Lateral thinking is the ability to find an unusual way out of an ordinary situation. How often in your life have you followed public opinion, generally accepted rules and conventions? Or, perhaps, were they guided by stereotypes imposed by the people around them? Such actions have a lot of unpleasant features. Any mistakes unsettle you, cause apathy and even depression. Lateral thinking will help to avoid such problems.
What is lateral thinking
By definition, lateral thinking (from the Latin lateralis - side) is the ability to take a non-standard, unusual and often unexpected approach to solving a problem. A person finds options for action that are not subject to logical explanation. Using lateral thinking helps you be creative and find completely new ways to solve problems. By the way, people who made historical discoveries possessed this type of mental activity.
In psychology, thinking is divided into two types:
- Convergent. When solving problems, a person conducts a thorough analysis, compares facts, and comes to a single result.
- Divergent. A person tries to find many options for solving a problem at once, using creativity.
Lateral thinking is often compared to divergent thinking. In his case, people are also exploring several directions. British psychologist Edward de Bono spoke a lot about the ability to think outside the box. Here are some of his conclusions:
- Stereotypes are limiting. Let's give an example. Many people who are poisoned by ice cream no longer buy it. On the one hand, they create imaginary security for themselves. On the other hand, this is a template that most likely does not coincide with reality. It no longer works, but a person cannot do otherwise.
- The use of templates and stereotypes has nothing to do with lateral thinking. It kills the ability to think creatively, creatively. Remember the expression “step on a rake”? So, these are the templates. If such situations happen to you over and over again, it’s time to think about it.
- Edward de Bono gave an interesting illustrative example. Imagine a sandbox and a watering can. What happens if you start pouring water on sand? Some of it will spread. The rest of the liquid will make a well in which it will be collected. Water in this case is information entering the brain. Sand is the brain, and the well is a stereotype. The ability to think laterally is the formation of grooves that will release water and prevent the stereotype from deepening and gaining a foothold in consciousness.
- Without the ability to make unexpected decisions, you cannot live fully. You don't have to do this all the time. But it is necessary to develop such a skill.
And one more interesting fact. People who are accustomed to living according to stereotypes and patterns will never come up with something new and interesting.
By the way, de Bono is the author of a number of books on the development of thinking. “The Art of Thinking: Lateral Thinking as a Way to Solve Complex Problems”, “Why are we so stupid? When will humanity learn to think,” “Thinking Management.” These and other publications will teach you creativity, the ability to think differently than everyone else.
Stages of problem solving
How a logician solves a problem - analyzes, compares, creates a chain of conclusions and follows them. Its scheme can be called a step-by-step algorithm. At each stage, he is aware of what he is doing and where he will go next.
How a creative person solves a problem is by catching the association associated with it and instantly seeing a creative solution. No stages or long thoughts. Often there are no explanations as to why and how such a result was obtained.
The owner of lateral thinking has his own scheme for solving a problem.
Focus
The first task is to focus on the problem, to concentrate on it. She must own all thoughts. It is advisable not to be distracted by anything, otherwise some important perspective on its solution will be missed.
Lateral pattern break
After a comprehensive consideration of the problem, you need to identify the only correct answer that comes to mind as a result of logical conclusions. Now you need to expand the horizons of your consciousness, move away from it and find a few more non-trivial solutions. The bigger, the better. Moreover, there is no need to weed out even the strangest and most fantastic ideas. Everything goes into one piggy bank.
Establishing a connection
At this stage, all the ideas put into the piggy bank are sorted out and carefully thought out. This is the main difference between lateral thinking and creative thinking. Everything is explained here, even the most fantastic at first glance. An example of how this works: can you somehow link a bubble oxygenator (a medical device that oxygenates the blood and removes carbon dioxide from it) and women's lace panties? But lateral thinking can. When the device was just created, the problem of foam formation constantly arose, for which a mesh was needed to remove it. This item from a lady's wardrobe became its prototype.
After going through all three stages, the result is several new ideas, one of which will definitely lead to a solution to the problem that has arisen.
Why is lateral thinking needed?
In theory, it seems that developing the ability to think laterally is not so necessary. And really, why? After all, there is logic. One feature is worth considering here. Using logic, a person builds a clear sequence of actions. In practice, any retreat, mistake or mistake unsettles you and leads to a completely different result.
Thinking in stereotypes and patterns helps save time when making decisions. Most actions are performed automatically. And it seems to be good. But! Firstly, not all problems can be solved using templates. Secondly, following standards prevents the implementation of fresh ideas and making discoveries. As a result, a person does not develop and stands still.
It turns out that the main task of lateral thinking is to teach a person to think in several directions simultaneously. Yes, there will be mistakes and difficulties along the way. But well-developed intuition, creativity and a sense of humor will help either bypass them or eliminate them.
Generation of ideas
The ability to think laterally is a skill that can be developed. And the more you upgrade, the more new angles will open up. The basis of most creative practices is the method of provocation .
A provocative idea is an idea that can expand the vector of thinking. An experiment that makes it possible to discover something that was previously impossible.
There are two roads leading to your favorite pizzeria. Between them is a small alley that you have never noticed. Entering this alley, you find a cool burger joint. And you understand that now this is what is needed.
Provocative ideas create a new state of affairs, which will then be similarly destroyed by other bold ideas.
To improve your skill in generating provocative ideas, de Bono offers four approaches .
1. Complete opposite (“from the opposite”). First, look at the situation from a normal perspective. And then try to turn everything upside down. A sofa lying on a person and a light bulb that turns off when nothing is visible are variants of ideas “from the opposite”.
A film that audiences watch. A good preparation for a super-interactive movie format. Spectators look at the actors through device monitors, and the actors see them through their own, who are connected to the broadcast. Improvisation would reach a new level.
“I took a shower” and “I didn’t take a shower” are not the exact opposite, but a distance. To turn an idea inside out, it is not enough to simply deny the situation - you need to radically change all its components.
2. Exaggeration. This technique is associated with quantities: numbers, frequency, weight, power, temperature, duration, volume. The task is to go beyond the norm by exaggerating or minimizing any characteristic of the object.
A chair with 100 legs. This may give rise to the idea of creating a multifunctional chair. For example, one leg will have a port for charging various devices, and the other will have a place to store chargers.
Shower gel containing only 1 drop of product. An understatement may suggest the development of a very concentrated formulation of the product.
This technique works well if you want to upgrade an existing object or release a new version of it.
3. Distortion. It is necessary to disrupt the usual order of things, change the sequence of actions or the roles of the participants in the situation. These metamorphoses will be a provocation.
A person first pays for purchases - and only then buys. Based on this idea, an application may appear that will make sure that the user’s finances do not burst at the seams. For example, you give the application $20. Then you place an “order”: bread, milk, vegetables. If you have too much, throw out the excess from the basket. If there is money left, the application will transfer the change to the card. Finally, when you go to the store for bread, a bottle of milk and salad, these are the only things you really buy.
This is one of the most difficult techniques. You can come up with cool, provocative ideas, but it will be very difficult to turn them into some kind of real solution to the problem.
4. Method of castles in the air. This is pure fantasy. You share an assumption, knowing in advance that it is impossible to achieve. “It would be nice if...” - this formulation will help launch the whole mechanism.
It would be nice if you could always ride in elevators alone. Why not create a “safe elevator” where you can choose: to ride alone or with someone else. A safe elevator is a safe place for children, women and simply those who want to take a break from the company of colleagues or neighbors.
The castles in the air method teaches you not to focus on the result, but to focus on the process of creating different fantasies, even if not all of them can be grounded.
There is another technique in the format of lateral thinking - “random entry” . It also helps take the idea to the next level.
We focus on the task. We choose a random word, connect it with our focus - and from this combination we generate new ideas. It doesn't seem to make any sense. But the brain has a super skill - making connections. It doesn't matter how far one word is in meaning or context from another. The brain will always find its way back to what it focuses on.
I would like to create unusual pencils. I accidentally saw in the Viber chat of the residents of the house that a neighbor was selling greens. So, you have two inputs: a pencil and greens. You threw out the idea of pencils shaped like different plants. I gave up pencils with different colored leads. I remembered that greens are grown from seeds. Twist it a little - and you already have an idea for pencils that contain capsules with seeds of greens, vegetables or even trees.
It’s not a fact that the manufacturers of Sprout zero waste pencils came up with this idea exactly this way, but they could have.
To achieve a provocative effect, you need a random choice - a random word in a book, on a billboard outside your window, or from a song playing in your headphones.
Lateral thinking process
Consists of three stages:
- Selecting focus. In order to learn to think laterally, you need to have an idea. It will help you decide on the direction of movement, the area of creative activity, and will become the basis. Without it, it will not be possible to create something truly new and creative.
- Lateral gap. After you find an idea, you need to break the patterns, the generally accepted framework, and expand the stereotypes. You will have to break the logic of your idea. Move it a little to the side, change the focus.
- Making connections. So the pattern is broken. Logic is broken. What to do next? This may sound absurd. But try to find something logical in the new way of thinking. This is incredibly difficult to do. But only in this way will you come to something new.
Lateral thinking is applicable in all areas of life. It helps to push the boundaries of consciousness. Often a person perceives very little information. Because of this, he sees only one way to solve problems. He focuses only on it, subconsciously resisting other options.
The ability to think outside the box will help you find not one, but many ways of action. Sometimes they will be unusual, even absurd.
Test your knowledge
If you want to test your knowledge on the topic of this lesson, you can take a short test consisting of several questions. For each question, only 1 option can be correct. After you select one of the options, the system automatically moves on to the next question. The points you receive are affected by the correctness of your answers and the time spent on completion. Please note that the questions are different each time and the options are mixed.
Statistics Full screen
Evgeny Buyanov
← Creative thinking Focus →
Lateral thinking methods
Edward de Bono proposed four methods.
Six thinking hats
A well-known and no less popular method in psychology is lateral thinking. Proves that multiple ideas can coexist successfully with each other. Helps you look at problems from different angles. So imagine that you have six hats of different colors. Each of them is responsible for one of the approaches:
- White. This is the information sphere. Tells us what we know at the moment, what we need to know, what facts, figures, news there are. All this should relate to the issue at hand.
- Red. Feelings, sensations, emotions related to the task.
- Green. Search for unusual solutions, interesting ideas.
- Black. Responsible for doubts, criticism, possible difficulties, shortcomings of the idea and shortcomings.
- Yellow. This is optimism. Shows the idea only from its positive sides. Introduces the benefits of its implementation, discusses the advantages.
- Blue. This hat belongs to the presenter. He has to put everything that was said together.
You can do this exercise independently or in a group.
Synectic Assault
It suggests a combination of incompatible things. According to Edward de Bono, this exercise destroys patterns and stereotypes, and also activates the brain. The technique consists of four parts:
- Think about how people most often solve a problem.
- Answer the question: how would I solve this problem?
- Briefly describe the situation.
- Imagine how a historical or fictional hero would act.
After carefully analyzing each point, you will find a non-standard way out of any situation.
Random word
This method can be used in group and independent classes. It is needed in cases where conversation participants are running out of ideas. Invite everyone to name the word that first came to mind. And then try to find its connection with the problem being solved. As you make connections, you will undoubtedly find new solutions. And also look at the situation from an unexpected angle.
Going beyond
The solution to any problem or task is limited within certain limits. This is the budget, time frame, resources. And it is not always possible to expand these boundaries. But try to imagine that you managed to do it. What would you do in this case? Surely you would have hundreds of new, unusual ideas.
Edward de Bono and his concept
Edward de Bono
Edward de Bono (1033) is a British psychologist, doctor of medicine, a specialist in the field of psychology, physiology and creative thinking. He is the author of many popular books on the topic of thinking, in which he proposed special techniques that allow anyone to develop the ability to think in new ways.
The most famous of these books: “Water Logic”, “Beauty of the Mind”, “Serious Creative Thinking”, “Courses for the Development of Thinking”, “Lateral Thinking”, “Teach Yourself to Think”, “The Birth of a New Idea”, “Six Thinking Hats” , “Six figures of thinking”, “Beauty of the mind”, “Why are we so stupid?”, “Brilliant!”.
Dr. Bono sought to create a new information system with the ability to self-organize. Modeling such a system, he came up with the concept of a pattern, which is widely known in psychology, sociology and other related fields. A pattern is a sample, template, cliche. A pattern is a structure that integrates variability and constancy in various processes and stimuli. The scientist studied patterns and looked for methods to restructure them.
He developed exercises for developing lateral thinking, allowing you to perceive any tasks facing a person not as difficulties, but as interesting puzzles.
How to develop lateral thinking
Don't be discouraged if you can't think outside the box. This skill can be developed. There are a number of ways:
- Look for new ideas in all areas.
- Forget about the stereotypes others use to make decisions.
- Doubt it.
- Consider several options to solve the problem at once.
- Spend time solving lateral thinking problems.
- Think about how you can use old things in creative ways.
- Take a creative approach to even everyday tasks.
- Learn to enjoy thinking and searching for new ideas.
Interestingly, the development of lateral thinking occurs most rapidly in young children. There are no patterns or stereotypes in their subconscious; they act according to intuition, and are not afraid to laugh at themselves and their mistakes. They also often offer things that are absurd for adults. This is the ability to think outside the box.
Lateral thinking tasks
Try your hand at interesting riddles:
- Imagine a cafe visitor who has a fly floating in his cup of coffee. He called the waiter and asked to change the order. The waiter did just that. But the visitor is again not happy. He claims that they brought him the same coffee. How did he understand this?
- The chess players played five games between them. Everyone lost and won the same number of times. However, there was not a single draw. How did this happen?
- So, two people are on a tour of a coal mine. When they came out, it turned out that one had a dirty face and the other did not. The one who was clean went to wash himself. But his friend is not. Why?
- Twenty members of a symphony orchestra play for the audience. However, no one listens to them. What is the reason?
Were you able to answer at least one question? Show innovative thinking. You will see that everything is banally simple.
Exercises to develop lateral thinking
How else can you develop lateral thinking? Regularly performing simple but effective exercises.
- Come up with stupid, frivolous, absurd ideas. To make it easier, take an illustrated magazine. Open any picture and imagine what is happening in it. Don't be trivial. Don't state the obvious. Show your imagination, creativity and originality. Happened? You are on the right track.
- Play "Danetki". It's better to do this in the company of friends. Come up with an interesting situation. Ask each other questions so that you can only answer “yes” or “no.” With their help, find out why the hero acted this way and not otherwise.
- Do experiments, take risks. Let us give a banal example familiar to many. The woman had several unsuccessful relationships. As a result, she began to think that all men were the same. But if you think about it, something common will appear between them. Let it be an addiction to computer games. This feature will become fixed in the woman’s brain as a template. And she will choose only such men. And after another failure, I can say that I am again convinced that I am right. Lateral thinking in this case will help change the usual course of events.
Exercise as often as possible. You will soon find that you look at everyday things in a completely different way.
