NCERT Class 11 Psychology Chapter 7 Thinking

NCERT Class 11 Psychology Chapter 7 Thinking Solutions to each chapter is provided in the list so that you can easily browse through different chapters NCERT Class 11 Psychology Chapter 7 Thinking Notes and select need one. NCERT Class 11 Psychology Chapter 7 Thinking Question Answers Download PDF. CBSE Class 11 Psychology Texbook Solutions.

NCERT Class 11 Psychology Chapter 7 Thinking

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Also, you can read the NCERT book online in these sections Solutions by Expert Teachers as per Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Book guidelines. CBSE Class 11 Psychology Textual Solutions are part of All Subject Solutions. Here we have given NCERT Class 11 Psychology Chapter 7 Thinking Notes, CBSE Class 11 Psychology in English Medium Textbook Solutions for All Chapters, You can practice these here.

Thinking

Chapter: 7

1. Explain the nature of thinking.

Ans: Thinking is a mental process of reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, and imagination. It is the base of all cognitive activities or processes and is unique to human beings. This is a way of thinking that brings one back to the way things were intended and made, if we can understand the basic laws of Nature, we will have the answers to many of life’s questions. Type of thinking in which a problem is seen as having only one answer is known as convergent thinking. It is influenced by perception, memory, emotions, and experience, helping individuals understand and interact with the world effectively.

2. What is a concept? Explain the role of concepts in the thinking process. 

Ans: A concept is a verbal or written understanding of abstract thought. Abstract thoughts are ideas and things that are intangible. A concept helps to explain an idea within a specific field of study. Concepts help in thinking, reasoning, and communication by simplifying complex information. 

Concepts play a crucial role in the thinking process by helping us organize and interpret information efficiently. Concept is a mental representation of a category and refers to a class of objects, ideas or events that share common properties.

3. Identify obstacles that one may encounter in problem solving. 

Ans: There are two major obstacles to solving a problem. These are mental set, and lack of motivation. Mental set is a tendency of a person to solve problems by following already tried mental operations or steps. Lack of motivation is another obstacles to solving problems. Functional fixedness limits creativity by making people see objects or solutions only in their usual roles. Mental set causes individuals to rely on past strategies even when they are ineffective in new situations.

These obstacles include:

(i) Assumptions: An assumption is an unexamined belief: what we think without realizing we think it. Our inferences (also called conclusions) are often based on assumptions that we haven’t thought about critically

(ii) Functional fixedness: The functional fixedness psychology definition is the perceived inability of someone to use an object for something other than its original intended purpose. Functional fixedness is a type of cognitive bias. 

(iii) Mental set: Mental set is a cognitive tendency to approach problems using past strategies that have worked before, even when they are not effective in a new situation.

4. How does reasoning help in solving problems? 

Ans: Reasoning in problem-solving is all about analyzing the situation methodically to identify the root causes and develop practical solutions. It allows individuals to evaluate information, identify patterns, and draw conclusions based on facts rather than emotions. Deductive reasoning applies general principles to specific cases, ensuring accuracy, while inductive reasoning helps form general conclusions from observations. Reasoning also allows for integrating new information and adapting to changing conditions, improving decision-making. Additionally, logical arguments enhance effective communication, making solutions clearer and more persuasive.

5. Are judgment and decision-making interrelated processes? Explain. 

Ans: Yes, judgment and decision-making are interrelated processes. Judgment involves evaluating information, assessing probabilities, and forming opinions, while decision-making is the process of choosing an option based on that judgment. Decision-making includes identifying a problem, gathering information, and evaluating alternative solutions. These processes can be studied from theoretical or applied perspectives using experiments, surveys, data analysis, and other research methods.

6. Why is divergent thinking important in the creative thinking process? 

Ans: Divergent thinking is a thought process used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. It typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing, “non-linear” manner, such that many ideas are generated in an emergent cognitive fashion. It enhances problem-solving, innovation, and originality by allowing free-flowing, non-linear thought. This approach fosters creativity, helping individuals explore unconventional possibilities and develop unique, effective solutions. 

7. How can creative thinking be enhanced? 

Ans: Creative thinking can be enhanced through various methods, including diverse experiences, curiosity, and open-mindedness. Engaging in activities like reading, brainstorming, and exploring different perspectives helps stimulate new ideas. Spending time in nature to quiet the mind or achieve a more spiritual state that can prompt a different way to consider your life experiences. Visiting museums, including art galleries.

8. Does thinking take place without language? Discuss. 

Ans: Thinking can occur without language. Humans think using images, emotions, and abstract concepts. Non-verbal thought processes, like visualizing, problem-solving, and intuition, exist independently of linguistic expression.

(i) Non-Verbal thinking: Non-verbal intelligence is a person’s ability to analyze and decipher incoming information using visual and hands-on reasoning. It is being able to interpret our environment without using words. Actively surveying a situation to obtain a full picture of what is happening before acting.

(ii) Intuitive and Emotional Thinking: Intuitive and Emotional Thinking is a thinking style reliant on immediate and unconscious judgments. It often follows gut feelings, whereas analytical thinking is about slower, more deliberate and detailed processing of information.

(iii) Animal and Infant Cognition: Animal and Infant Cognition encompasses the cognition capacities of non-human animals, including insect cognition. The study of animal conditioning and learning used in this field was developed from comparative psychology.

(iv) Language and Abstract Thinking: Language and Abstract thinking is the ability to understand concepts that are real, such as freedom or vulnerability, but which are not directly tied to concrete physical objects and experiences.

9. How is language acquired in human beings?

Ans: Language is processed in many different locations in the human brain, but especially in Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas. It has been shown repeatedly that children learn the language of those who bring them up from infancy. These are often the biological parents, but one’s first language is acquired from environment and learning, not from physiological inheritance. This process involves phonological, syntactic, and semantic development. Theories like Noam Chomsky’s Innateness Hypothesis suggest humans have a Language Acquisition Device (LAD), while behaviorists emphasize learning through reinforcement.

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