Thought or thinking is mental activity which allows beings to model the world, and so to deal with the world effectively according to their own goals, plans, ends and desires. Thinking is manipulating information, as when we form concepts, engage in problem solving, reason and make decisions. A thought may be an idea, an image, a sound or even an emotional feeling that arises from the brain. Thinking is a higher cognitive function and the analysis of thinking processes is part of cognitive psychology.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and introduction to thinking:

Contents 1 Essence of thinking 2 Types of thought 2.1 Qualities of thought 3 Fields that study thinking and reasoning 4 History of thinking 5 Basic thinking concepts 5.1 Brain and brain biology 5.2 Intelligence 5.3 Nootropics (Cognitive enhancers and smart drugs) 5.4 Psychometrics (measuring intelligence and cognitive traits) 5.5 Thinking, artificial 5.6 Thinking, organizational (thinking by organizations) 5.7 Thinking, personal 5.7.1 Awareness 5.7.2 Creative processes and idea generation 5.7.3 Decision making 5.7.4 Emotional intelligence (Emotionally-based thinking) 5.8 Erroneous thinking 5.8.1 Learning and Memory 5.8.2 Reason and reasoning 5.8.3 Teaching methods and skills 5.9 Other 6 Scholars and researchers of thinking 7 Thinking-related lists 8 See also 9 External links

Essence of thinking

Main article: Thought

Brain Cognition Consciousness

Imagination Intelligence Mind

Perception Reason Reasoning

Types of thought

Main articles: Cognitive processes and Thought process

Awareness Creative processes Critical Thinking Decision making

Erroneous thinking Learning and Memory

Organizational thinking (thinking by organizations) Reasoning

Qualities of thought

Accuracy Cogency Dogma Effectiveness Efficacy Efficiency

Frugality Promptness Prudence Pseudoskepticism Right

Skepticism Soundness Validity Value (economics) Value theory Wrong

Fields that study thinking and reasoning

Cognitive psychology Cognitive science Mathematics Neuroscience

Operations research Philosophy, especially: Logic Philosophy of mind

Psychology Psychiatry Social psychology

History of thinking

Main articles: History of thought and History of reasoning

• History of artificial intelligence
• History of cognitive science
• History of creativity
• History of ideas
• History of logic
• History of psychometrics

Basic thinking concepts

Brain and brain biology

Main articles: Brain and Neurology

Action potential Acetylcholine Acetylcholinesterase Aging and memory Albert Einstein's brain Brain Central nervous system (CNS)

Dendrite Dopamine Glial cells Human brain Long-term potentiation Nervous system Neurite

Neuron Neuroplasticity Neuroscience Neurotransmitter Sensory neuroscience Synapse Synaptic plasticity

Intelligence

Main article: Intelligence

Cognition Sapience Experience

Knowledge Wisdom Strategy

Structure System

Nootropics (Cognitive enhancers and smart drugs)

Main article: Nootropic

5-HTP Adrafinil (Olmifon) Aniracetam Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi) Caffeine Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) Centrophenoxine Choline Cholinergics Chromium Coenzyme q-10 Coffee Creatine DMAE Ergoloid mesylates (Hydergine) Huperzine A

Idebenone Inositol L-dopa Lecithin Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis) Lipoic acid Methylphenidate (Ritalin) Modafinil (Provigil) Oxiracetam Phenibut Phenylalanine Piracetam (Nootropil) Pramiracetam Pyritinol (Enerbol) Rhodiola Rosea Selegiline (Deprenyl)

Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) St John's Wort Sutherlandia Frutescens Tea Theanine Theophylline Tryptophan Tyrosine Vasopressin Vinpocetine Nicotinic acid (vitamin B3) Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Vitamin B12 Vitamin C Yohimbe

Psychometrics (measuring intelligence and cognitive traits)

Main article: Psychometrics

Intelligence quotient Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Personality tests

Scholastic Aptitude Test

Thinking, artificial

Artificial creativity

Artificial intelligence

Computer program

Thinking, organizational (thinking by organizations)

Main articles: Organizational studies and Organizational psychology

Attribution theory Communication Concept testing Evaporating Cloud Fifth discipline Groupthink Group synergy Ideas bank

Interpretation Learning organization Metaplan Operations research Organization development Organizational communication Organizational culture Organizational ethics

Organizational learning Rhetoric Smart mob Strategic planning Systems thinking Theory of Constraints Think tank Wisdom of crowds

Thinking, personal

Awareness

Main article: Awareness

Attention Cognition Cognitive dissonance Cognitive map Concept Concept map Conceptual model Consciousness Domain knowledge Heuristic

Information Intelligence Intuition Knowledge Memory suppression Mental model Metaknowledge (knowledge about knowledge) Mind map Model (abstract)

Option awareness Self-concept Self-consciousness Self-knowledge Self-realization Sentience Situational awareness Understanding

Creative processes and idea generation

Main article: Creativity

Brainstorming Cognitive module Creativity Creative problem solving Creative writing Creative thinking

Creativity techniques Design thinking Hypothesis Idea Image streaming

Imagination Lateral thinking Six Thinking Hats Speech act Stream of consciousness

Decision making

Main article: Decision making

Choice Cybernetics Decision Decision making Decision theory

Executive system Goals and goal setting Judgement Planning

Rational choice theory Speech act Value (personal and cultural) Value judgment

Emotional intelligence (Emotionally-based thinking)

Main article: Emotional intelligence

Acting Allophilia Attitude (psychology) Curiosity Elaboration likelihood model Emotions and feelings Emotion and memory

Emotional contagion Empathy Mood Motivation Propositional attitude Rhetoric Self actualization

Self control Self-esteem Self-Determination Theory Self motivation Social cognition Will Volition (psychology)

Erroneous thinking

Cognitive bias Cognitive distortion Error Fallacy

Fallacies of definition Field restriction List of fallacies Logical fallacy

Mistake Rhetoric Straight and Crooked Thinking (book) Target fixation

Learning and Memory

Main articles: Education, Learning, and Memory

Autodidacticism Biofeedback Cognitive dissonance Dual-coding theory Eidetic memory (total recall) Emotion and memory Empiricism Feedback Feedback loop Free association Heuristics Hyperthymesia Hypnosis Hypothesis

Imitation Inquiry Knowledge management Language acquisition Memory and aging Memory inhibition Memory-prediction framework Method of loci Mnemonics Neurofeedback Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) Observation Pattern recognition

Question Reading Recall Recognition Recollection (recall) Scientific method Self-perception theory Speed reading Study Skills Subvocalization Transfer of learning Transfer of training Visual learning

Reason and reasoning

Main articles: Reason and Reasoning

Abductive reasoning Abstract thinking Analogy Analysis Attitude Calculation Categorization Cognition Cognitive restructuring Cognitive space Cognitive style Common sense Concept Conjecture Concrete concepts Critical thinking Deductive reasoning Definition Estimation Evaluation Explanation Gestalt psychology Heuristics Historical thinking Hypothesis Idea Identification (information) Inductive reasoning Inference

Instinct Intelligence Intelligence amplification Intentionality Introspection Knowledge management Language Lateral thinking Linguistics Logic Logical argument Logical assertion Meaning (linguistics) Meaning (non-linguistic) Meaning (semiotics) Mental calculation Mental function Metacognition (thinking about thinking) Mind's eye Mindset Multiple intelligences Multitasking Pattern matching Personality Picture thinking Prediction Premise Problem finding Problem shaping

Problem solving Process of elimination Systems thinking Critical systems thinking Troubleshooting Proposition Rationality Reason Reasoning Self-reflection Sapience Semantic network Semantics Semiosis Semiotics Six Thinking Hats Speech act Stream of consciousness Syllogism Synectics Systems intelligence Thinkabout Thinking Thought act Thinking maps Thinking Processes Thought experiment TRIZ Visual thinking Working memory Writing

Teaching methods and skills

Main articles: Education and Teaching

Active learning Classical conditioning Discipline

Learning theory (education) Mentoring Operant conditioning

Problem-based learning Punishment Reinforcement

Other

Genius List of geniuses High IQ society

Mensa Nobel Prize Philomath

Polymath List of polymaths Pulitzer Prize

Scholars and researchers of thinking

Aaron T. Beck Edward de Bono Tony Buzan Noam Chomsky

Albert Ellis Howard Gardner Douglas Hofstadter

Marvin Minsky Baruch Spinoza Robert Sternberg

Thinking-related lists

Main article: Lists of thinking-related topics and Thinking Portal: Topics

List of cognitive scientists List of cognitive science topics List of philosophical isms List of psychology topics List of cognitive biases List of creative thought processes List of decision-making processes List of emotional intelligence topics

List of emotions List of learning processes List of neurobiology topics List of NLP topics List of nootropics (smart drugs) List of organizational thought processes List of perception-related topics

List of psychometric topics List of scholars on thinking skills List of teaching methods List of thinking errors List of thinking tools List of thought processes List of the qualities of thought

See also

• Hypervigilance
• Neurobiology and List of neurobiology topics

External links

Find more about Thought on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Dictionary definitions
	Textbooks
	Quotations
	Source texts
	Images and media
	News stories
	Learning resources

• Corballis, Michael C.. "The Uniqueness of Human Recursive Thinking" (PDF). American Scientist (May-June 2007). Retrieved on 2007-04-23.
• The Psychology of Emotions, Feelings and Thoughts, Free Online Book
• Nature of Human Thought

v • d • e List resources Topic lists (basic) · Glossaries · Countries · People · Timelines

Wikipedia content modification information:

• This page was last modified on 24 October 2008, at 19:52.

Wikipedia Authorship and Review

Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by PediaView.com. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with PediaView.com.

Wikipedia Usage Guidelines

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "List of basic thinking-related topics".

The URL for this specific entry is:

• http://pediaview.com/openpedia/List_of_basic_thinking-related_topics

All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.