Abstract reasoning is, possibly, what allows human beings to be as we know them today. Language, the ability to make plans and many other skills have to do with this facet of our mind.
In this article we will see what exactly is abstract reasoning which are the areas of the brain most directly involved in it, and how to train it.
A definition of what abstract reasoning is could be the following. It is the set of cognitive operations based on the reorganization of abstract concepts, carried out with the purpose of producing new information in the form of a conclusion.
Thus, it is a type of private behavior (it is not easily observable by another person without the appropriate measuring instruments) in which the concepts with which we work are highly abstract. However… What exactly does it mean that a concept is abstract? Let’s see it.
The abstract concepts
Although we normally associate the idea of “concept” with the use of language, the truth is that non-human animals lacking the ability to use language also think using concepts as raw material. A concept is, in short, a more or less simple memory based on a past experience, which leaves a type of memory in the brain. information that can be used to explain other situations
For example, a baby is able to recognize by touch an object that he had previously only seen, not touched, since his memory of the image of this serves to create a mental representation of its shape in three dimensions. This representation of the object, which arrives through the visual sensory modality but which serves to generate other types of representations, is a concept.
Something similar happens with the learning mode of animals. For example, what happens when a predator smells a certain type of prey has to do with concepts: in this case, the representation is an organism with several characteristics, among which is that specific smell and possibly the taste of its meat. Likewise, many living beings are capable of think from the concept of quantity knowing that unit is less than pair, etc.
However, neither the concepts with which babies think nor those used by the vast majority of animals are abstract concepts in themselves. Because? Because they are not based on abstract properties of objects, landscapes and living beings that have been perceived through the senses.
These types of simple concepts provide information about easily verifiable sensory characteristics, such as shape, color, texture or danger to oneself, but they do not inform about aspects less tied to the earthly, such as attitudes, the gender to which a species belongs, etc. In short, it is not based on subtle properties that can be indirectly attributed to other things.
Different degrees of cognitive complexity
There are concepts that are more abstract than others, and for that reason, there are abstract reasonings that are also more abstract than others.
For example, the concept of border is abstract because it does not tell us much about the physical properties of an object or living being, but Platonic love is even more abstract, because it cannot even be represented by a form (in the case of the border, that shape could be a line) without making many concessions. Therefore, reasoning from the idea of what a border is is not the same as using the ideas of the famous Greek philosopher.
Definitely, abstraction is a relative property Basically, the abstract is that which in itself we do not perceive directly, but that at the same time we can see “embodied” in what surrounds us: sympathy, minimalism, roughness, etc.
The usefulness of abstract reasoning
A greater capacity for abstract reasoning gives us a greater number of options by which to adapt to changes After all, it is an aptitude closely related to intelligence.
Creating new information from sensory data is a task that is largely handled by abstract reasoning. Let’s think, for example, about the process by which a new business idea is discovered.
First of all, an unmet need is discovered in a certain type of environment, or a personal or organizational strength is discovered that allows the development of a new line of products or services. In addition, you have to think about the logistics that will be used for this, and see if it will be viable.
Later you think about the type of skills that are necessary to make this initiative thrive and recruit the right staff to work on it. In later phases, the details related to marketing are finalized, and it is necessary to create an image that transmits both the sensations that must be expressed by what is offered and the company’s philosophy.
All of these steps require making very detailed future plans, and use language carefully and the concepts linked to mathematics to be able to create strategies and coordinate several people who will need to work in unison. In short, based on a simple intuition, or a quick review of the type of products available on the market, we imagine a situation that we could reach and we begin to mentally construct the type of situations that should occur in order to achieve the objective.
Abstract reasoning is supported by all types of mental processes, since being so complex requires the participation of a multitude of areas of the brain, especially of the cerebral cortex. However, there are some brain structures that are more related to this type of operations than others.
The main parts of the brain linked to abstract reasoning are the frontal lobes of the two cerebral hemispheres, on the one hand, and the associative cortex on the other.
The frontal lobe is a region of the nervous system that is responsible for making planning possible and the establishment of medium and long-term goals, something necessary to go beyond the impulses of the moment and, consequently, begin to think about future situations, for which abstract concepts are essential.
Secondly, the associative cortex is what allows abstract concepts to exist. Its main function is to make the different impressions left by external stimuli (whether visual, auditory or any other sensory modality) believe the mental representation of qualities that we can attribute to several of these stimuli but that at the same time are not the stimulus itself. In short, abstract concepts are concepts of other concepts.
Together, these brain structures explain much of what has allowed humans to be distinguished from other animals. However, we must not forget that abstract reasoning does not simply emanate from the brain, but depends on learning. Exposing ourselves to stimulating situations is essential to improve our chances of adapting to change.
How to train it?
Here are some useful activities to get used to using abstract reasoning:
