Lateral thinking

Divergent (lateral) thinking is a special way of solving problems. Using it, a person tries to look at the problem from various angles. Lateral thinking was represented by Edward de Bono. This outstanding thinker is the author of other concepts: "6 hats of thinking", "6 medals of evaluation" and others.

Lateral thinking is also referred to as non-standard, non-conventional, lateral, transverse and so on. This method is called upon to supplement, if necessary, conventional, traditional, vertical techniques. Understanding the need to use non-standard approaches came primarily to those people and organizations whose life and activities are closely related to creativity, with the ability to create new ideas.

Flexibility of thinking is the main condition when choosing non-template methods. The mechanism of the non-standard approach is the destruction of habitual, established stereotypes. Consciousness and thinking are closely interrelated. The second destroys the patterns. Consciousness, in turn, accepts new ideas. In some cases, new ideas and ideas may not seem very good, but many of them, if properly structured, have a sufficiently large potential and broad perspectives.

Lateral thinking can be applied in a wide variety of fields. So, non-standard approaches can be used at work, if the specificity of activity provides for creativity, requires constant updating of ideas or ways of getting out of the most different crisis situations. For example, in business very often situations occur in which successfully and in time said joke allows to defuse the heated atmosphere in the team. Lateral thinking can be used on vacation, choosing, for example, a place where to go on vacation.

The main task of the unconventional approach is, in the opinion of a number of authors, overcoming the search cliche. Consciousness is seen as a passive system, as the environment in which an independent organization of information occurs.

It is believed that a person has very limited attention per unit of time. Often some people reproach others for some "fixation" on the problem. The principles of lateral thinking do not allow the firmly established information, closing access to new data. The non-standard approach allows you to combine the existing knowledge with this, often creating completely new and unexpected combinations.

Unconventional method of solving the problem does not aim to achieve a single single result. In lateral thinking, the fact does not have unconditional power. Non-standard approach is only a special method of using information in solving a problem, in a way to try, look for, go further.

In the lateral thinking three main methods are divided: ordering, correlation and structuring.

Neuropsychologists have identified a relationship between a non-standard (divergent) approach and a convergent (standard) approach and hemispheres of the brain. So, it is known that the left one is responsible for logical thinking, and the right one for intuitive perception.

Based on the tasks, a person can use this or that hemisphere. So, for example, the artist has more active right, and the accountant - left.

The associativity of the non-template approach allows one to apply inner freedom. The characteristic features of divergent thinking include "fluency of perception." It reflects the ability to create several ideas simultaneously. Another characteristic of non-standard thinking is flexibility. This property provides the ability to quickly move from one perspective to another. Equally important is the presence of non-triviality - the ability to form original ideas.