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Are you a linear or a lateral thinker?

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Are you a linear or a lateral thinker?

Postby Niki » Thu Nov 29, 2007 9:01 pm

This forum is a great example of the difference between linear and lateral thinkers.

"The differentiation between linear and lateral thinking can be best described with examples. The linear thinker moves one mental step at a time down the path of logic, consuming and digesting each piece of information before moving to the next.

The lateral thinker (also known as branching logic) pursues multiple paths of information gathering and processing simultaneously, bringing all relevant parts together at the end.

Linear thinkers tend to be left brain dominant while lateral thinkers tend to be right brain dominant. Our educational systems have traditionally
valued and encouraged left brain development and linear thinking patterns while dismissing right brain development and lateral thinking patterns.

Conversely, we tend to think of linear processors as "slow" because they
often take more time to reflect before speaking and work through an issue fully before acting. Lateral processors are often "quick" and respond much sooner to a stimulus than their linear counterparts. They
often make more mistakes and are generally risk takers."


I am a lateral thinker. I know this as my working life has been involved in the creative industry where lateral or creative thinking is essential and it's something you look for in designers. I look for inspiration for ideas from anywhere and 'throw' these ideas down. Reason and logic comes later.

Accountants tend to think in a linear way, numbers have to add up! (unless you are 'creatively' fixing the figures!). Scientists also are linear thinkers reasoning out facts and results in an ordered way although scientists who find cures must have to also think laterally.

Some members 'throw' their thoughts down while others reason thoughts out in a logical and ordered post. Both are good, just different!
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Postby phoenix » Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:01 pm

Niki . . . you forgot to give a reference for your quote . . . :D

I assume this is an offshoot of GR!'s reversal of MENSA (ASNEM).

Measures of intelligence / creativity do not start and stop with lateral and linear thinking.

For real out of the box thinking, try "non-linear" thinking:

http://www.nonlinearthinking.com/what.htm

Emotional intelligence and male - female brain differences are also relevant.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/news/pag ... 43,00.html
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Postby Niki » Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:13 pm

phoenix wrote:I assume this is an offshoot of GR!'s reversal of MENSA (ASNEM).

No, nothing to do with it. That was a dumb blonde moment on my part. :oops:

phoenix wrote:Measures of intelligence do not start and stop with lateral and linear thinking.


My point exactly.

phoenix wrote:For real out of the box thinking, try "non-linear" thinking:

http://www.nonlinearthinking.com/what.htm

Emotional intelligence and male - female brain differences are also relevant.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/news/pag ... 43,00.html[/quote


I'll give it a go. :D

In any environment you need both kinds of people. It would be either really dull or total chaos otherwise.
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Postby Sotos » Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:19 pm

You can either be logical or illogical. If you come to some conclusion then you should know exactly why and how. If you know you are logical if you don't know you are not ;)
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Postby Niki » Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:27 pm

Sotos wrote:You can either be logical or illogical. If you come to some conclusion then you should know exactly why and how. If you know you are logical if you don't know you are not ;)


I agree ....... I think. :?
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Postby boomerang » Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:32 pm

I could fit in both categories...
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Postby phoenix » Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:42 pm

Niki wrote:
phoenix wrote:I assume this is an offshoot of GR!'s reversal of MENSA (ASNEM).

No, nothing to do with it. That was a dumb blonde moment on my part. :oops:

phoenix wrote:Measures of intelligence do not start and stop with lateral and linear thinking.


My point exactly.

phoenix wrote:For real out of the box thinking, try "non-linear" thinking:

http://www.nonlinearthinking.com/what.htm

Emotional intelligence and male - female brain differences are also relevant.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/news/pag ... 43,00.html[/quote


I'll give it a go. :D

In any environment you need both kinds of people. It would be either really dull or total chaos otherwise.



The (thinking) World is not made up of only two types of people (that really would be dull).

Cognitive processing is a whole mixture of hormonally and biochemically controlled reactions. Factors such as diet, genes, environment, mood, age play the biggest part in the outcome of a thinking reaction.

Indeed most people do all of the above to solve different challenges. Knowing which to apply is of interest and where training for a job comes into play.

Therefore people can't be defined by a type of thinking, since different styles of thinking can be utilised by most, at any time.

The only pure extreme of one "type" of thinking process so far identified is Autism . . . which lacks the emotional element.
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Postby zan » Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:52 pm

Surely a lateral thinker takes ALL the linear roads to reach a conclusion. :shock:
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Postby Niki » Fri Nov 30, 2007 8:02 am

phoenix wrote:
Niki wrote:
phoenix wrote:I assume this is an offshoot of GR!'s reversal of MENSA (ASNEM).

No, nothing to do with it. That was a dumb blonde moment on my part. :oops:

phoenix wrote:Measures of intelligence do not start and stop with lateral and linear thinking.


My point exactly.

phoenix wrote:For real out of the box thinking, try "non-linear" thinking:

http://www.nonlinearthinking.com/what.htm

Emotional intelligence and male - female brain differences are also relevant.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/news/pag ... 43,00.html[/quote


I'll give it a go. :D

In any environment you need both kinds of people. It would be either really dull or total chaos otherwise.



The (thinking) World is not made up of only two types of people (that really would be dull).

Cognitive processing is a whole mixture of hormonally and biochemically controlled reactions. Factors such as diet, genes, environment, mood, age play the biggest part in the outcome of a thinking reaction.

Indeed most people do all of the above to solve different challenges. Knowing which to apply is of interest and where training for a job comes into play.

Therefore people can't be defined by a type of thinking, since different styles of thinking can be utilised by most, at any time.

The only pure extreme of one "type" of thinking process so far identified is Autism . . . which lacks the emotional element.


Of course there are all types of people, lateral, linear and all shades of grey inbetween. My line of work however does highlight the differences in people more than most.

My point in this post is that there is no right or wrong way to write posts. Whether the comment is impulsive or carefully researched and logical they are all relevant. If anyone feels like making an 'emotional' comment without the need to support it with logic then that should be accepted.

zan wrote:Surely a lateral thinker takes ALL the linear roads to reach a conclusion. :shock:


That is a sad fact.... I love the creative part of my role but I do have to back it up with logic which is the bit I hate. If I really like a piece of creativity I will try to 'shoe-horn' logic behind it so the client accepts the idea. I'll give you a couple of examples.

A few years ago another design agency wanted to launch the Harvey's Bristol Cream sherry in a blue bottle. The agency was so convinced this lateral thinking was right (with no proven logic behind this gut reaction) they commissioned focus groups 6 times who all said they they hated it as sherry should be traditional and in a brown bottle until one finally liked it. They then used only this result to support the launch and it was a huge success.

Another 'story' was when an advertising agency was pitching for the British Rail account who are notoriously bad at customer service. When British Rail executives arrived at the agency office they walked into a deserted reception that had tatty stained furniture, overflowing ashtrays and dirty coffee cups. They waited for a long time until they were on the point of storming out in disgust when the Creative Director finally joined them, said "now you know what it feels like for your customers. Lets talk!" and won the pitch.

This forum is a bit of light relief for me (apart from when GR slags me off) so I really don't feel like having to force the linear side of me out here! 8)
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Postby Filitsa » Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:22 am

Creativity indeed involves linear thinking. Simply put, one must acquire knowledge to understand, understand in order to apply, apply in order to analyze, analyze in order to evaluate, and evaluate in order to create.

http://www.apa.org/ed/new_blooms.html
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