brain thinking processes are different but both are necessary for success.
  • #1
waht
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Can you elaborate on linear and picture thinking process. Linear as being a step-by-step process, and picture thinking processes multiples "pictures" simultaniously. Which thinking procecss might make the person smarter, successful?
 
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  • #2
I assume you are talking about left and right brain thinking, as linear and picture thinking, respectively. One is not better than the other, it is how well you use it that makes you "smarter."
 
  • #3
no actually, a linear thinking process is where thoughts are associated with sounds. Therefore such person would solve a problem step by step. On the otherhand dyslectics have a nonlinear thinking process where they associate picture with thoughts, that's why its hard for them to read and write.

I don't know much about this, so I'm wondering if anyone can elaborate.
 
  • #4
waht said:
no actually, a linear thinking process is where thoughts are associated with sounds. Therefore such person would solve a problem step by step. On the otherhand dyslectics have a nonlinear thinking process where they associate picture with thoughts, that's why its hard for them to read and write.

I don't know much about this, so I'm wondering if anyone can elaborate.

I am a sculptor and I think only in pictures. For me to think in words takes a conscience effort. I didn't even know that people thought in words. From my understanding, the best way to be (what ever that means) is to have a balance of both. Einstein said he could not have done what he did without imagination, that it is the most important thing when it comes to creating in any form. All of his experiments where done with mental pictures. Pythagoras deducted that everything is made of the same atoms, simply by thinking about it. No experiments. This cannot be done with words.
 
  • #5
waht said:
Can you elaborate on linear and picture thinking process. Linear as being a step-by-step process, and picture thinking processes multiples "pictures" simultaniously. Which thinking procecss might make the person smarter, successful?

I don't think there's an answer to that question. It depends on the question.

For example, consider these questions:

  • Which has more area, a square with sides measuring "a", or a circle with diameter "a"?

An analytic (linear) thinker takes out a pen and paper, and starts doing the math. A visual person pictures the circle inside the square and answers much faster, the square.

  • What does the diameter of the circle have to be, to have an area equal to the square?

Hmm, a bit tougher to solve with pictures!

I agree with previous posters, a combination works best for most problem solving.
 
  • #6
waht said:
no actually, a linear thinking process is where thoughts are associated with sounds. Therefore such person would solve a problem step by step. On the otherhand dyslectics have a nonlinear thinking process where they associate picture with thoughts, that's why its hard for them to read and write.

I don't know much about this, so I'm wondering if anyone can elaborate.

The contrast you seem to be trying to make is between verbal reasoning and mental imagery (though I agree that left brain/right brain is lurking there as well).

The quick answer is that everyone uses both, even dyslexics, who have problems reading but not speaking.
 
  • #7
It's an old thread but still very intrueging. About visual thinking some background here.

Personally I don't sense much difficulty level in visual and analytical thinking. I think I can do both.

Maybe I'm allowed to give an example from the good old days, when the PC was still in the MS-DOS 16 bit words only phase in the 80ies while the mouse/image work was done by Apple McIntosh, Commodore Amiga and Atari ST on 32 bits. I toyed with the latter which was also the most simple. So I wanted to write an assembler routine for text to be printed proportionally on screen like the other two had, instead of the the fixed character width of 8 pixels. That required some thinking but analytical thinking was hard, especially going over 16/32 bit word address boundaries. However, the "aha!-that's-it" moment came only when I visualized how an old fashioned type-setter would shift individual letters on a type setting plank or whatever it is called in English, so I eventually wrote a routine that imitated that process.

How could you draw a picture without visual thinking?
 
  • #8
Andre said:
How could you draw a picture without visual thinking?

Kids do. Ask them to draw a house and they will draw it as a list of words - a door, a roof, a chimney, a couple of windows, the sun overhead.

It is a verbal portrait, a collection of named attributes, rather than a visual representation.
Learning to draw what the eyes actually see is a more difficult skill.

If you really want to get into the issue of thought processes, Vygtoskian psychology is the best approach. It is all about how human language scaffolds natural mental imagery thinking (or anticipation - the first half of the perceptual cycle, as Ulric Neisser so neatly put it).

And observing the developmental stages in the drawings of children is a classic way of seeing how the tool of language and the brain's natural capacities for mental imagery become a seamlessly integrated dyadic process.

Introspection is also a learned skill, and as with the hoary old questions about dreams (do you dream, do you dream in colour, do you dream of smells and tastes?), most people have not learned to observe the structure of their own thinking and so cannot even answer basic questions about their use of an inner voice to shape their imagery.
 

1. What is the difference between linear thinking and picture thinking?

Linear thinking is a cognitive style that involves processing information in a sequential and logical manner, while picture thinking is a cognitive style that involves visualizing and conceptualizing ideas in a non-linear way.

2. How do these two types of thinking affect problem-solving?

Linear thinking is often associated with analytical problem-solving, where the focus is on breaking down a problem into smaller parts and finding a logical solution. Picture thinking, on the other hand, is often associated with creative problem-solving, where the focus is on generating new and innovative ideas.

3. Can individuals have both linear and picture thinking abilities?

Yes, individuals can have a combination of both linear and picture thinking abilities. This is known as dual-coding theory, where individuals can use both verbal and visual representations to process and understand information.

4. Are there any advantages to having a particular type of thinking style?

Both linear and picture thinking have their own advantages. Linear thinking is useful for tasks that require logical reasoning and problem-solving, while picture thinking can be beneficial for tasks that involve creativity and innovation.

5. Is one type of thinking style better than the other?

Neither linear nor picture thinking is inherently better than the other. Both thinking styles have their own strengths and can be valuable in different situations. It is important to recognize and appreciate the diversity in thinking styles and utilize them accordingly.

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