Convergent thinking is logical and focuses on finding the best answer quickly, while divergent thinking is creative and looks at problems from multiple angles. Most people have a preference for one or the other, with schools emphasizing convergent thinking. Convergent thinkers rely on previously acquired knowledge, while divergent thinkers gather knowledge from various disciplines to find unique solutions.
Convergent thinking is a style of thinking that attempts to consider all available information and arrive at the best possible answer. Most of the thinking required in schools is convergent, as schools require students to gather and remember information and make logical decisions and responses accordingly. Convergent thinking is, in general, not particularly creative and is best employed when there is only one correct answer and can be discovered based on an analysis of available stored information. In contrast to the convergent thinking style is divergent thinking, which is more creative and often involves multiple possible solutions to problems.
JP Guilford first proposed the concepts of divergent and convergent thinking based on his studies of how different people responded to different types of problems. Guilford was an American psychologist who conducted extensive research in the fields of human intelligence and problem solving. He noted that most people have a preference for divergent or convergent thinking rather than employing a uniform mix of the two types. Other psychologists have observed that most people show a preference for convergent thinking, as the modern school pushes students to look for the best possible answers rather than looking for a variety of different and creative answers.
Convergent thinking places a strong emphasis on speed, accuracy, and logic. Arriving at the best and most logical answer in the least amount of time is usually the convergent thinker’s primary goal. A convergent thinker usually seeks to accumulate knowledge that can be applied in future situations. He will also work to learn strategies and techniques that can be replicated effectively to solve similar problems. Previously acquired information and a logical thought process are essential for the convergent thinker, as he is usually not adept at creatively solving subjective or unfamiliar types of problems.
This contrasts directly with divergent thinking, which is more concerned with looking at a problem from a variety of angles and discovering different possible solutions to a problem. Divergent thinking often focuses on gaining information and knowledge from a variety of disciplines and using that knowledge to find different angles from which to view a problem. Divergent thinkers are often more concerned than convergent thinkers with applying their knowledge to understand the world and their place in it. A divergent thinker tends to excel at open-ended problems with a variety of possible solutions and will tend to be more resourceful, though less logically inclined, than a convergent thinker.
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