What is the essence of the interaction of thinking intelligence. Psychology study guide thinking and intelligence. The physical nature of thinking

Despite the fact that many equate the concepts of intelligence and thinking, there is a difference between them. While thinking is the designation of a person's mental activity, intelligence is the ability to do this process. The next difference: thinking is a basic innate complex of cognitive capabilities, intelligence is a more complex structure that can be developed. At the same time, thinking, as a basic component of intelligence, is able to develop simultaneously with it.

Intelligence

There are many definitions. He characterizes the following abilities:

• deal with new or difficult situations;
• learn from your own experience;
• adapt to new circumstances;
• adaptive behavior in the context of changing conditions.

In addition to the definition of the concept of intelligence in the opinions of scientists, there are differences even in whether it should be understood as a whole, or whether it is divided into several relatively different types.

For example, according to the theory of the American psychologist Robert J. Sternberg, intelligence consists of 3 components:

• analytical thinking, mainly involved in solving problems that a person has faced in the past;
• creative thinking used to find solutions to problems;
• practical thinking related to everyday life.

His colleague, Howard Gardner, identifies 8 types of thinking and intelligence:

• linguistic;
• logical and mathematical;
• visual-spatial;
• motor;
• musical;
• interpersonal;
• intrapersonal;
• natural.

Later he identified the 9th type, the so-called. existential intelligence.

Edward Thorndike identifies only 3 main types of intelligence:

• theoretical (abstract);
• practical (specific);
• social - the ability to control others (includes emotional intelligence).

From the listing of the aforementioned components, it becomes clear that some of them have a great connection with the theoretical part of life (education), others with the practical (work experience, the art of coping with life). The ability to achieve high income is a matter of practical application of theoretical knowledge gained through study, observation, education. The first part (the acquisition of knowledge) and the second (the opportunity to put it into practice) can fail. Some people with good thinking and intelligence do not receive an education that matches their level of IQ. Reasons can range from financial, geographic, political factors to over-criticism of teachers.

Social intelligence is also important. It includes the ability to process, recognize, control emotions, build quality, long-term relationships, and collaborate with others. Social skills have a significant impact on getting jobs or lucrative orders. Success is predetermined by the following skills:

• appeal to people;
• impression;
• good teamwork and management;
• creation of an appropriate network of contacts and acquaintances;
• penetration into the secrets of the organizational structure;
• understanding of written and unwritten rules of conduct in a new team.

The relationship between mental and emotional intelligence

(EI) is a person's ability to realize, identify (reflect), manage his emotions, understand the emotions of other people, and effectively influence them. These abilities, according to experts, are the most important in life.

In management practice, EI is underestimated, in companies and organizations it is still customary to look at successful performance as the fruits of high mental qualities of employees. In fact, a person's feelings and emotions (as well as their relationship to the mind) are very important. They influence what grabs our attention, how we think, what we decide. For example, a hungry person in a shopping center sees food, a well-fed person sees shoes, books.

The relationship between mental and emotional intelligence has not yet been fully correlated. But many interesting things are already known. Human creativity and successful activity is the result of his productive thinking, the essence of which is complex. These qualities are not due only to high mental abilities. They are the result of a combination of rational thinking ability and EI proportional to the nature of the situation.

The characteristic of thinking and intelligence in psychology suggests that very smart people do not always have highly productive thinking. Their productive thinking may have a lower score than the average intelligent person.

With high mental intelligence, creative and productive thinking is low.

People who score over 120 on IQ tests have only a 5-15% chance of successful leadership. They don't have a good ability to inspire and motivate other people.

Thinking

Thinking is one of the cognitive processes. It is mainly about working with information, ideas, concepts. Thinking allows a person to find correlations, solve problems.

Thinking functions:

• formation of concepts;
• recognition and search for relationships;
• problem solving;
• creating something new.

The result is new information, experience, knowledge.

Properties

With regard to thinking, several properties are distinguished:

• Convergence. The ability to stick to a specific topic, follow the line of logical context.
• Divergence. Also called artistic, creative thinking, it is characterized by a wide range of possibilities.
• Worldview. Determines how broad knowledge and problems a person can include or solve in thinking.
• Depth. Determines how much the person can go into the details of the problem (for example, through analysis).
• Accuracy (reliability). Determines how logical, practical, and correct ideas are.
• Independence. The ability to solve problems can be more or less conditioned by the help of other people.
• Flexibility. The ability to break away from mental stereotypes, find the most effective solution to a given problem (for example, overcoming functional fixation).
• Criticality. The ability to conduct a critical analysis of individual knowledge, the process of solving a problem.

Types

Thinking is divided into several types according to various parameters.

Concrete VS Demonstrative VS Abstract:

• Concrete - directly relates to practical subjects, a person thinks what he will do. This option is impractical, time consuming, tiresome.
• Indicative - before starting to do something, a person imagines how it will happen. This option is more practical and faster.
• Abstract - a person does not represent any objects, he thinks abstractly. This is how, for example, mathematical equations are solved.

Analytical VS Synthetic:

• Analytical - analyzes the whole thing, divides it into smaller parts, which it analyzes again.
• Synthetic - combining knowledge and facts into one concept.

In practice, both types are often used.

Convergent VS Divergent:

• Convergent - finding one correct solution.
• Divergent - searching for all possible solutions.

Due to the similarity of these types, they are also often used together - first divergent thinking, then convergent thinking.

Reasoning

It is a thinking process in which conclusions are based on information.

Reasoning methods:

• Deduction - subtraction of conclusions for a specific case from the general rules (one is determined from the set). Example: Socrates is man → man is mortal → Socrates is mortal. Deduction never brings any new information.
• Induction goes in the opposite direction than deduction goes from one to many. It is about establishing general rules based on specific cases. Example: Peter has a car → Alexander has a car → all men have cars. Inductive judgments are always applied only with a certain probability, never 100%. All scientific theories are based on inductive judgment.

Thought operation and problem solving

Cognitive operations are purposeful mental manipulation of mental content aimed at solving both theoretical and practical problems.

Thinking operations are divided into 2 categories:

• Logical operations are governed by precise rules that should not be violated. In the process of solving a problem, a person follows an algorithm (just like a computer). The solution is correct and accurate. However, in everyday life, this is an impractical and lengthy path.
• Heuristic operations are abbreviated thinking practices that produce results without individually considering all options and alternative approaches. The results are assessed in terms of suitable / unsuitable. This option is extremely fast and efficient compared to the previous one, but it is also burdened with a high error rate.

Does the correctness of decision making depend on the degree of thinking and intelligence?

Reason is not always the key to making the right decisions. This is reported by the British Internet edition "Independent", referring to the scientific journal "Research Digest". A high IQ can lead to academic success, but the right decisions are made through critical thinking, without undue emotional burden.

Probably, every person has a friend or acquaintance who has an extraordinary mind, but at the same time commits many stupid things: either slamming the keys in the car, or leading to Internet fraud.

A high IQ does not necessarily mean that a person has good critical thinking, according to new research from which the author of the article in The Independent comes.

Impaired thinking and intelligence

Mental disorders belong to the field of psychiatry, can be congenital and acquired:

• congenital pathology - mental retardation;
• acquired pathology -.

In both cases, sick people are characterized by a disorder of thinking ability, often - daily physical activity, independence.

AI philosophy

The philosophy of artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of philosophy that attempts to answer the following questions:

• What is the essence of intelligence? Can a machine completely replace the thinking of the human mind?
• Are the nature of the computer and the human brain the same? What methods does the human brain use to create consciousness (or at least its illusion)?
• Can a machine have a mind, mental states, consciousness similar to human ones? Can a car feel?

These three questions about thinking and intelligence in philosophy reflect the different interests of AI scientists. The scientific answer to these questions depends entirely on the definitions used "intelligence", "consciousness", "machine".

Intelligence- the totality of a person's mental abilities, ensuring the success of his cognitive activity.

In a broad sense, this term is understood as the totality of all cognitive functions of an individual (perception, memory, imagination, thinking), and in a narrow sense - his thinking abilities.

In psychology, there is a concept structures of intelligence however, the understanding of this structure varies widely depending on the views of a particular psychologist. For example, a famous scientist R. Cattell distinguished two sides in the structure of intelligence: dynamic - "fluid", and static - "crystallized" (crystallized)... According to his concept, "fluid intelligence" manifests itself in tasks, the solution of which requires quick and flexible adaptation to a new situation. It depends more on the genotype of the person. "Crystallized intelligence" is more dependent on the social environment and manifests itself in solving problems that require appropriate skills and experience.

You can use other models of the structure of intelligence, for example, highlighting the following components in it:

• ability to learn (quickly master new knowledge, skills and abilities);
• the ability to successfully operate with abstract symbols and concepts;
• ability to solve practical problems and problem situations;
• the amount of available long-term and operational memory.

Accordingly, intelligence tests include several groups of tasks. These are tests that reveal the amount of knowledge in a particular area; tests assessing the intellectual development of a person in connection with his biological age; tests that determine a person's ability to solve problem situations and intellectual tasks. In addition, there are special tests. For example, abstract-logical or spatial thinking, verbal intelligence, etc.

The most famous tests of this type include:

• Stanford-Binet test- evaluates the intellectual development of the child;
• Wechsler test - evaluates the verbal and non-verbal components of intelligence;
• Raven's test - non-verbal intelligence;
• Eysenck's test (IQ) - determines the general level of intelligence development.

In the study of intelligence in psychology, there are two approaches: intellectual abilities are innate or develop in the process of individual development, as well as their intermediate version.

DEVELOPMENT OF THINKING

Development of thinking in the process of ontogenesis

Thinking is not formed immediately in a person. In a newborn, it is absent, its activity is determined exclusively by unconditioned reflexes - unambiguous responses to certain stimuli. A nursing infant at the age of several months also does not have thinking, but conditioned reflexes are already forming in him. This means that his brain can flexibly bind two stimuli to each other and respond to them adequately - for example, a baby smiles at the mother and cries at the sight of a stranger. Only by the end of the first year of life, the first elements of thinking begin to appear in a child, and it differs significantly from the thinking of an adult.

According to a Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, there are four stages of development of thinking (Table 9.2).

Table 9.2. The main stages of the development of thinking according to J. Piaget

Stage	Age	The content of the stage of development of thinking
Stage of sensorimotor intelligence	1-2 years	Development of the ability to perceive and cognize objects of the real world. By the end of this stage, the child becomes a subject - he separates himself from the world around him.
Operational thinking stage	2-7 years	Speech develops, the process of internalization of external actions is activated. Development of self-centered thinking (difficulty accepting the positions of other people)
Stage of specific operations	7-8 to 11-12 years old	The ability to give logical explanations for your actions, to move from one point of view to another. Understanding of two important logical formulas: if A = B and B = C, then A = C and A + B = B + A. Ability to combine subjects into classes
Formal Operations Stage	From 12-15 onwards	Ability to perform mental operations using logical reasoning and abstract concepts

Basic types of thinking

As the human psyche develops in the process of socialization, the main way of his thinking gradually changes from the concrete to the more abstract, from the external, objective to the internal.

A child's first way of thinking is visual-action thinking(between the ages of 1 and 3), that is, thinking in the form of practical actions. Young children learn about the world around them and make the first conclusions about its structure, trying objects with their hands, disassembling them and breaking them.

The next step is visual-figurative, that is, thinking in the form of visual images and representations (visual, auditory, tactile). It is most developed between the ages of 4 and 7, but it persists in adults as well. This thinking is based on practical reality, but it can already create and store images that do not have a direct analogue in sensations (fairy tale characters).

V figurative thinking, which is most developed among artists, designers, advertisers, tailors, hairdressers and architects, the material for solving the problem is not concepts, but images - more often visual (for musicians - auditory). They are either retrieved from memory or recreated by the imagination. The dominant role in this type of thinking is played by the right hemisphere of a person. The difference from the previous stage is the widespread use of verbal constructions in the formation and transformation of images, as well as the use of abstract concepts.

Abstract-logical(abstract or conceptual) thinking works in the form of abstract concepts, symbols and numbers. In this case, a person operates with concepts without dealing with the experience obtained with the help of the senses. For example, the ethical terms “justice” and “conscience”, the mathematical terms “degree” and “derivative”, the economic terms “balance” or “profit” are abstract concepts and cannot be perceived directly by the human senses.

In addition to classifying thinking by form, there are other ways to distinguish certain types of thinking. They can differ in the degree of development, in the nature of the tasks being solved, etc.

These types of thinking (except for the third, analyzed earlier) are displayed in table. 9.3.

Table 9.3.

Specific features of different types of thinking

Type of thinking	Its feature
Theoretical	Thinking on the basis of theoretical reasoning and inferences is the knowledge of laws and rules
Practical	Thinking based on judgments and inferences based on solving practical problems. The main task of practical thinking is to develop means of practical transformation of reality
Discursive (analytical)	Thinking mediated by the logic of reasoning, not perception. Analytical thinking is deployed in time, has clearly defined stages, is presented in the mind of the thinking person himself
Intuitive	Thinking on the basis of direct sensory perceptions and direct reflection of the effects of objects and phenomena of the objective world. Intuitive thinking is characterized by the rapidity of its course, the absence of clearly defined stages, is minimally conscious
Reproductive	Thinking on the basis of images and ideas gleaned from some specific sources
Productive	Thinking based on creative imagination

Topic: “Thinking. Intelligence. Imagination. Speech".

Thinking - the mental process of reflecting the most essential objects and phenomena of reality, as well as the most essential connections and relationships between them, which ultimately leads to the acquisition of new knowledge about the world.

The source of human thought activity is real life, practice. Labor, study, play - any kind of activity requires the solution of mental problems.

Thought operations:

1. Analysis - mental division of the whole into parts or properties;
2. Synthesis - mental integration of parts and properties of an object or phenomenon into a single whole;
3. Comparison - mental comparison of objects or phenomena and finding similarities and differences between them;
4. Generalization - mental unification of objects and phenomena according to their general and essential characteristics;
5. Abstraction - mental selection of essential or signs while simultaneously abstracting from non-essential properties or signs of objects and phenomena.

To think abstractly means to be able to some moment, side, feature or property of the recognized object and consider them without connection with other features of the same object.

Types of thinking:

1. Subject-action thinking - the type of thinking, which is carried out only in the presence of objects and direct action with them.
2. Visual-figurative thinking - is characterized by reliance on representation (images of previously perceived objects and phenomena), and also operates with visual images of objects (drawing, diagram, plan).
3. Abstract logical thinking - relies on abstract concepts and logical actions with them.

The main forms of abstract thinking:

1. Concept - a handicap of thinking, reflecting the most general and essential signs, properties of an object or phenomenon of the objective world, expressed in words.
2. Judgment - a form of thinking, which reflects the connections between concepts, expressed in the form of affirmation or negation.
3. Inference - a form of thinking through which a new judgment (conclusion) is derived from one or more judgments (premises).

Inference is indirect, inferential knowledge.

Intelligence

« Intelligence Is the global ability to act rationally, think rationally and cope well with life circumstances ”(Veksler), i.e. intelligence is seen as the ability of a person to adapt to the environment.

Imagination

Imagination Is the mental process of creating something new in the form of an image, representation or ideas.

The process of imagination is peculiar only to man and is a necessary condition for his labor activity.

Speech

Human speech is the main means of communication, a means of thinking, a carrier of consciousness and memory, a carrier of information (written texts).

Speech, like all higher mental functions of a person, is the product of a long cultural and historical process.

Speech Is a language in action. Language Is a sign system that includes words with their meanings and syntax - a set of rules by which sentences are built.

Speech has three functions:

1. Significative (designation);
2. Generalization;
3. Communication (transfer of knowledge, relationships, feelings);

Significative function - distinguishes human speech from animal communication. A person has an associated idea of ​​an object or phenomenon with a word. Mutual understanding in the process of communication is thus associated with the unity of the designation of objects or phenomena by the perceiver and the speaker.

Generalization function related tothat the word denotes not only a separate, given object, but a whole group of similar objects, and is always the bearer of their essential features.

Communication function , i.e. transmission of information.

If the first two functions of speech can be considered as an internal mental activity, then the communicative function acts as an external speech behavior aimed at contacts with other people. In the communicative speech functions highlight three sides:

1. Informational;
2. Expressive;
3. Volitional;

Thinking and intelligence

Introduction

The world is becoming more complex, and in order to quickly adapt to new conditions, each of us needs to learn to use our brain more fully.

But how much do we know about the interaction of this amazing organ with the surrounding reality? Whether you wake up from a dream, assimilate information, plan for the future, love or suffer - it all happens in your head.

The human brain is an amazing organ, but, alas, almost half of the population in developed countries complains about the deterioration of its work. Don't you notice anything? Do you remember what you did last Saturday? Do you know by heart the birthdays of all your family members? And - very importantly - are you doing anything to develop your creativity?

Our brain consists of approximately 100 billion nerve cells, between which literally hundreds of thousands of electrical impulses slip every millisecond (1/1000 s). Contrary to popular belief, there is absolutely no reason for them to gradually deteriorate as they age.

What happens in the human brain when he solves a complex problem? Is it true that smart people achieve more in life than stupid ones?

More recently, biologists, physicians and psychologists have launched a new assault on the mysteries of the brain.

1.What is intelligence? What is IQ talking about?

Intelligence is the totality of a person's mental abilities that ensure the success of his cognitive activity.

Thinking is the process of reflection in the human mind of the general properties of objects and phenomena, as well as connections and relationships between them. Thinking is a process of mediated and generalized cognition of reality.

For decades, the IQ is 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 purely 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 intelligence that require neither effort nor preparation from us - for example, laughing in response to a joke.

"I would like to take a look at a computer program for a sense of humor," ironically Douglas Hofstadter, American psychologist and author of the popular book "Gödel, Escher, Bach: Eternal Golden Weaving." "That would be a serious claim to intelligence."

Everyone wants to be branded as smart and hear the same about their children.

However, intelligence is not inherited, that is, it does not depend, say, on the IQ of the parents.

Geneticists believe that chromosomes determine our mind 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.

Nobody knows what factors and in what way form human consciousness.

No one can explain what intelligence is: scientists offer different definitions and criteria. In practice, however, this unique human trait is quantified in several ways.

The subjects are asked to continue the digital series, complete the figure, compare 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 - intelligence quotient, or IQ.

But is it possible to measure what is not defined? And, importantly, how versatile is IQ? Does it allow you to compare different people? After all, for many of us, abstract logic is far from the main thing in life.

What percentage of such a complex phenomenon as intelligence measures IQ?

For example, he 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.

Consequently, a high IQ, contrary to popular belief, does not guarantee academic or professional success.

Recognizing that IQ is not very informative, many large firms test their employees in special centers, where they are asked to solve a number of behavioral problems that simulate work situations.

Usually such a check lasts two days and takes a lot of energy. This is mainly about role-playing games in which the subject acts as a boss or subordinate and must agree on something, quickly resolve issues, find a common language with colleagues, and even make paper models of cars with them.

The jury evaluates his abilities according to various criteria, including intelligence, leadership style, self-discipline, self-confidence ("assertiveness").

2. The path to success, creativity

intelligence thinking cerebral divergent

Traits such as self-discipline, perseverance or ambition are not evaluated by IQ, and they are often more important for success in life than pure intelligence.

Think of your school or college acquaintances. Everyone will find examples of how an excellent student and a class leader became an inconspicuous employee, and a poor student and a slow-witted, painfully overcoming years of study, turned into a successful businessman, politician, and even a scientist.

Wouldn't any of us name a person who is not brilliant at all, but has a great job in life - a decent job, a happy marriage, numerous friends, obedient children, useful acquaintances? Why are these situations almost the rule?

Intelligence researcher Robert Sternberg tried to answer this question using the parable of two school friends, 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 references are the path to a successful career. The second boy's head is far from so bright. The marks are average, but he has enough common sense and in general he is "on his mind"

Once friends are walking in the woods and suddenly they notice a very hungry and angry bear nearby. The first boy quickly calculates that the beast will overtake them in a maximum of a minute, and panics. And the second calmly takes off rubber boots and puts on sneakers. “What a fool you are,” the first cries desperately. "A man runs slower than a bear." “I know,” the second responds. "But the main thing for me is to run faster than you."

The first boy is able to quickly analyze the problem, but his intellect stops there. The second thinks not so much in depth as in breadth - makes a creative decision, adequately reacting to an unusual situation. He demonstrates the so-called practical mind (ingenuity, 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 intelligence is most interesting to study on the example of geniuses, that is, highly gifted individuals.

For example, the Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali (1904-1989), famous for his delusional images made in a detailed "photographic" style, was sometimes inspired by the changing shapes 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 horseback 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 talk about the "logic of emotions."

In his opinion, they serve as the engine and conductor of our thought processes, sensations and actions.

They are the ones who evaluate what is happening in the head and select what exactly to keep in memory.

Events involving strong feelings or sensory impressions are easier to remember.

That is why we “live” mainly emotionally colored moments of our past.

This selective memory is formed very early. Between 6 and 20 months of life, a child develops strong emotional ties with his parents and other important people. If this does not happen, a person risks remaining alone for the rest of his days. As you know, you cannot learn love from books - you have to experience it.

For a baby, it is tantamount to the confidence to cling to the mother's breast at any time. Then she begins to associate with caresses and kisses.

Over time, a person includes in its definition such concepts as admiration, pride, indulgence, friendship.

4. How many minds do we have?

We have a second type of intelligence that is not measured by IQ tests. German writer Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1749-1832) wrote about the "education of the heart."

Nowadays, 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 - some have enough of everything, others lack one type of intelligence, the third - both at once.

The main property of EQ is the ability to assess one's own emotional state, to “look inside oneself”. It is closely related to understanding and controlling your behavior.

Developed EQ can be called “a cold head with a hot heart”: even when he is very worried, a person does not allow his feelings to influence the quality of his decisions.

This property is vital for psychotherapists and philosophers, who, by the nature of their 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, “looking inside” must be combined with “looking outside” - a quality sometimes called social intelligence.

According to the American professor of psychology Howard Gardner, a person has at least seven types of "mental abilities."

We have already discussed two aspects of social intelligence above. The following "talents" can be added to these.

Speech ability is 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 speakers.

Man differs from other animals in his 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 and 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 her, people would not only get lost on the high seas, but also would not get home from work. This quality is especially developed among sculptors, architects, cartographers.

Physico-kinesthetic intelligence is a special type of mind. It allows us to learn a wide variety of movements. The ability to ride a bike or crochet remains with a person for the rest of his life.

Finally, there is Musical Intelligence. A musician lives in each of us - we easily turn sounds and rhythms into melodies. The gifted can use special tools for this.

5. Thinking, fighting chaos

You have never had this: you do not know from which end to get down to business?

If so, then it's time to think about more effective problem-solving strategies. Learn to look at them at the root.

Margarita lives with her family in the suburbs of the metropolis. On weekdays, she has to raise everyone, feed them breakfast, bring her husband Anton to work, the eldest daughter Marina to school, the youngest Arina to the kindergarten and be at her office by 9.00. How can a person do so much? Breakfast alone takes a lot of time, especially if the 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 thinks carefully about the next day. If you plan on the go in the morning, problems will simply be overwhelmed by a stormy stream, leaving no time for reflection.

We'll have to switch to an emergency mode, that is, choose not the best option, but the lesser of evils.

What exactly is Margarita doing? First, he cooks everything that is possible in the evening. Secondly, something is done at the same time: while the water is boiling, the eggs are fried and the milk is warmed up. While the coffee and eggs are cooling down, the ready-made breakfast is mixed and the sausage is cut. Third, there is a system of priorities. First, the youngest is brought to the kindergarten, so the children are taken very early, then the older one goes to school, then the husband goes to work.

Margarita keeps her entire schedule in mind. She perfectly remembers what is important, what can wait, and what is not at all necessary.

In her routine, she singled out constant and variable values, not forgetting to leave a "reserve" for unforeseen circumstances.

Margarita simplifies her life, not only getting rid of unnecessary everyday worries, but also constantly improving and extending to those around her 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 a 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 tinkering with a pyramid of 64 gold plates, folded in decreasing 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 the third point as a transshipment point. However, in any case, the plates should be stacked on top of each other in decreasing size, that is, the smaller one on top of the larger one, and, of course, 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 end of the world come?

This question interested the French mathematician Edouard Luc, he carried out the appropriate calculations and received an accurate result. If only one second is taken for one transfer of each plate, it should take about 580 million years from the beginning to the end of the fateful manipulations.

About 100 years ago, the legend of the gold plates of monks from Varanasi gave rise to the still popular board game called the Tower of Hanoi.

It exists in different versions, but they have the same essence. And the conclusion is also unambiguous: a seemingly insurmountable 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 becomes extremely simple. anyone can solve it in three moves - if, of course, they do the first of them correctly.

Game situations are very similar to real ones. First of all, one must always clearly separate the main from the secondary. Since every little thing often leads to a new task, in the search for all the arriving side solutions there is a danger of deviating from the goal so much that it completely disappears from sight.

Our brain automatically develops the optimal strategy for solving the problem, taking into account the fallback options. Usually people use schemes that have already been successful in similar situations. Often we do not even realize the stereotypes of our choice.

However, the more actively a person recalls past experience, the better he understands what to do in a particular situation, since the problems in our life, whatever one may say, are quite the same type.

If you don't think about the first step, you will get an extra headache. Unfortunately, there is no perfect recipe for all diseases. Each of us has our own approaches to solving complex problems.

Different strategies bring success depending on the situation.

The conclusion is obvious: the more their options are prepared in reserve, the higher the chances of getting out of a difficult situation in the best way.

7. Thinking outside the box. A new look at old problems

The invention of the bicycle was undoubtedly a major technical achievement. However, in the early models, the pedals were attached directly to the axle, and you had to twist your feet too quickly.

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 naturally increased, but the car became too bulky and unsafe for mass use.

The advent of the chain drive at the end of the 19th century solved the problem. Each of us is faced with such a "revolution in consciousness" every now and then in his own life.

Rolled-out 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 decision is in front of us, but we simply do not notice it.

The car does not start, the computer freaks, the annoying client does not allow to work normally. You don't have to count on help, but you need 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 used to the old door that we do not even look in the other direction.

So it was with the bicycle masters. By a lucky coincidence, the huge wheels were made in the same locksmiths 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. We see the result on our streets.

Consider, for example, whether you tend to deviate from office or technical instructions for the benefit of the business. If so, then yawn the car by replacing the blown fuse with a paper clip; tame your computer by restarting it "incorrectly" several times in a row; calm down the bored client with a gift from the company.

As they say, another flash of inspiration came to your head. Such "eureka" usually happens when you least expect them.

Researchers estimate that only 4 percent of the brilliant ideas that change the policy of a firm originate directly in the offices of its management.

Managers are much more likely to be inspired by inspiration when they shower, eat breakfast, take a walk, get stuck in a traffic jam, bounce on a bus, or enjoy a concert.

In Greek "Eureka!" means "Found!" (in the sense - a solution). So, according to legend, the great Greek scientist Archimedes (about 287 - 212 BC) exclaimed, jumping out of the bath naked, when he discovered his famous law: a buoyant force acts on a body immersed in a liquid, equal to the weight of the liquid displaced by it.

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 when he saw an apple fall to the ground.

The famous Nobel laureate Albert Einstein (1879-1955) said that his best ideas come to him while shaving.

The French mathematician Jules Henri Poincaré (1854-1912) found an elegant solution to a daunting problem while boarding a bus. “I was heading to Coutance,” he recalled, “without thinking about work at all, and when I put my foot on the step, I suddenly had a clear idea of ​​this formula.”

Most people are inspired. You can call these moments unexpected putting your thoughts in order.

The German astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) spoke of a feeling of "wonderful clarity" that gripped 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. Thinking outside the box. Winding path

Inspiration is associated with almost all aspects of human life. However, unlike mathematical calculations, this phenomenon is rooted in the subconscious.

It is often difficult to explain to others what is very clear to you yourself. That is why there are so many psychics and prophets around who claim that secret knowledge was given to them "from above".

Most insights, like long-ripening abscesses, are the result of repeated disembodied 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, most of us, in order to shout "Eureka!" Routine kills inspiration.

We too rarely think about simple things and forget that any purposeful action - solving equations, cycling - involves not only stereotypical movements, but also the work of the brain.

At the same time, it is the routine that contains the solution to most problems. Paradoxically, but true: the essence of an ingenious invention is always the Sámi's ordinary process.

The discovery lies before us - we just need to "cut off all unnecessary from it."

An illustrative example is radiation therapy for cancerous tumors.

In the first 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 unexpected, but surprisingly simple.

The radiation source began to rotate around the patient so that the rays remained constantly focused on the tumor. As a result, it is destroyed, and the surrounding tissues are irradiated much weaker and do not seriously suffer.

9. Brainstorming. Divergent thinking

One of the most effective methods of creativity is brainstorming, proposed in 1948 by Alex Osborne, who defined four rules for this process: any idea is expressed; the more ideas the better; all ideas are discussed; any combination, modification or refinement of the ideas expressed are welcome.

How effective this method is, is demonstrated by the example of the American space agency - NASA.

The designers, pondering how to replace the lightning in the astronaut's spacesuit, tried the method of maximally free associations.

A word was taken at random from the dictionary, and everyone fantasized how to associate it with a clasp.

The image of the "forest" made someone think of thorns clinging to clothing. This is how a new type of fastener, known to us as velcro, was born.

New solutions are usually born when your thoughts are not constrained by any framework. The optimal result is provided not only by concentration, but also by maximum openness to impressions - using the brain and senses at the same time.

Psychologists define this free search for associations as "divergent" (divergent) thinking.

It is the opposite of "convergent" (converging), when different objects are looking for common features.

This method is typical of IQ tests and usually has a single answer.

10 Training of intelligence and thinking

Getting up from a chair seems easy, but it is about a consistent 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 that it is instantly corrected. The latter task requires the interaction of the vestibular apparatus (in the inner ear), eyes, cerebellum and cerebral cortex - its motor region.

What seems simple and natural is actually a high skill we acquired in early childhood. Moreover, all the necessary systems are activated automatically in a split second.

"What is this old man doing in my bedroom?" - shouted an elderly woman, demanding to call the police. She did not recognize the sleeping man as her own husband. 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 head in just half an hour.

Recently, scientists have established that there is a hereditary predisposition to Alzheimer's disease.

Nerve cells are not restored. A person has about 100 billion of them, and everything is already in place by the time of birth. Then all new connections are established between them, but at the same time dying off also occurs. And, alas, new cells are no longer formed.

However, youth is a relative concept. Many people to old age retain amazing vigor of body and spirit. This primarily applies to creative natures, who often continue to work literally until their last breath.

French writer Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1950) studied fiction until she was 85.

English playwright, Nobel laureate George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) wrote until he was 93.

The German philosopher Hans Georg Gadamer (1900-2002), at the age of 98, lectured, surprising students with a lively 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 to a ripe 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 between highly developed intelligence and longevity was found in nuns. All of them lead a healthy life, so they usually reach a respectable age. Their intelligence was assessed. It turned out that the most "gifted" of them live on average up to 88 years, while the rest - 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 monitoring our mental health, most of us can resist age-related decline in thinking ability.

11. Beyond Thinking

Our brain analyzes objects, that is, it 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 - to sit", "poet - Pushkin" ... Usually such simple connections are enough for us, but some tasks require other, less obvious parallels. Imagination is, in principle, a synthesis of new combinations from fragments of different concepts scattered far across memory.

As a result of using the method of free association, a chair that is both wooden, tall, beautiful, and so on can become fuel (+ stove), stairs (+ chandelier), work of art (+ museum).

The same method has been used by psychoanalysts for more than a century: in order to find out 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, whiskers, duel, Dantes ...)

12. Journey through the sleepy kingdom

Fantasy, which does not recognize any boundaries, sometimes prompts the solution of the most complex scientific problems.

The famous German chemist Friedrich August Kekulé von Stradonitz (1829-1896) saw in a dream monkeys dancing in a circle, 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 suggested the answer: this is a ring.

Dreams have inspired many writers and artists.

For example, the Scotsman Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) composed his most famous novels, including Treasure Island, based on images and plots that appeared to him in his dreams.

We usually 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 the screenwriter.

According to psychologists, this kind of sleep can be learned with the help of a special training program. Its interactive story is better remembered, and as a result, you get an additional source of enough extraordinary data for your creativity.

13. The secret of the blind spot

We all tend to 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, 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 area of ​​the visual field.

Let's do the experiment.

Close your left eye, and with your right gaze intently 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-sensing retinal receptors 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, moreover, are constantly moving, changing the angle of view to the surrounding, and as a result, one compensates for what is missed by the other.

However, looking even with one eye, we will not notice the blind spot. This is explained by the peculiarities of information processing by our brain.

By processing signals from the retina, the brain, using the accumulated information, simply "draws" the empty part of our visual field so that it matches its environment.

For example, while reading the 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 simple solution is literally in front of our noses, but we do not notice it, and then we are surprised: "How could I not figure it out?" or "I was spinning in my head."

14. Food for the mind

The brain only accounts for 2 percent of our 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 many "complex carbohydrates" (polysaccharides) as possible.

Probably the best sources are rice, bread, potatoes, and whole grains, which should provide about 410 percent of our calories.

For the brain to function optimally, a normal metabolism is required, and for its reactions - all vitamins known to science.

Lack of at least one leads to distraction, 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 of grapefruit juice provides us with ascorbic acid for a whole day.

Vitamins B are useful for the nerves, especially B12, which is abundant in the liver and eggs.

Those same sources are rich in folate, which is believed to support the taste for life.

Minerals are required for a variety of reactions, including the conduction of electrical impulses by nerves.

A deficiency of calcium, potassium or sodium is especially dangerous. It will immediately lead to a sharp decrease in our performance.

Among the microelements, iron is most often lacking, which is necessary to supply oxygen to all tissues.

Symptoms of this deficiency include fatigue, anxiety, and distraction.

15. The physical nature of thinking

What is the physical nature of thinking? There is much that is unclear, 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 pine, oak or birch.

Similarly, the image of a deciduous (or coniferous) tree stands out, and then attention is paid to the leaves, flowers, and the form of growth.

Finding an explanation for 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 the various elements that fill the field of view, for example, strokes in a picture (naturally, realistic), among the images that are meaningful to us.

A possible approach to solving this problem was outlined in the late 1980s. Neuroscientists have found that a response to an object triggers neurons in a wide variety of areas of the (cat's) brain.

Obviously, they work together to process the information they receive, and more specifically, they give 40 impulses per second for some time.

This discovery excited the researchers.

Has the physical basis of consciousness or at least recognition of objects been found? Maybe this means that we are aware of them when a group of neurons with impulses arises spontaneously, the frequency of which is equal to 40 hertz.

16. Thinking, intelligence, speech

After a severe head injury, a Frenchman named Leborgne pronounced only one word "Tang" and received the nickname Tang-Tang.

He spent the rest of his life in an insane asylum. The patient's brain after his death was studied by the French surgeon Paul Broca (1824-1880). He confirmed his guess: Tan-Tang had a certain part of his left hemisphere damaged - the so-called motor speech zone, or Broca's center.

In 1874, a young German psychiatrist Karl 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 their normal hearing, they could not "decipher" the meaning of the phrases, in whatever language they sounded.

As a result, it became clear that normal speech requires understanding of others. Heard or read phrases are first processed by the sensory speech area (Wernicke center), usually located in the left hemisphere. Here speech is filled with meaning.

However, in order to speak for ourselves, we need Brock's motor 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 complicated, new social relations arose, permeated with rituals, the rudiments of mythology and religion - what we call spiritual culture.

The brain increased noticeably. Apparently, this was at least partly required to process a new type of information, the volume of which began to grow steadily, accumulating in each generation.

The formation of 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 connection between speech and logical thinking is very complex.

Having lost the speech centers of the brain as a result of trauma, people do not necessarily become round idiots.

Moreover, the ability to compare and systematize concepts arises even in those who have never spoken in their lives.

Thinking develops independently of speech, although under its influence.

Conclusion

Let's say 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 intelligence. And in this sense, the mental development of all its members is useful to society.

Ignoring any aspects of intelligence, say, by school curricula, is fraught with the emergence of personal "imbalances" with fatal consequences for individual individuals and the population as a whole.

So, intelligence and thinking are two sides of the same coin.

For years, neuroscientists have been studying the mechanisms of thought processes. They identified parts in the brain that are specialized in various types of intellectual tasks - such as "formulation", "recognition", "listening." According to neuroscientists, such thought structures are formed in the first years of life.

If children grow up in a stimulus-deficient environment, 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 in the genes and are formed in the first years of life, the human mind certainly develops throughout life.

Having stopped thinking, the brain begins to degrade. Regular training allows him to maintain an amazing clarity of mind, even in old age.

Bibliography

1. Sheppach D., "Thought, Mind, Intellect", 2003, "Reader's Digest"

Velichkovsky B.M., Kapitsa M.S., Psychological problems of the study of intelligence. Moscow: Nauka, 1987

Guilford J. Structural model of intelligence. Moscow: Progress, 1965

Gilbukh Yu.Z. A mentally gifted child. Psychology, diagnostics, pedagogy. Kiev: 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 the "intellectual range" Psychological journal. 1998. T. 19.No.2.

Karpov Yu.V., Talyzina N.R. The criterion for the intellectual development of children // Questions of psychology. 1985. No. 2.

Leites N.S. Age endowments of schoolchildren. Moscow: Academy, 2000

Newcomb N. Development of the child's personality. SPb .: Peter, 2002

Savenkov A.I. Gifted children in kindergarten and school. Moscow: Academy, 2000

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Kholodnaya M.A. The psychology of intelligence. Research paradoxes. SPb .: Peter, 2002

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Thinking and intelligence are closely related terms. Their relationship becomes even clearer when translated into words from the everyday Russian language. In this case, the word "mind" will correspond to intellect. We say "smart person" to denote individual differences in intelligence. We can also say that the mind of a child develops with age - this conveys the problem of the development of intelligence.

We can associate the term “thinking” in our everyday language with the word “thinking” or (less normatively, but perhaps more accurately) “thinking”. The word "mind" expresses a property, ability; deliberation is a process. Solving the problem, we think, and not "get smart" - here is the sphere of the psychology of thinking, not the intellect. Thus, both terms express different sides of the same phenomenon. An intelligent person is one who is capable of carrying out thinking processes. Intelligence is the ability to think. Thinking is a process in which the intellect is realized. Ushakov D.V. Thinking and intellect // Psychology of the XXI century / Ed. V.N. Druzhinin. M .: Per Se, 2003, p. 291 ..

Thinking and intelligence have long been considered the most important and distinctive features of a person. It is not without reason that the term "homo sapiens" is used to define the type of modern man. A person who has lost sight, hearing or the ability to move, of course, bears a bereavement, but does not cease to be a human being. After all, the deaf Beethoven or the blind Homer are considered by us as great personalities. The one who has lost his mind seems to us to be amazed at the very essence of humanity.

The description of various types and types of thinking is based on the premise that there is no thinking at all: thinking is heterogeneous and subject to detail. Different types of thinking are subdivided according to their functional purpose, development, structure, used means, cognitive capabilities.

In psychology, the most common is the following classification of types of thinking: visual-effective, visual-figurative, verbal-logical. This classification is based on a genetic principle and reflects three consecutive levels of thinking development. Each of these types of thinking is determined by two criteria. One of them (the first part of the names) is the specific form in which it is necessary to present a cognizable object or situation to the subject in order to be able to successfully operate with them:

The object as such in its materiality and concreteness;

The object shown in the figure, diagram, drawing;

An object described in one or another sign system.

Another criterion (the second part of the names) is the main ways in which a person learns the world around him:

Through practical action with an object;

By operating with figurative representations;

Based on logical concepts and other symbolic formations.

The main characteristic of visual-active thinking is determined by the ability to observe real objects and learn the relationship between them in a real transformation of the situation. Practical cognitive object-related actions are the basis of all later forms of thinking. With visual-figurative thinking, the situation is transformed in terms of an image or representation. The subject operates with visual images of objects through their figurative representations. At the same time, the image of an object allows you to combine a set of heterogeneous practical operations into a coherent picture. Mastering visual-figurative representations expands the scope of practical thinking.

At the level of verbal-logical thinking, the subject can, in terms of logical concepts, cognize essential regularities and unobservable interconnections of the investigated reality. The development of verbal and logical thinking rebuilds and orders the world of figurative representations and practical actions.

The described types of thinking form stages in the development of thinking in phylogeny and ontogeny. They coexist in an adult and function in solving various problems. Therefore, they cannot be judged in terms of greater or lesser value. Verbal-logical thinking cannot be the "ideal" of thinking in general, the Endpoint of intellectual development.

Intelligence (from Latin intellectus - understanding, understanding, comprehension) in psychology is defined as the general ability to cognize and solve problems, which determines the success of any activity and is the basis of other abilities. Intelligence is not limited to thinking, although thinking ability is the basis of intelligence. In general, intelligence is a system of all human cognitive abilities: sensation, perception, memory, representation, imagination and thinking. The concept of intelligence as a general mental ability is used as a generalization of behavioral characteristics associated with successful adaptation to new life tasks.

In 1937, D. Veksler proposed the first version of his test for measuring intelligence. He created a scale for measuring intelligence not only for children, but also for adults. Wechsler's intellectual scale for children has been translated into Russian, adapted and widely used in our country. The Wechsler scale was significantly different from the Stanford-Binet test. The tasks that were offered to the subjects according to L. Theremin's method were the same for all ages. The basis for the assessment was the number of correct answers given by the subject. Then this number was compared with the average number of responses for the subjects of this age group. This procedure greatly simplified the calculation of IQ. D. Veksler proposed a qualitative classification of the levels of intelligence development, based on the frequency of occurrence of a certain IQ:

69 and below - mental defect (dementia);

70-79 - borderline level of development;

80-89 - reduced intelligence rate;

90-109 - the average level of intelligence;

110 - 119 is a good norm;

120-129-high intelligence;

130 and above is a very high intelligence.

At present, interest in intelligence tests has significantly weakened, first of all, this is due to the low predictive value of these methods: subjects with high scores on intelligence tests do not always achieve high achievements in life, and vice versa. In this regard, the term "good intelligence" even appeared in psychology, which is understood as intellectual abilities that are effectively implemented in a person's real life and contribute to his high social achievements.

Today, despite attempts to identify new "elementary intellectual abilities", researchers are generally inclined to believe that general intelligence exists as a universal mental ability. In connection with the successes in the development of cybernetics, systems theory, information theory, etc., there has been a tendency to understand intelligence as the cognitive activity of any complex systems capable of learning, purposeful information processing and self-regulation. The results of psychogenetic studies indicate a high level of genetic conditioning of intelligence. Non-verbal intelligence is more trainable. The individual level of intelligence development is also determined by a number of environmental influences: the "intellectual climate" of the family, the birth order of the child in the family, the profession of the parents, the breadth of social contacts in early childhood, etc.