Verbal and non-verbal thinking: features, differences and development

Each person in his thought process relies on visual images, uses certain concepts or concepts. In addition, he is able to think with words. Thus, people use both ways of thinking: with a non-verbal and verbal component.

All people think of the same action, phenomenon or subject in different ways. Each intellectual style of thinking directly depends on the ability to think with the use of visual images (non-verbal type) or abstract sign structures (verbal form).

In psychology, it is believed that verbal (abstract) and non-verbal (spatial) thinking depends on the type of intelligence. Verbal intelligence allows an individual to systematize and carefully analyze acquired knowledge with the help of a set of words, to master reading, written and oral speech. It reflects verbal-logical thinking. Nonverbal intelligence operates on spatial objects and visual images.

Both types of thinking are interconnected. A decrease in one of them affects the other species. Underdeveloped verbal thinking is reflected in the perception and understanding of information. The low level of non-verbal thought process inhibits the development of speech. For example, if a person is poorly oriented when recognizing the shape, size and ratio of an object, then he can get confused in letters similar in image.

This type of mental act is based on the basis of visual objects. With it, a person can find the similarities and differences of the depicted objects and accurately determine their position.Representation of objects and visual-sensual images arise in the process of perception.

The basis of this type of mental activity is speech. It can be carried out in the process of internal or external reflection. It is human nature to reflect the objective world in verbal form. Good command of the word enables a person to convey the desired thought to another person. The inability to express your thoughts in words makes it difficult to contact with others.

People with well-developed verbal-logical mental activity have a flexible mind, can easily switch from one task to the solution of another problem. They have a rich imagination and a high emotional level, are free to operate with concepts, judgments and conclusions.

Psychologists believe that it is difficult for people with non-verbal thinking to cope even with the simplest tasks presented in symbolic form. Individuals with a verbal type of mental activity hard-to-reach tasks requiring the operation of visual images. But they have the ability to learn foreign languages.

People with non-verbal thinking have inclinations in the field of drawing and painting. They are well versed in diagrams and drawings, can create various designs. With visual thinking in the human brain structures, clear images of objects and phenomena emerge, with a verbal thought process - abstract sign structures.

Thinking is formed in the process of communicating with other people. Both types of thinking facilitate the transfer of information from one person to another. Non-verbal communication is carried out using sign language, facial expressions and movements. Verbal-speech forms are created through language constructions.

Speech activity is carried out verbally and in writing in the form of a monologue or dialogue. For its implementation It is important to study the grammatical and syntactic features of the language, to master the lexical (vocabulary) composition.

Verbal thinking helps people to learn and improve themselves, communicate and interact with other people. It must be developed in children from infancy. Visual-figurative thinking is characteristic of kids, that is, the non-verbal component prevails. Young children pay attention to external and often insignificant symptoms. Inability to express one's thoughts in words means that the verbal image has not yet been formed.

For the development of the verbal-logical thinking process, preschoolers need to be offered to compose fairy tales, solve riddles, and retell cartoons. They must solve simple logical puzzles, explain the meaning of sayings and proverbs. Over time, the child gains the ability to retell the meaning of the information received. Further education depends on the level prevailing at a young age. The sooner the formation of verbal thinking begins, the easier it is for the child to learn the material.

The development of mental activity in primary schoolchildren goes through a number of stages.

• First, children build their conclusions on the basis of visual assumptions obtained directly in observation.
• Then the conclusions are created on the basis of abstract postulates. At the same time, schoolchildren rely on familiar examples and visual material.
• And finally, students learn how to self-summarize data and extract relevant conclusions.

The effectiveness of passing through all stages directly depends on the development of verbal thinking.The child’s speech is influenced by communication with others. The development of speech is reflected in the formation of the thought process. There are many effective ways to improve it. Simple group games are well suited for children and adults.

• The organization of thoughts with the help of clustering involves the selection of topics that are fixed on a leaflet and framed. Then the associations and emotions associated with the word are recorded. Each of them is enclosed in a frame and the arrows indicate the relationship between them.
• Explaining the meaning of the word to an alien is an effective exercise for developing the verbal thought process. Game participants are invited to present a conversation with an alien creature. It is necessary in an accessible language to disclose the content of a phenomenon or object. They begin by explaining the meaning of simple words such as “bee”, “honey”, “flight”. Then they take more complex concepts: “success”, “luck”, “happiness”.
• Tongue twisters acquaint with the richness of the Russian language, help to feel the beauty of pure speech, to penetrate into new poetic images. To improve verbal thinking, it is recommended to invent a continuation of 3-4 tongue twisters. The collective game is based on the transmission of tongue twisters in a chain. This kind of thinking is well developed by independent inventing a new tongue twister.
• Dissent involves renaming an item. For example, a cabinet is a storage, a radio is a loudspeaker. Non-existent words are allowed. It is best to complete the task during the competitive game. The team that composes the most words for the subject wins.
• There is an abbreviation game. In advance, any not too long words are written on the cards, acting as an abbreviation. Players are pulling one of them. After a minute, a decryption of the word is issued. For example, as a result, the composed phrase may look like this: “fountain” - the magician originally sawed fragrant daffodils in tubes.
• An internal dialogue with oneself in various everyday situations trains the verbal thought act well. The presence of an internal interlocutor can be when cleaning the apartment, cooking, choosing clothes for a walk.
• Practice reading accompanied by the coverage of a large review of words, contributes to the development of this type of thinking.
• Chess make the person to think and calculate the moves a few steps forward.