What is the difference between the concepts of intelligence thinking. The connection between thinking and intelligence
And intelligence in psychology - terms that are very close to each other in their very essence, and reflect different sides of one general concept. Intelligence is the ability of a person to carry out thinking. And thinking is the process of perception, reaction and comprehension. And yet, there is a difference: thinking is characteristic of every person, but intelligence is not.
Human thinking and intellect
To date, there is no single definition of the word intelligence, and each specialist tends to describe it with some difference. The most popular definition of intelligence is the ability to solve mental problems.
In the well-known "cubic" model of D. Gilford, intelligence is described by three categories:
- content - what we think about;
- operations - how we think about it;
- results - what we get as a result of mental activity.
This shows that the ratio of thinking and intelligence is very close, intelligence is built on a person's ability to think. And if productive thinking gives results, then we can talk about intelligence.
What does the development of intelligence depend on?If we do not consider cases where the violation of thinking and intelligence is a consequence of injury or disease, in normal conditions in a person with childhood is developing. The speed of its development depends on innate factors, upbringing and the environment in which it grows.
The concept of "congenital factors" includes heredity, the mother's lifestyle during pregnancy ( bad habits, stress, taking antibiotics, etc.). However, this determines only the initial potential, and its further path determines how developed the rudiments of intellect will be in it. A child who reads, analyzes information, communicates with developed children can develop intelligence more than those who grow up in an unfavorable environment.
Thinking and intelligence
Introduction
The world is becoming increasingly complex, and in order to quickly adapt to new conditions, each of us needs to learn how to use our brains to the fullest.
But how much do we know about the interaction of this amazing organ with the surrounding reality? Whether you wake up from a dream, digest information, plan for the future, love or suffer - it all happens in your head.
human brain- an amazing organ, but, alas, almost half of the population developed countries complains about the deterioration of his work. Do you notice anything? Do you remember what you did last Saturday? Do you know by heart the birthdays of all your relatives? And - what is very important - you do something to develop your creativity?
Our brain consists of approximately 100 billion nerve cells, between which literally hundreds of thousands of electrical impulses jump every millisecond (1/1000 s). Contrary to popular belief, there is absolutely no reason for their performance to gradually deteriorate with age.
What happens in the human brain when it solves a complex problem? Is it true that smart people achieve more in life than stupid people?
Not so long ago, biologists, doctors and psychologists launched a new attack on the mysteries of the brain.
1.What is intelligence? What does IQ say?
Intelligence is a set of human mental abilities that ensure the success of his cognitive activity.
Thinking is the process of reflecting in the human mind the general properties of objects and phenomena, as well as the connections and relationships between them. Thinking is a process of mediated and generalized cognition of reality.
For decades, IQ has been considered the main measure of ability. However, it is now known that perseverance, self-discipline and emotional stability are more important for solving complex problems.
These features are mostly innate, but they can be developed by education.
The human mind is undoubtedly the most amazing achievement of evolution, the product of millions of years of brain development.
Its unique properties are manifested not only in the invention of machines and the creation of literary, musical and other masterpieces.
No less striking are the signs of the mind that do not require any effort or preparation from us - for example, laughter in response to a joke.
“I would like to look at a computer program for a sense of humor,” ironically Douglas Hofstadter, an American psychologist and author of the popular book Gödel, Escher, Bach: Eternal Golden Weaving. “That would be a serious bid for intelligence.”
Everyone wants to be thought smart and hear the same about their children.
However, intelligence is not inherited, that is, it does not depend on, say, the IQ of parents.
Geneticists believe that chromosomes determine our intelligence by 30 percent; the rest is the influence of the environment. However, the dispute about the ratio of innate and acquired in a person is a waste of time, reminiscent of a dispute about what is more important for a tree - climate or soil.
No one knows what factors and in what way form the consciousness of a person.
No one can explain what intelligence is: scientists offer various definitions and criteria. However, in practice, this unique human trait is quantified in several ways.
The subjects are offered to continue the digital series, complete the figure, compare the drawings, draw a logical conclusion, and the like.
According to special formulas and tables, the results of these tests are summarized into a single indicator - the intelligence quotient, or IQ.
But is it possible to measure what is not defined? And, importantly, how versatile is IQ? Does it allow comparison different people? Indeed, for many of us, abstract logic is far from the main thing in life.
What percentage of something as complex as intelligence measures IQ?
He, for example, says nothing about our learning ability. This is bad, because sometimes more depends on a person’s potential than on the level he has reached.
Therefore, a high IQ, contrary to popular belief, does not guarantee academic or professional success.
Recognizing that IQ is not informative, many large firms test their employees in special centers where they are asked to solve a series of behavioral tasks that mimic work situations.
Usually such a check lasts two days and takes a lot of effort. It is mainly about role playing, in which the subject acts as a boss or subordinate and must agree on something, quickly resolve issues, find mutual language with colleagues and even make paper models of cars with them.
The jury assesses his abilities according to various criteria, including understanding, leadership style, self-discipline, self-confidence (“assertiveness”).
2. Way to success, creativity
intelligence thinking brain divergent
Traits such as self-discipline, perseverance or ambition are not assessed by IQ, and they are often more important for success in life than pure intelligence.
Remember school or college friends. Everyone will find examples of how an honor student and class leader became an inconspicuous employee, and a loser and slow-witted person, who painfully overcame years of study, turned into a successful businessman, politician, and even scientist.
Can't any of us name a person who is by no means brilliant, but who has settled down superbly in life - a decent job, a happy marriage, numerous friends, obedient children, useful acquaintances? Why such situations - almost a rule?
Intelligence researcher Robert Sternberg tried to answer this question using a parable about two school friends who are very different in character and temperament.
One is considered smart by parents, teachers and friends, and there is every reason for this. His excellent grades and excellent recommendations are the way to a successful career. The second boy's head is far from being so bright. The marks are average, but he has enough common sense and in general he is “on his mind”
Some friends are walking through the forest and suddenly they notice a very hungry and angry bear nearby. The first boy quickly figures out that the beast will overtake them in a maximum of a minute, and falls into a panic. And the second calmly takes off his rubber boots and puts on sneakers. “What a fool you are,” the first shouts desperately. “A man runs slower than a bear.” “I know,” replies the second. “But the main thing for me is to run faster than you.”
The first boy is able to quickly analyze the problem, but his intelligence stops there. The second thinks not so much in depth as in breadth - makes a creative decision, adequately responding to an unusual situation. He demonstrates the so-called practical mind (wit, cunning), that is, a combination of prudence and imagination that helps to achieve the goal.
The ability to be creative, to shape fantasy into logical constructions, obviously depends on sensory experience.
The interaction of individual experiences with what is commonly called intellect is most interesting to study on the example of geniuses, that is, highly gifted individuals.
For example, the Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali (1904-1989), who became famous for his delusional images, executed in a detailed "photographic" style, was sometimes inspired by the changing forms of clouds.
Even the Nobel laureate, the great physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955) admitted that he did not like formulas. For him, fantastic ideas such as traveling on a beam of light were of decisive importance.
3. Emotions and thoughts
There are no thoughts without emotions. They are inseparable, like two sides of a coin. This allowed Jean Piaget (1896-1980), a Swiss psychologist and pioneer in the study of the intellectual development of children, to speak of a "logic of emotions".
In his opinion, they serve as the engine and conductor of our thought processes, sensations and actions.
It is they who evaluate what is happening in the head and select what exactly to keep in memory.
Events associated with strong feelings or sensory impressions are more easily remembered.
That is why we "live" mainly in the emotional moments of our past.
This selective memory is formed very early. Between the 6th and 20th months of life, a child develops strong emotional bonds with parents and other important people. If this does not happen, a person runs the risk of remaining lonely until the end of his days. Love, as you know, can not be learned from books - it must be experienced.
For an infant, it is tantamount to the certainty that he will cling to his mother's breast at any moment. Then she begins to be associated with caresses and kisses.
Over time, a person includes in its definition such concepts as admiration, pride, condescension, friendship.
4. How many minds do we have?
We have a second type of intelligence that is not measured by IQ tests. The German writer Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1749-1832) wrote about the "education of the heart".
Now it is customary to talk about emotional intelligence (EQ). It includes such human qualities as empathy (the ability to understand the state of another), self-confidence, emotional self-control, character, tact, receptivity.
At the same time, IQ and EQ are not proportional to each other - one has enough of everything, the other lacks one type of intelligence, and the third lacks both at once.
The main property of EQ is the ability to evaluate one's own emotional condition"look inside yourself". It is closely related to understanding and controlling one's behavior.
A developed EQ can be called a “cold head with a hot heart”: even when very worried, a person does not allow feelings to influence the quality of his decisions.
This property is vital for psychotherapists and philosophers, who, by occupation, must dispassionately interpret their own and other people's experiences.
A special type of EQ is important for politicians, religious leaders and educators. To work with people, they constantly need to put themselves in their place - to capture the mood, temperament, motives and goals of others, to compare their emotions with their own.
In other words, "inward looking" must be combined with "outward looking" - a quality sometimes referred to as social intelligence.
According to the American professor of psychology Howard Gardner, a person has at least seven types of "mental abilities".
We have already mentioned two aspects of social intelligence. You can add the following "talents" to them.
Speech abilities are a universal feature that characterizes people of any culture, regardless of their level of development. Linguistic intelligence is especially important for poets, screenwriters, publishers and public speakers.
Man differs from other animals in the ability to speak, to express his thoughts. By what and how it is said, one can judge the feelings of the speaker. Thinking is impossible without speech, but it is inextricably linked with emotions.
The logical-mathematical apparatus is also characteristic of all of us, even those who do not know how to count.
Spatial orientation is another intellectual ability that is very important in any society. Without it, people would not only get lost on the high seas, but would not even get home from work. This quality is especially developed among sculptors, architects, and cartographers.
Physical-kinesthetic intelligence is a special type of mind. It allows us to assimilate the most diverse movements. The ability to ride a bicycle or crochet remains with a person for the rest of his life.
Finally there is the Musical Intelligence. A musician lives in each of us - we easily turn sounds and rhythms into melodies. Those who are especially gifted can use special tools for this.
5. Thinking, fighting chaos
Have you ever had this: you don’t know where to start from?
If so, then it's time to think about more effective problem-solving strategies. Learn to look at them in the root.
Margarita lives with her family in the suburbs of the metropolis. On weekdays, she has to wake everyone up, feed breakfast, take her husband Anton to work, her eldest daughter Marina to school, her youngest Arina to kindergarten, and be at her office by 9.00. How can a person be so successful? Breakfast alone takes up a lot of time, especially if family members have different needs: Anton wants coffee, Marina likes scrambled eggs, and Arina wants a chocolate breakfast.
In general, this is a matter of organization: acting according to the plan, Margarita keeps everything under control. However, every evening she carefully considers the next day. If you plan on the go in the morning, problems will simply overwhelm you with a stormy stream, leaving no time to think.
You will have to switch to emergency mode, that is, choose not to best option and the lesser of evils.
What exactly does Margarita do? Firstly, everything that is possible is cooked in the evening. Secondly, something is done at the same time: while the water boils, the eggs are fried and the milk is heated. While the coffee and eggs are cooling down, the ready-made breakfast is mixed and the sausage is cut. Thirdly, there is a system of priorities. First, the youngest is brought to the kindergarten, so the children are accepted very early, then the eldest goes to school, then the husband goes to work.
Margarita keeps her entire schedule in her head. She perfectly remembers what is important, what can wait, and what is not necessary at all.
In her schedule, she singled out constants and variables, not forgetting to leave a "reserve" for unforeseen circumstances.
Margarita simplifies her life, not only getting rid of unnecessary everyday troubles, but also constantly improving and extending to others a winning strategy that is suitable for any, including much more stressful situations.
Without this or that “management”, it is difficult to cope even with everyday affairs, not to mention family holidays or trips.
Experts believe that organizing a noisy birthday party with many guests is comparable in complexity to the work of the director of a large company.
6. Monks from Varanasi
According to this legend, in the temple of the North Indian city of Varanasi, monks from time immemorial have been fiddling with a pyramid of 64 gold plates, folded in descending order of size - the largest at the bottom, the smallest at the top.
They must move this structure to another place, but with the condition that only one plate can be dragged at a time. True, it is allowed to use a third point as a transshipment point. However, in any case, the plates should be stacked on top of each other in descending order of size, that is, the smaller one on top of the larger one, and, of course, be removed only from above.
An ancient prophecy says that when the monks complete this work, their temple will turn to dust, and the Earth will dissolve into nothingness. But when will the world end?
This question interested the French mathematician Edouard Luc, he carried out the corresponding calculations and obtained an accurate result. If one transfer of each plate takes only a second, from the beginning to the end of the fateful manipulations should take about 580 million years.
About 100 years ago, the legend of the golden plates of the monks from Varanasi gave rise to the still popular board game called the Tower of Hanoi.
She exists in different options but they have the same essence. And the conclusion is also unambiguous: the seemingly overwhelming problem is eventually resolved, and this is not done immediately, but gradually, step by step.
If the number of plates is reduced to two, the task is extremely simplified. anyone can solve it in three moves - if, of course, he does the first of them correctly.
Game situations are in many ways similar to real ones. First of all, one must always clearly separate the main from the secondary. Since each little thing often brings with it a new task, there is a danger in the search for ever-increasing side solutions that the goal is so deviated from the goal that it completely disappears from sight.
Our brain automatically develops the optimal strategy for solving a problem, given fallback options. Usually people use schemes that have already brought success in similar situations. Often we are not even aware of the stereotype of our choice.
However, than more active person recalls past experience, the better he understands what to do in a given situation, since the problems in our life, whatever one may say, are quite the same type.
If you don’t think through the first step properly, you will have an extra headache. Unfortunately, there is no perfect recipe for all diseases. Each of us has our own approach to solving complex problems.
Depending on the situation, different strategies bring success.
The conclusion is obvious: the more of their options are prepared in reserve, the higher the chances optimal way get out of a difficult situation
7. Out of the box thinking. A new look at old problems
The invention of the bicycle was undoubtedly a major technical achievement. However, in early models, the pedals were attached directly to the axle, and you had to turn your feet too fast.
The way out was found in a strong increase in the front wheel, which raised the rider high above the ground. The speed of movement, of course, increased, but the car became too bulky and unsafe for mass use.
The appearance of chain transmission at the end of the 19th century solved the problem. Each of us now and then encounters such a “revolution in consciousness” in our own lives.
Knurled schemes do not always allow you to achieve the intended goal. Applying them, you become more and more entangled in the complexities and are already ready to recognize the problem as unsolvable. However, sooner or later a completely new way comes to mind. Often the solution is right in front of us, but we simply do not notice it.
The car does not start, the computer is weird, the annoying client does not allow it to work normally. It is not necessary to count on help, but it is necessary to solve the problem as soon as possible. How often in such situations we do not notice the forest behind the trees: the way out is obvious, but we are so accustomed to old door that don't even look in the other direction.
So it was with the masters of cycling. Luckily, the huge wheels were made in the same locksmith shops as the drive chains. Finally, one of the workers suggested the obvious: transfer the chain drive from a special gear to the wheel axle, and, for convenience, the rear one. We see the result on our streets.
Estimate, for example, whether you are inclined to deviate from official or technical instructions. If yes, then you will yawn the car, replacing the blown fuse with a paper clip; tame your computer by "incorrectly" restarting it several times in a row; Calm down a boring client with a gift from the firm.
As they say, another flash of inspiration has visited your head. These "eurekas" usually happen when you least expect them.
The researchers calculated that only 4 percent of the brilliant ideas that change the policy of the company arise directly in the offices of its management.
Inspiration is much more likely to strike managers when they shower, eat breakfast, take a walk, get stuck in a traffic jam, shake on a bus, or enjoy a concert.
In Greek "Eureka!" means "Found!" (in the sense of a decision). So, according to legend, the great Greek scientist Archimedes (circa 287 - 212 BC) exclaimed, jumping naked out of the bath, when he discovered his well-known law: a buoyant force equal to the weight of the liquid displaced by it acts on a body immersed in a liquid.
Since then, for inventors and discoverers, the word "eureka" has been synonymous with brilliant creative insight.
The great physicist Isaac Newton (1642-1727) formulated the law of universal gravitation after seeing an apple fall to the ground.
The famous Nobel laureate Albert Einstein (1879-1955) said that best ideas visit him while shaving.
The French mathematician Jules Henri Poincaré (1854-1912) found an elegant solution the most difficult task getting on the bus. “I was heading to Coutances,” he recalled, “without thinking about work at all, and when I put my foot on the step, I suddenly clearly imagined this formula.”
Most people are inspired. You can call these moments unexpected bringing thoughts in order.
The German astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) spoke of a feeling of "wonderful clarity" that came over him when he discovered the laws of planetary motion.
Even if the flash of inspiration does not clarify all the details of the solution, you intuitively feel that it has been found.
8. Non-standard thinking. winding path
Inspiration is associated with almost all aspects of human life. However, unlike mathematical calculations, this phenomenon is rooted in the subconscious.
Explaining to others what is very clear to you is often difficult. That is why there are so many psychics and prophets around who claim that secret knowledge was given to them “from above”.
Most of the insights are like long-growing abscesses - this is the result of repeated ethereal searches for an answer to an exciting question. On average, 65 quite obvious considerations are needed to formulate a new thought.
Usually a fresh idea develops imperceptibly in the depths of the brain. Scientists call this the "internal incubation period": while one part of the psyche deals with current issues, the other is experimenting with the accumulated material, trying to use it to the maximum.
However, for most of us, in order to shout "Eureka!", we need to prepare a little, or rather, break away from the automatic and monotonous performance of everyday activities. Routine kills inspiration.
We too rarely think about simple things and forget that any purposeful actions - solving equations, riding a bicycle - involve not only stereotyped movements, but also the work of the brain.
At the same time, it is the routine that contains the solution to most problems. It is paradoxical, but true: the essence of a brilliant invention is always the Saami's usual process.
The discovery lies before us - we just need to "cut off everything superfluous from it."
An illustrative example - radiation therapy cancerous tumors.
In the early years of its use, doctors faced a serious problem: radiation not only suppressed malignant growth, but also affected healthy tissues that received too high a dose of radiation.
The solution was found unexpected, but surprisingly simple.
The source of radiation began to rotate around the patient so that the beams constantly remained focused on the tumor. As a result, it is destroyed, and the surrounding tissues are irradiated much weaker and do not suffer seriously.
9. Brain attack. divergent thinking
One of the most effective methods creativity - brainstorming, proposed in 1948 by Alex Osborne, who identified four rules for this process: any idea is expressed; the more ideas, the better; all ideas are discussed; any combinations, modifications, or refinements of the ideas expressed are welcome.
How effective this method is, demonstrates the example of the American space agency - NASA.
Designers, thinking about how to replace the lightning in the astronauts' space suit, tried out the method of maximum free associations.
A word was taken at random from the dictionary, and everyone fantasized how to connect it with a clasp.
The image of the "forest" made someone think of thorns clinging to clothes. Thus, a new type of fastener was born, known to us as Velcro.
New solutions are usually born when your thoughts are not constrained by any framework. The optimal result is obtained not only by concentration, but also by maximum openness to impressions - using both the brain and the senses.
Psychologists define such a free search for associations as "divergent" (divergent) thinking.
It is the opposite of "convergent" (converging), when different objects are searched for common features.
This method is typical of IQ tests and usually assumes a single answer.
10 Training of intellect and thinking
Standing up from a chair seems like a simple matter, but it is a coordinated sequence of many movements. The work of more than two dozen muscles is controlled by thousands of signals that go to and from them along the nerves, spinal cord and brain.
At the same time, other systems continuously monitor the balance of the body, ensuring its instantaneous adjustment. The latter task requires the interaction of the vestibular apparatus (in the inner ear), eyes, cerebellum and the cerebral cortex - its motor area.
What seems simple and natural is in fact a high skill acquired by us in early childhood. Moreover, all the necessary systems are activated automatically in a split second.
"What is this old man doing in my bedroom?" the elderly woman shouted, demanding to call the police. She did not recognize her own husband in the sleeping man. This is a symptom of a special form of dementia (usually age-related) described by the German physician Alois Alzheimer (1864-1915). The disease is characterized by the worst type of forgetfulness: people remember what happened decades ago, but current events completely disappear from their heads in a mere half an hour.
Recently, scientists have found that there is a hereditary predisposition to Alzheimer's disease.
Nerve cells do not regenerate. A person has about 100 billion of them, and everything is already in place by the time of birth. Then new connections are established between them, but at the same time there is a death. And new cells, alas, are no longer formed.
However, youth is a relative concept. Many people retain amazing vivacity of body and spirit until old age. This primarily applies to creative natures, often continuing to work literally until the last breath.
The French writer Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1950) was engaged in fiction until the age of 85.
English playwright, Nobel laureate George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) composed until the age of 93.
The German philosopher Hans Georg Gadamer (1900-2002) lectured at the age of 98, surprising students with his quickness of mind.
These and many other examples show that, by continuously training the brain, it is possible to compensate for the inevitable death of nerve cells until old age - apparently, by the quality of the work of the remaining ones.
Moreover, intellectual activity seems to prolong a person's life.
The connection of a highly developed intellect with longevity was found among nuns. They all lead healthy life, so they usually reach a respectable age. They were assessed by the level of intelligence. It turned out that the most "gifted" of them live to an average of 88 years, while others - only up to 81.
Highly educated people are four times less likely to suffer from brain atrophy than poorly educated people without special interests.
In other words, the brain, like muscles, requires regular exercise to develop and maintain strength.
By looking after our mental health, most of us can resist age-related decline in mental abilities.
11. Beyond Thinking
Our brain analyzes objects, that is, decomposes them into many components and stores them separately. For example, visual images and names are in "different corners" of memory. As a rule, a certain concept is immediately associated with each of them: “chair - sit”, “poet - Pushkin” ... Usually we have enough of such simple connections, but some tasks require other, less obvious parallels. Imagination is, in principle, a synthesis of new combinations from fragments of different concepts far scattered in memory.
As a result of using the method of free associations, a chair that is both wooden, tall, beautiful, and so on, can become fuel (+ stove), stairs (+ chandelier), a work of art (+ museum).
The same method has been used by psychoanalysts for more than a century: in order to clarify the subconscious conflict that torments the patient, they ask him to name any concepts that pop up in his head in connection with the proposed word. (Pushkin is a poet, sideburns, a duel, Dantes ...)
12. Journey through sleepy kingdom
Fantasy that does not recognize any boundaries sometimes suggests a solution to the most complex scientific problems.
The famous German chemist Friedrich August Kekule von Stradonitz (1829-1896) dreamed of monkeys dancing in a round dance, and then a snake biting its own tail. Like all organics of that era, he tried to understand the structure of the benzene molecule. Dreams prompted the answer: this is a ring.
Dreams have inspired many writers and artists.
For example, the Scotsman Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) wrote his most famous novels, including Treasure Island, based on images and plots that appeared to him in a dream.
Usually we do not influence what we dream. However, experts distinguish a special "interactive" type of dreams in which you do not play the usual role of a passive spectator in a night cinema, but are both the main character and screenwriter.
According to psychologists, such a dream can be learned with the help of a special training program. Its interactive plot is better remembered, and as a result, you get an additional source of rather extraordinary data for your creativity.
13. The Secret of the Blind Spot
We all have a blind spot in relation to certain people, activities, events.
This means that we do not take seriously, or even do not notice something important and even potentially dangerous for us.
For example, when driving a car, for obvious reasons, we do not see much behind and to the side of us - and in fact, from there, in principle, any surprises threaten.
A blind spot is also called a special part of the visual field.
Let's do an experiment.
Close your left eye, and with your right eye, stare at the first letter in this line. Now slide your finger along the line to the right. Follow it out of the corner of your eye while continuing to look at the letter. By the middle of the page, the finger will “disappear”, and then reappear.
This phenomenon has been known for a long time and is explained by the absence of light-perceiving receptors in the retina at the point of departure from the eyeball of the optic nerve. There's a small gap in our field of vision.
However, it is not the very presence of this blind spot that is interesting, but the fact that we do not notice it. Usually we look around with both eyes, which are also constantly moving, changing the angle of view on the environment, and as a result, one compensates for what is missed by the other.
However, looking even with one eye, we will not notice a blind spot. This is explained by the peculiarities of information processing in our brain.
By processing signals from the retina, the brain, using the accumulated information, simply “draws” the empty part of our field of vision so that it matches its environment.
For example, when reading lines, we do not see all the letters at once, but we are sure of their presence. Such omissions also occur in the thought process.
A quick and easy solution is literally in front of our noses, but we do not notice it, and then we are surprised: “How did I not realize it?” or “It was spinning in my head.”
14. Food for thought
The brain accounts for only 2 percent of body weight, but it consumes 20 percent of our energy - almost exclusively in the form of glucose.
To give the brain enough fuel, we must eat as much as possible " complex carbohydrates» (polysaccharides).
Probably the best sources are rice, bread, potatoes, and whole grains, which should provide us with about 410 percent of calories.
For optimal brain function, a normal metabolism is necessary, and for its reactions - all vitamins known to science.
The lack of at least one leads to absent-mindedness, forgetfulness, fatigue, depression.
For example, vitamin C is now called "intellectual" - a correlation has been established between its level in the body and IQ.
One kiwi fruit or a glass grapefruit juice provides us with ascorbic acid for the whole day.
For nerves, B vitamins are useful, especially B12, which is abundant in the liver and eggs.
The same sources are rich in folic acid, which is believed to support the zest for life.
Minerals are essential for a variety of reactions, including nerve conduction of electrical impulses.
Deficiency of calcium, potassium or sodium is especially dangerous. It will immediately lead to a sharp decrease in our performance.
Among micronutrients, most often there is a lack of iron, which is necessary for supplying oxygen to all tissues.
Symptoms of this deficiency include fatigue, restlessness, and distraction.
15. Physical nature of thinking
What is the physical nature of thinking? There is much unclear here, but, obviously, at first the object is perceived as a generalized whole. That is, we understand that we see a tree, even if we do not distinguish whether it is a pine, an oak or a birch.
Similarly, the image of a deciduous (or coniferous) tree stands out, and then attention is drawn to the leaves, flowers, growth form.
The search for an explanation of this phenomenon is one of the main tasks of cognitive psychology. She singles out, for example, the problem of the “object-background”, trying to determine by what signs we distribute various elements that fill the field of view, for example, strokes in a picture (of course, realistic), among the images that are significant to us.
A possible approach to solving this problem emerged in the late 1980s. Neuroscientists have found that responding to an object fires neurons in a wide variety of brain regions (cats).
Obviously, they jointly process the information received, and speaking specifically, for some time they give 40 pulses per second.
This discovery excited the researchers.
Has the physical basis of consciousness, or at least the recognition of objects, been found? Maybe this means that we are aware of them when a group of neurons spontaneously arises with an impulse, the frequency of which is 40 hertz.
16. Thinking, intelligence, speech
After a severe head injury, a Frenchman named Leborgne uttered only one word "Tan" and was nicknamed Tan-Tan.
He spent the rest of his life in an insane asylum. After his death, the patient's brain was studied by the French surgeon Paul Broca (1824-1880). He confirmed his guess: Tan-Tan had damage to a certain area of \u200b\u200bthe left hemisphere - the so-called motor speech zone, or Broca's center.
In 1874, a young German psychiatrist, Carl Wernicke (1848-1905), studied a group of patients with a strange symptom. They could speak coherently, but often used words that fell out of context.
And, unlike Tan-Tan, they did not understand someone else's speech. Despite normal hearing, they could not "decipher" the meaning of the phrases, no matter what language they sounded in.
As a result, it became clear that normal speech requires understanding of others. Phrases heard or read are first processed in the sensory speech area (Wernicke's area), usually located in the left hemisphere. Here speech is filled with meaning.
However, in order to speak for ourselves, we need Broca's movement center located elsewhere.
The emergence of articulate speech was undoubtedly a decisive step in human evolution. This affected all aspects of the life of our ancestors - tools became more complex, new public relations permeated with rituals, the beginnings of mythology and religion - what we call spiritual culture.
Significantly enlarged brain. Apparently, this was at least partially required to process a new type of information, the volume of which began to constantly increase, accumulating in each generation.
Formation modern speech went hand in hand with the development of the conceptual structure of our consciousness.
The ability to name objects means the ability to abstract from them, to classify the surrounding reality.
However, the relationship between speech and logical thinking is very complex.
Having lost the speech centers of the brain as a result of an injury, people do not necessarily become complete idiots.
Moreover, the ability to compare and systematize concepts arises even among those who have never spoken in their lives.
Thinking develops independently of speech, although under its influence.
Conclusion
Suppose we have developed our emotionality to the maximum. Does this mean happiness? Research shows that personal satisfaction does not depend on the level of certain intellectual abilities.
Adequate behavior is provided only by the interaction of all manifestations of the intellect. And in this sense, the mental development of all its members is useful to society.
Ignoring any aspects of the intellect, say, by school programs, is fraught with the appearance of personal "distortions" with fatal consequences for individuals and the population as a whole.
So, intelligence and thinking are two sides of the same coin.
For several years now, neuroscientists have been studying the mechanisms of thought processes. They identified parts of the brain specialized for various types intellectual tasks - such as "formulation", "recognition", "listening". According to neuroscientists, such mental structures are formed in the first years of life.
If children grow up in an environment with a lack of incentives, their mental development lags behind the norm.
In the complete absence of external stimuli, nerve connections in the brain are not formed at all.
Although the foundations of intelligence are laid down in the genes and are formed in the first years of life, the human mind, of course, develops throughout life.
Stopping to think, the brain begins to degrade. Its regular training allows you to maintain an amazing clarity of mind even in old age.
Bibliography
1. Sheppah D., "Thought, Mind, Intelligence", 2003, "Reader's Digest"
Velichkovsky BM, Kapitsa MS, Psychological problems of the study of intelligence. Moscow: Nauka, 1987
Gilford J. Structural model of intelligence. Moscow: Progress, 1965
Gilbukh Yu.Z. Mentally gifted child. Psychology, diagnostics, pedagogy. Kyiv: Research Institute of Psychology, 1992
Gurevich K.M. Intelligence tests in psychology. 1980. No. 2.
Druzhinin V.N. Intelligence and productivity of activity: a model of "intellectual range" Psychological journal. 1998. Vol. 19. No. 2.
Karpov Yu.V., Talyzina N.R. Criteria for the intellectual development of children // Questions of Psychology. 1985. No. 2.
Leites N.S. Age giftedness of schoolchildren. Moscow: Academy, 2000
Newcomb N. Development of the child's personality. St. Petersburg: Peter, 2002
Savenkov A.I. gifted children in kindergarten and school. Moscow: Academy, 2000
Stolyarenko L.D. Fundamentals of psychology. Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix, 1999
Cold M.A. Psychology of intelligence. Research paradoxes. St. Petersburg: Peter, 2002
Tutoring
Need help learning a topic?
Our experts will advise or provide tutoring services on topics of interest to you.
Submit an application indicating the topic right now to find out about the possibility of obtaining a consultation.
Intellect - “mind”, that is, a property of a person, the ability to set and solve problems.
Thinking - "thinking" - a process., That is, going beyond the immediate given.
Intelligence is the ability to think. Thinking is the process of realization of the intellect.
Thinking is a kind of cognition, but unlike perception, indirect, that is, beyond the immediate given. Based on one fact, we draw a conclusion about another.
Not just creating a mental model of external conditions (perception), but establishing unobservable relationships of objects and deriving another model - this is the task of thinking.
Each of the mental processes in its own way removes the restrictions of the conditions of the external environment on the formation of an adequate internal picture of the external world. The formation of secondary images (representations) and memory - allows a person to imagine not only the "faces" of things, but also their backs. The past and the future become possible - that is, free movement along the timeline. Thinking allows you to remove all restrictions in time and space.
21. Types of thinking: visual-effective, pre-conceptual. Another type - conceptual thinking is considered in the next lecture.
Visual and effective – characteristic of animals. The monkeys in Koehler's experiments couldn't reach a banana suspended from the ceiling until the Sultan thought to use a box that was in the room, but it had to be turned over and used as a stand to reach the banana.
Piaget's children at the level of sensorimotor intelligence - they develop visually effective thinking.
In the 1980s, American psychologists, the Gardners, managed to teach chimpanzees the language of the deaf and dumb (they cannot speak due to limitations in the articulatory apparatus and phonemic hearing). The monkeys constructed phrases from several words, some even used words in a figurative sense, for example, the word "dirty" - for a person who does not fulfill their desire. But in terms of development, chimpanzees do not exceed a 3-5 year old child.
Preconceptual thinking.
Judgments of children - single, about this particular subject, refer to visual reality. Often these are judgments based on similarity or difference. The earliest form of proof is an example. Feature of pre-conceptual thinking - egocentrism , that is, there is no ability to freely transfer the origin of coordinates, decentration in relation to one's own "I". Other properties - syncretism (the tendency to connect everything with everything, to operate with isolated cases), transduction (transition from particular to particular, bypassing the general, mixing of essential and non-essential properties), inconsistency of volume and content. Example. The cards contain the following items: 2 stones, 3 buckets, 7 dogs and 2 horses. Question: what more living beings or physical bodies? Answer: living beings.
Insensitivity to contradictions.
Living sun? - Yes. Why? - It's moving.
Confusing the relationship of natural causation with the relationship of human intention and its implementation.
The children interviewed by Piaget believed that the rivers were dug by people, and mountains arose from the land formed in the process.
Lack of ideas about conservation of quantity: they judge the amount of a substance by one parameter, the height of the liquid in the vessel, do not take into account the volume. A ball of dough in front of the child's eyes is turned into a cake and placed on the table. Question: where is more test? - In a cake. Awareness of the identity of the changing object is acquired gradually.
Noticeable, easily perceived properties seem to be more important than essential ones.
Big things are always heavy, small things are light. Hence the inaccessibility of such a fundamental physical concept as mass.
The driving mechanism of rational cognition is thinking. This is not a stimulus to action, not fuel, not a steering gear, but the most important thing in a car is its engine, i.e. the most important part of the machine.
Depending on the goals and objectives, theoretical preferences and vocabulary scientists give a variety of definitions of thinking: for some it is the process of modeling non-random relations of the surrounding world on the basis of axiomatic provisions, for others it is an active, purposeful, mediated, generalized and abstracting reflection of the essential properties and relations of the external world, and at the same time the process of creating new ideas. But one thing is certain: thinking is a process of cognitive activity of an individual, characterized by a generalized and indirect reflection of reality.
Thinking is the highest level of human knowledge. It allows you to gain knowledge about such objects, properties and relationships. real world which cannot be directly perceived at the sensory level of knowledge.
One of the most common in psychology is the classification of types of thinking depending on the content of the problem being solved. Here, subject-effective, visual-figurative and verbal-logical thinking are distinguished. The peculiarities of object-effective thinking are manifested in the fact that problems are solved with the help of a real, physical transformation of the situation. Visual-figurative thinking is connected with the operation of images. This type of thinking is spoken about when a person, solving a problem, analyzes, compares, generalizes various images, ideas about phenomena and objects. Verbal-logical thinking functions on the basis of linguistic means and represents the latest stage historical development thinking. It is characterized by the use of concepts and logical constructions.
Thinking generalizes, highlights the general in the individual, the repetitive in the unique, and the generic in the individual. Thinking behind the external reveals the internal, behind the phenomena - the essence. It abstracts, distracts, systemizes, puts things in order, builds hierarchies and ranks. Thinking seeks law where chance reigns.
The forms of logical thinking are the concept, judgment, conclusion. The concept reflects general principles and properties of objects. This is such a component of thought that singles out objects from a certain subject area and generalizes objects by pointing to their common and hallmark. Judgment is a connection of concepts, with the help of which dependencies between things are reflected. An inference is a connection between several propositions. Concepts can be subjected to various operations - division, generalization, restriction, etc.
The forms and laws of thinking are studied by logic, the mechanisms of its flow are the subject of study of psychology and neurophysiology. Cybernetics analyzes thinking in connection with the tasks of modeling certain mental functions.
Often, thinking is replaced by another word - “intellect” (from Latin intellectus - mind, reason, reason, ability to think, rational knowledge), which is given no fewer definitions than thinking - only in psychology there are several dozen interpretations of intelligence, depending on theoretical approach. Thus, according to the structural-genetic approach of J. Piaget, the intellect is interpreted as the highest way of balancing the subject with the environment, characterized by universality. According to the cognitivist approach, intelligence is a set of cognitive operations, and in the factor-analytical approach, based on a set of test indicators, stable factors are found (C. Spearman, L. Thurstone, H. Eysenck, S. Barth, D. Wexler, F. Vernon).
One Norwegian scientist has been conducting an experiment for many years. During the lectures he gives in different countries, asks the audience to complete a simple task - to draw a map of Europe. As a result, he is the owner of several thousand such maps, none of which is similar to the other, but all together - to the real geographical Europe. It turned out that every nation has its own Europe, Europe, and even its outlines are perceived differently by everyone.
Naturally, the Norwegian scientist was largely concerned with the question of how Europeans perceive his native land. It is here that the difference is most noticeable. If Norwegian students drew a huge ledge hanging over a very modest territory, and the British Isles, for example, were often forgotten, then other Europeans, carefully outlining the states of continental Europe, sometimes completely omitted those lands that are called the Scandinavian Peninsula - as not playing a large roles in real Europe.
The properties and possibilities of the intellect seem to many to be limitless, hence the inconsistency in the definition of its nature and functions. On the one hand, the intellect is a system of mental processes that ensure the realization of a person's ability to assess the situation, make decisions and, in accordance with this, regulate their behavior, on the other hand, the ability to know and logical thinking. On the one hand, the one who is able to highlight the main thing in a familiar problem, analyze it, breaking it into its component parts, and find ways to solve the problem, has intelligence, on the other hand, intelligence is especially important in non-standard situations - as a symbol of teaching a person everything new.
In psychology, there is the concept of general intelligence and its two substructures: verbal and non-verbal. General intelligence is understood as a complex integral quality, a certain synthesis of the properties of the psyche, which together ensure the success of any activity. Verbal intelligence is an integral formation, the functioning of which is carried out in a verbal-logical form, relying mainly on knowledge. Non-verbal intelligence is an integral formation, the functioning of which is associated with the development of visual-effective thinking based on visual images and spatial representations.
The structure of intelligence depends on a number of factors: age, level of education, specificity, professional activity and individual characteristics. For example, D. Wexler introduced the concept of "age norm". The subject received a test score based on a comparison of his results with the average results of the age group to which he belonged.
A resident of the UK decided to become the smartest person in the world. In his opinion, for this it is enough to read the Encyclopædia Britannica in full. The editor of Esquire magazine, Alexander Jacobs, nevertheless decided to try to read the Encyclopædia Britannica from cover to cover. He has already advanced to the letter "K", reading a hundred pages a day. Meanwhile, what is the meaning of life, he does not yet know - the letter "C" is still far away. Upon completion of his titanic work, Jacobs wants to write an autobiography called "The smartest man in the world."
It should be remembered that intelligence is knowledge plus action. Therefore, one should not only develop all types of intellect, but also be able to implement rational decisions, show one's intellect not only in words, but also in deeds, since only the result, specific actions determine the level of an individual's intellect.
Thinking and intelligence are terms that are close in content. Both terms express different aspects of the same phenomenon. A person endowed with intellect is capable of carrying out thought processes. Thinking and intellect have always been the hallmarks of a person, because we call a person Homo sapiens - a reasonable person. However, the concept of intelligence is broader than the concept of thinking. Scientists cannot give a single definition of intelligence. Everyone puts their own nuance into this concept. Some researchers focus on the fact that intelligence is the ability to acquire new knowledge and skills, while others study the social aspects of intelligence. Today in science there are two most common definitions of intelligence:
intelligence - the ability to adapt to the environment; intelligence - the ability to solve mental problems.
Many psychologists note that the intellect has a complex structure. What is included in the structure of intelligence - there are many answers to this question.
At the beginning of the XX century. Spearman came to the conclusion that each person is characterized by a certain level of general intelligence (he called it the G-factor). General intelligence determines how a person adapts to the environment. In addition, all people have developed specific abilities to varying degrees, which manifest themselves in solving specific problems of adaptation to the social environment. Subsequently, G. Eysenck interpreted the concept of general intelligence as the speed of information processing by the central nervous system(mental pace). However, the hypothesis of "speed of information processing by the brain" does not yet have serious neurophysiological arguments.
Today, the most famous is the "cubic" model of intelligence by D. Gilford. He believed that intelligence can be described in three main categories:
- 1) operations;
- 2) content;
- 3) results.
Cattell distinguishes between potential and crystalline intelligence. He believes that each of us already from birth has a potential intelligence, which underlies our ability to think, abstract and reason. Around the age of 20, this intelligence reaches its greatest flowering. On the other hand, crystal intelligence is being formed,
Rice. 1.
consisting of various skills and knowledge that we acquire as we accumulate life experience. Crystalline intelligence is formed precisely when solving problems of adaptation to the environment and requires the development of some abilities at the expense of others, as well as the acquisition of specific skills. Thus, the crystalline intellect is determined by the measure of mastering the culture of the society to which the person belongs. Potential intelligence determines the primary accumulation of knowledge. From Cattell's point of view, potential intelligence is independent of upbringing and environment. It depends on the level of development of the tertiary zones of the cerebral cortex.
Hebb considers intelligence from a slightly different perspective. He singles out intellect A - this is the potential that is created at the moment of conception and serves as the basis for the development of the intellectual abilities of the individual. As for intelligence B, it is formed as a result of the interaction of a person with environment. To date, only intelligence B has learned to evaluate, by observing how a person performs mental operations. So far, scientists have not found a way to assess the intelligence of A.
Disputes about the structure of intelligence are not accidental. They are not only of scientific interest, but also help answer the question that worries everyone - on what factors does the development of intelligence depend.
Today, scientists agree that the development of intelligence depends both on innate factors and on the upbringing and environment of the child. Hereditary factors, chromosomal abnormalities, malnutrition and illness of the mother during pregnancy, abuse of antibiotics, tranquilizers or even aspirin in the first months of pregnancy, alcohol consumption and smoking can lead to significant mental retardation of the child. But no matter what potential a child is born with, it is obvious that the forms of intellectual behavior necessary for him to survive can develop and improve only in contact with the environment with which he will interact all his life. The richer and more varied the communication of the child with the people around him, the more successful the development of his intellect will be. In this regard, the role of the social position of the family becomes clear. Wealthy families have more wide opportunities to create favorable conditions for the development of the child, the development of his abilities, his education and, ultimately, to increase the intellectual level of the child. The teaching methods used to develop the child's abilities also influence. Unfortunately, traditional teaching methods are more focused on the transfer of knowledge to the child and pay relatively little attention to the development of abilities, intelligence, and creative abilities of a person.
