Thinking Styles: What Are They And How Can I Develop Them?
Thinking styles are found in the cerebral cortex, where conscious and unconscious cognitive and thought processes are organized We have to understand that the brain is divided into 2 hemispheres: the right one, which is closely related to sensitivity and closeness; and the left, which is more related to the rational. It does not mean that one excludes the other or that the fact of not having dominance prevents us from accessing some skills, however, we will have innate skills that are easier to navigate.
The first thing we are going to define are the thinking styles, which develop in different ways, understanding that we have a genetic or biological predisposition that will guide us in our neurological development. The environment also participates in the development of thinking styles, upbringing, family, experiences, acquired education, and everything that in some way impacts the development of the child and adolescent.
Ending adolescence and reaching adulthood, the person defines what his or her most dominant thinking styles are; Next we are going to define them to understand how they impact people’s lives positively (in light) or negatively (in shadow). So, according to Dr. Benziger, who dedicated much of her life to studying brain development, indicates that the four specialized areas of the brain are: Right Frontal, Left Frontal, Left Basal and Right Basal
Each thinking style has special characteristics, it does not mean that one is better, but when the person is aware of its characteristics and its possibilities, it can actually flow in a natural way and of course generate greater impact on tasks and challenges. that he assumes on a daily basis. So, what are the particular characteristics of each of the thinking styles?
1. Left front
Let’s start with the left front. People who have developed their dominance in this style of thinking tend to perceive their reality based on analysis, they are strict when making decisions logical, with a mathematical and numerical structure, they feel very comfortable understanding reality based on pragmatic logic, quantitative, they have no difficulties when giving instructions, evaluating and leading, they like precise words, models and theories , they proceed with hypotheses and facts, they seek clarity as the main source for decision making, they are rigorous in their procedures.
Their learning process is generated from the reasoning of ideas and concepts, valuing logical thinking and the facts and data that demonstrate it. For them, theory and case formulation are very important, in this way they jump to learning new concepts. and ideas of the world. Their innate abilities lead them to make difficult and complex decisions, they define goals very easily, establishing priorities and clarifying objectives, analyzing problems.
Negotiation is one of your great talents They solve financial problems and identify different variables using precision, logic and critical thinking, they are experts in diagnoses and giving a line to change what does not work and in this logic, what should be done, analyzing cost-benefit and cause-effect. They have a long-term vision with a special ability to maximize the return on investment.
In Luz, this style tends to present high results since they are achievement-oriented and highly competitive people, a strong and decisive leader, an expert. In the shadows, they are people who are told to see beyond the objectives, leading them to individualism and selfishness, critical, unemotional and very hard on other people.
2. Left basal
Now, Left basal dominance refers to care, They tend to be conservative, detail-oriented, very procedure-oriented, sequential people They are very comfortable with planning, with a sequential procedural structure, they make decisions and proceed from planning, verification and method. Their learning process is developed through theoretical testing, that is, evidence and structure. Their learning process occurs through self-discovery, which leads them to build concepts. Being intuitive, they seek the exploration of curiosity as a source of learning, giving value to hidden and non-obvious possibilities.
Their innate abilities allow them to apply and monitor the learned tasks in sequential order, they are very efficient at a procedural level, complying with established schedules and deadlines, optimizing the value of time and efficiency in the processes, high attention to details, they are very compliant with the rules, policies and procedures.
At Luz they are highly careful about processes and details, they seek order and planning as part of the procedure, hard-working, productive, reliable and thorough. In the shadows they tend to present compulsive behaviors and may even become so rigorous that they find it difficult to adapt to changes and new processes. This characteristic does not allow them to take on new challenges and trends, they can be seen as boring or monotonous, resistant to change and dogmatic
3. Right front
The right front presents an artistic structure, they are creative, inventive and artists, they connect with holistic integration, they easily express ideas and concepts, they are intuitive, innovative, spatial, dreamers They show a high connection with nature, with the states of the art, they process information from conceptualization and synthesis, globalization, acting through associations and integrating through images and metaphors. Their learning process occurs through listening, sharing ideas, valuing intuitive thinking and the experience of being.
Their innate abilities allow them to generate new ideas, they invent and design new products, processes and services, they are capable of connecting reality with trends, they are challenged by the impossible, broad creative resolution, their outlook is disruptive so they deliver non-traditional solutions, They are spatial, corporal, artistic, they are capable of conquering through their ideas, being influential, they are entrepreneurs, they detect problems in complex situations, they are negotiators, they are charismatic leaders.
In light, they are disruptive, they seek innovation in projects, focused on movement and the creation of new ideas, high energy flow in creative matters, visionary leader. In the shadows they can present long-term instability and may need too much stimulation from the environment for their motivation, scattered and dreamy, disconnected from the sense of reality.
4. Right basal
Finally we have the right basal style which is characterized by its high ability to connect with people, They are empathetic, close, sensitive to non-verbal behaviors, very connected from emotionality, they are intuitive, rhythmic, they integrate information through experience, mobilized by the pleasure principle, highly involved with affection and closeness
Their innate abilities lead them to connect with people, creating bridges of connection, having an important impact on the creation of belonging and community, they are capable of transmitting ideas and educating people from empathy, providing experiences of well-being and service, they are inspiring, they do not seek to take advantage arbitrarily, they focus above all on win-win, capable of reading non-verbal needs.
The light are people who tend to connect with feelings and listening, they ask questions to understand people’s experience, they empathize with the place of others, they seek harmony, they like and enjoy the act of sharing, they are supportive and They evaluate behaviors. In the shadows they can take things very personally and get hooked on emotionality, they can easily get distracted in relationship activities and lose focus on tasks, they can fall into value judgments and make subjective associations mediated by emotions. It can be difficult for them to set clear boundaries with people and distort processes.
The theory of thinking styles
It is important to know our dominance to begin to develop our auxiliary thought structure, which will be the cooperator that can leverage us in different ways of perceiving reality Normally we develop a dominant style (unimodal) and sequentially an auxiliary style (bimodal), there are people who could even develop three thinking styles (trimodal) and even the same four (quatrimodal). These last two are really special cases and it is not normal. common, but those who develop them have an important challenge on an emotional level: Anxiety.
The brain does not communicate diagonally, it requires a great effort to do it this way, which is why the most common thing is that if a person has a Left Frontal dominance, their auxiliary is either Right Frontal or Left Basal, leaving the Right Basal relegated by this. For the same reason, it implies a great cerebral effort for a left Frontal to develop the right Basal, it is not common but it could happen in the order of adaptation and human evolution.
The theory of thinking styles was presented by Dr. Betzinger, psychiatrist; taking up the analyzes and findings of Dr. Carl Jung Swiss psychiatrist and psychologist, founder of the school of analytical psychology. In his visits to the aboriginal tribes of Australia, America, and Africa, he observed that the tribes had languages ​​in common even when they did not communicate with each other, which after several years became his typology of thought, presenting four specific functions to the which he named: Thinking, Intuition-Feeling-Sensation and the concepts of introversion/extraversion.
This is how Dr. Bezinger integrated Jung’s work with the different findings of neuroscience, leading her to the formulation of the model in question. There are different models and techniques that leverage development and stimulate the connection of new neural networks, the main thing is to know what our dominance is, based on this we develop sustainable adjustments, activities that generate a challenge at the brain level and that invite our nervous system. to act differently. Development occurs to the extent that the person allows themselves discomfort as a basis for experience, exposing themselves to new realities and ways to stimulate information processing and mental flexibility.
At a therapeutic level there are tools that accompany the development of new nervous connections, the unlearning processes require practice and method Language is one of the most accessible tools when generating new ideas; perception is finally stimulated through thought, which requires linguistic symbology for its correct execution. As a therapist, I have different programs that facilitate the development of people in different environments and life processes. For more information, I invite you to contact me.
