Rigidity of thinking: features, varieties and tips to overcome

There are people who find it difficult to adapt to new circumstances. They cannot rebuild thinking when the situation changes, stubbornly uphold the previously outlined plan, not wanting to make adjustments to it. The reason lies in the rigidity of the thought process.

Translated from the Latin language, rigidity means “rigidity”, “hardness”, “numbness”. Physiologists give the following definition of this phenomenon: rigidity is understood as the lack of response to specific stimuli or their resistance due to a sharp increase in the tone of anatomical structures.

People with a similar thought process are characterized by inertness of thinking, inability to adapt to changing events. It is difficult for them to go beyond the norms of behavior, the rules established by society. They are not used to changing a decision once made.

The formation of rigidity begins in childhood. This leads to excessive requirements for the child, distrust of his actions, the manifestation of parental aggression. The baby has a fear of coming to the wrong result. He wants to constantly demonstrate his importance, strives for absolute primacy.

It is generally accepted that rigidity is a flaw that impedes personal self-realization. People with moderate rigid thinking have good performance, the ability to seize leadership. Rigid people are suitable for exact sciences.They make wonderful accountants, economists, financiers, and mathematicians. They do a good job of monotonous work with the same type of documents or on the conveyor.

Among rigid people, adherents of a healthy lifestyle are often found. Such individuals are willing to eat wholesome but tasteless food. Adolescent girls with aggression perceive improper nutrition and can bring themselves to anorexia. Pure rigidity can greatly complicate a person’s life. High rigidity is often a source of excessive conflict and obsession with paranoid ideas.

Rigid individuals find it difficult to adapt to the environment. They are suspicious of other people, distrustful. They use caution everywhere because of fear that someone might trick them. Self-esteem is usually overstated. Any criticism in relation to one's own person causes severe irritation.

Although they themselves are quite harshly speaking about others. Interaction with people is often done through rivalry. Seeking help is extremely rare. Usually they solve all problems themselves. They do not share their troubles with loved ones.

Outwardly, they try to remain calm, convince themselves that the events around them do not concern them. Under insensibility are vulnerable individuals hiding their spiritual experiences from prying eyes.

This mental type is characterized by the following qualities:

• adherence to established rules;
• the inability to abandon long-term habits;
• unwillingness to admit own mistakes;
• inability to analyze your behavior;
• excessive stubbornness;
• strong emotionality;
• increased sensitivity;
• great suggestibility;
• excessive conservatism;
• rejection and fear of technical innovations;
• inability to adjust their actions;
• diligence and hard work;
• pedantry and accuracy;
• thoroughness;
• ability to organize material.

Rigid personalities are characterized by common sense and cold calculation. They love punctuality, but they themselves are often late due to protracted gatherings and preparations. The stereotype of thinking deprives them of the opportunity to improve themselves. The development of new technologies is influenced by an authoritative opinion, and not through their experience. Rigid individuals are prone to paranoid disorders.

From a behavioral perspective in a conflict setting This type is distinguished by the complexity of nature. You can give an example: a rigid person is set up for a tough conversation, and the opponent shows restraint, calmness and politeness. It is difficult for a subject set up for conflict to cope with his rudeness and move on to a peaceful dialogue.

The surging emotions are reflected in his behavior. He is always dissatisfied. All surrounding things, people, events are criticized and masterfully depreciated by a rigid subject. He is able to split the team into warring groups. A rigid person blocks the manifestation of his love and affection for loved ones, is afraid to reveal himself to others and cannot fully accept their tender emotions because of fear of flaunting his sensitivity.

In people with rigid thinking lack of flexibility in terms of adjusting their actions in changing circumstances, which significantly reduces the chances of adaptation in extreme or unusual conditions. They constantly exhibit conservative behavior. Any changes in the situation cause rejection and introduce them into a stupor.

Rigid thought process has some characteristic features:

• the stability of beliefs, moral attitudes is not subject to outside influence;
• lack of plasticity in moments of changing circumstances, inability to accept the facts of change and rebuild thinking;
• obstinacy, self-righteousness, upholding one's own, including incorrect, point of view;
• the inability to objectively criticize criticism addressed to most rigid personalities;
• Excessive impression from the most insignificant events can cause severe shocks that cannot be hidden from prying eyes.

A rigid person, having chosen a certain role for himself, does not want to consider all the others. For example, he is aiming for a career. His thoughts are completely focused on moving up the career ladder. The subject does not see himself as the head of the family or a good athlete. One-sided thinking does not allow a person to start a family, get carried away by any sport.

Pending universal acceptance in one area, other areas remain on the sidelines. Rigid thinking leads to exhaustion, separation from reality, deterioration in relationships and problems associated with self-esteem.

Rigidity, lack of plasticity of a mental act is reflected in speech. Sometimes, speech rigidity means slow speech, filled with frequent pauses and parasitic words. Rigid speech process is characterized by the use of monotonous words, template expressions, stamped phrases.

The reasons may be the difficulty of switching attention at the moments of communication, the low speed of mental transition from one subject to another object, unconscious imitation of other people's conversations, poverty of vocabulary. Features of temperament can also affect speech behavior.

In psychology, 3 types of rigid personality are known.

It is difficult for people with rigid mental activity to master and apply innovative technologies. New information is perceived by them through power. They do not correct previously verified schemes in accordance with constantly updated information. A new plan is not foreseen. It is difficult for the owner of this mental type to look at the world from a different angle. Independent decision making is beyond his power.

Excessive focus on any phenomenon or subject does not allow rigid people to catch the connection between real events and fantasy. The subject follows the path of a previously tested algorithm, including previous experience with experienced experiences. The tendency to loop in one object or action often leads to being stuck on obsessions, to psychopathy.

It is not typical for rigid personalities to acquire new motives. It is difficult for them to abandon previously established needs and methods for their satisfaction. The recognition of one's own mistake and its correction are given with great difficulty, as is the knowledge of the unknown sides of life. There is no desire to adjust any motivation in solving previously set tasks. For example, a bankrupt entrepreneur by inertia continues to live in a big way, wallowing in debt and credit.

Psychologists identify rigidity of thinking during a conversation. Individuals with its high degree switch heavily to another topic. It’s hard for them to keep in touch. Rigid people need a clear statement of the question to which a concrete answer sounds without slipping off the topic. Phrases are pronounced slowly, because they mentally analyze all the information. Their answers are logically based.

By testing, they obtain the characteristics characteristic of a rigid personality:

• the duration of the sensation from any stimulus;
• long experience of past events;
• problems with the revision of habitual motor actions;
• unpreparedness for change to achieve any goal;
• obsession of ideas.

Correcting the behavior of a rigid personality is difficult. The time-consuming process can have an effect only with the competent approach of the psychotherapist to the patient. A person must be sure that rational ideas come from himself, and not from a specialist.

To develop the flexibility of thinking, restructuring of neural connections is necessary. An individual is able to push boundaries, expand his horizons by gaining access to the outside world, increasing his own living space. To do this, you need to reconsider your previous installations. It is necessary to recall the rejected desires and study the new possible resource for their fulfillment. You need to try to look at the situation with a fresh look and evaluate it from this position.

It’s important for a person to learn how to concentrate on the thought that everything is happening here and now. A gradual departure from the system of prevailing stereotypes occurs only among those who are skilled at acting in the current time period. You should regularly reflect on current events and those that have remained in the past. In this case, understanding may come that life experience and theoretical attitudes are not always suitable for a particular situation.

The ability to adapt to circumstances is more beneficial.. Developing your own strategy, new formulas based on old knowledge makes it possible to achieve significant heights.