Convergent thought is not always a bad strategy. Sometimes there is only one answer to a question. Students will solve problems better and more creatively if they learn divergent thinking rather than its convergent counterpart. Do you remember studying hard for an exam and then finding that your brain is completely blank once the exam begins? Maybe your brain starts worrying about failing and instead of thinking of the solution. You might feel faint or your heart racing uncontrollably. You may have exam anxiety if this is you.
Sitting exams can cause stress for most people. Even a little bit of stress can help you perform better. Exam anxiety is something else. It is anxiety about exams that is so intense, distressing, and can even cause you to lose your ability to perform well. Exam anxiety can be described as intense fear, both Autism Psychologist Perth during and prior to an exam. J.P. Guilford, an American psychologist is often credited with inventing the terms divergent thought and convergent think back in 1956. The term lateral thinking is used to describe the former, although it is also sometimes called the “different thinking” by Edward de Bono (a Maltese author) who is often credited as having coined that term in 1967.
What is divergent thought in psychology? Divergent thinking in psychology is defined as using the mind in innovative, free-flowing methods to solve problems and come up with multiple creative solutions. Divergent thinking is defined as “thinking out of the box”, and involves the free-flowing of ideas and spontaneity. Divergent thinking is a valuable strategy for solving various problems. Of all the divergent thinking methods, brainstorming is the most widely used. The ability to come up with a practically infinite number possible solutions is a key component of divergent thinking.
Sending open-ended questions to your social media followers is one modern example of divergent thinking. Isla, a room decorator extraordinaire, has gained quite a following on YouTube. On her YouTube page, she asks for suggestions on the best colors to decorate a living space. After receiving thousands of responses, she creates follow-up videos that are related to those comments.
At the opposite end of polar spectrum is convergent thought. This involves looking at a problem and finding a finite amount of solutions or, in some cases, one and only one solution. This type tends to be more focused on efficiency, logic, speedy results and free-flowing ideas than free-flowing ones. Instead of looking in multiple directions, this type of thinking is more linear. The thought process tends instead to look at certainty rather than the wide variety of possible outcomes.
While it may not always be true, it is important to remember that introverts are more inclined to convergent thinking and extroverts to divergent thinking. However, this does not mean that one style of thinking is superior to another. Each style is unique, but both can be used as viable thinking strategies. Divergent thinking can also be applied to real-life cases. Walt Disney has its Imagineers, who have developed new rides and attractions throughout the years. The unique seven-step “Experience by Design”, collaboration approach of the team includes their unique seven steps