Have you ever wanted to go beyond the world of stereotypes, patterns? Find something new, able to inspire, look at everyday things from a different angle? If so, then divergent thinking will help you. Developing it, opens the possibility during the resolution of a problem, the task of seeing several solutions at once.
In other words, this thinking is the basis of creativity, and divergent abilities are called only as a manifestation of non-standard thinking. It is the foundation of any creativity. Let us consider in more detail what the nature of this kind of thinking is and how to develop it.
The nature of divergent thinking
As was said before, the divergent is a consciousness that simultaneously develops in several directions. Its main task is to create a great variety of solutions to the problem. It is thanks to him that creative ideas are born, capable at times to start a new chapter in the development of mankind.
Studies of this thinking involved such scientists as: D. Rogers, E.P. Torrance, D. Guilford, etc. The latter, who is the founder of the divergent concept, in his book "The Nature of Human Intellect " called the divergent "divergent" thinking. In the 1950s, all his scientific activity was devoted to the study of the creative potential of the individual. It was during this period that he proposed his conception of the American Psychological Association. In 1976 he provided an improved model, calling divergent thinking an integral part of creativity and describing its main characteristics:
- The ability to develop, detail ideas, not forgetting to implement them.
- Fluency in creating a lot of ideas or while solving a problem.
- Ability to produce original ideas, not overwhelmed by stereotyped thinking.
- Flexibility in the simultaneous search for approaches to each individual problem.
Divergent and convergent thinking
The opposite of the thinking in question is a convergent one, which is aimed at finding the one and only true solution. So, there is a type of people who are always convinced of the existence of one right path. Tasks are solved by means of already accumulated knowledge and by means of a chain of logical reasoning. Most of the modern education in universities is based on convergent thinking. For creative individuals, such an educational system does not allow you to reveal your creative potential. The example does not need to go far: A. Einstein was not sweet to study at school, but not because of any of his indiscipline. It was difficult for the teachers to endure his manner of answering questions. So, it was typical for him to ask something like: "And if we consider the option that it is not water, but ...?" Or "We will consider this issue from a different point of view ...". In this case, the divergent thinking of the little genius was manifested.
Development of divergent thinking
One of the technologies that helps to develop such thinking is the solution of inventive problems:
- It is necessary to think up words that would end with "t". Remember which words begin with "c", and in which the third letter from the beginning - "a".
- From the initial letters to create a full-fledged sentence: B-C-E-P. This exercise develops both divergent and fluency of thinking.
- Check your skills to find a cause-and-effect relationship, continuing the expression: "Last night she froze ...".
- Continue the numerical series: 1, 3, 5, 7.
- To exclude superfluous: a bilberry, mango, plum, an apple. This exercise is aimed at the ability to identify significant signs.