Divergent thinking is about perceiving a situation or solving a problem in non-conventional ways. Are you a divergent thinker?
Creativity, as well as intelligence, is a general human feature. All people have a certain level of creativity. Most have medium-level creativity, but only a few people are very creative or lack any creativity.
Creativity and the ways in which it can be cultivated become a central subject of psychology. Edward De Bono (1967) introduced the term divergent thinking (lateral thinking) and developed the theory of the six thinking hats (white, red, black, yellow, blue, and green).
De Bono argued that having divergent or either lateral or creative thinking means seeing and perceiving a situation in different ways. It means to restructure the old patterns, escape from the usual, and build new models of thinking.
Divergent thinking is not only about generating new ideas but also triggering conflicts between opposing ideas, between old and new ideas. Someone who thinks this way works through leaps, not through “small steps”; they operate not only with relevant elements but also with the irrelevant ones.
Finally, this type of thinking means allowing the spontaneous elements of thought to influence a systematic way of thinking or vice versa.
De Bono also claims that each one of us wears predominantly a certain thinking hat and that the green hat is specific to those who have developed divergent thinking.
As seen, creative thinking is by nature associated with divergent thinking because they both are about embracing new ideas and searching for as many solutions as you can. It is easy to see that this type of thinking means openness to new opportunities and a bunch of options that are not seen at first glance, but they are discovered along the way.
We cannot say that divergent thinking is always more beneficial than convergent one because balance is the key. It is best to integrate both approaches and have a flexible attitude.
Researchers say that 72% of people have creative shower insights, and being naked under a stream of hot water, leaving your thoughts to roam freely, is one of the best creativity exercises but also an excellent incubator of ideas.
After all, studies claim that there is a strong link between creativity and various solitary activities (dreaming with open eyes, meditation, solitary walks, etc.).
No matter how productive we are in the team, nothing compares with work and thought in moments of loneliness.
Studies have shown that the most creative and imaginative networks that are set up in the brain function at optimum capacity when we are alone. Namely, in these moments we are able to engage in what neuropsychologists call the constructive internal state of mind, a decisive mental state that generates ideas and creativity.
When we are disconnected from the outside world, our brain is able to establish connections, crystallize memories, and process information.
From a neuroscientific point of view, the link between opening up to new experiences, learning new information, and creative thinking has long been confirmed. Exploration, motivation, and learning are related to dopamine neurotransmitter activity, which also facilitates psychological plasticity, exploration, and flexible engagement in new activities.
Kaufman and Gregoire, authors of the “Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind,” claim that the tendency to explore in its many forms may be the most important factor in personal development.
Intuition is also a form of creativity. According to a study published in 1992 in the American Psychology journal, unconscious and subconscious processes may be faster and structurally more sophisticated than conscious cognitive processes.
Take a situation or a problem and write your opinion on it. Then do not be limited and ask yourself questions such as,
Think of a problem, then open a random book and choose 3 words. Write them down, then ask yourself “How can I associate these words with my problem and what solutions can I see here?”
When you go through a more difficult time, take two steps back and imagine you are looking at the matter from afar. Now that you have the big picture, what new interpretations and solutions can you see?
Think about a goal and search for as many ideas as possible to accomplish, even if they sound crazy at first.
Take a paper and write down everything that comes to your mind without analyzing it. Just allow your mind to freely express itself.
Remember that everything is possible, which means that there are multiple ways to reach your goal or accomplish your dreams.
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