By Dennis Sale
Strategies for good thinking
In the past two columns, barriers to good thinking were outlined and explained, and a model of thinking introduced which, if applied consistently and with perseverance, will result in better thinking. In the same way as a good road map provides clear directions, helpful signposts, and identifies likely problems, the model offers a practical mental map of how to use the thinking process in navigating life’s challenges. In this final column I outline some key strategies that enhance the quality of thinking, to ‘manipulate the die’ in one’s favour – so to speak.
Firstly, and most importantly, it is the ability to use metacognition, what I referred to as Metacognitive Capability (MC), that is essential to becoming a good thinker. Metacognition is the executive control function that manages both critical and creative thinking, as well as other aspects of our being (e.g., emotions, beliefs) that impact thinking and behaviour. Hence MC is central to the whole process of developing good thinking, just as a good engine is central to the performance of a motorised vehicle. It also fuels the process of self-directedness, effective learning, and well-being – helping people to:
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Set key goals for learning (e.g., short term, long-term, and appropriate challenge) and deciding what needs to be learned for what purpose.
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Know how to learn and plan a successful learning strategy (e.g., what, how, when, and where).
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Use a range of cognitive (thinking/learning) strategies to achieve desired earning goals.
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Maintain positive beliefs and managing emotions to remain calm under pressure.
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Persist, exercise volition to stay on track in the face of challenges and/or setbacks.
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Monitor and review one’s progress and modify/change aspects of strategy based on feedback (if necessary).
To develop and use MC, one must make deliberate conscious mental effort to do this activity, which involves forcing an often ‘lazy’ brain to do some serious work. MC incorporates Mindfulness (Langer, 2016), which is increasingly figuring in the literature as a set of useful techniques for enhancing people’s thinking and well-being. Mindfulness involves careful focused observing, listening, and reflecting on one’s thinking and feelings in relation to important life situations. This enables the mind to slow and effectively utilise the types of critical thinking identified previously (e.g., analysing, comparing & contrasting, making inferences & interpretations, and evaluating) – what Kahneman (2012) referred to as System 2 Thinking. This is a slow, analytic, reflective system that explores the more objective factual elements of a situation, compares them with previously learned elements, and then responds. However, System 2 thinking requires self-control, effort, and time, which is typically tiring.
System 2 Thinking contrasts with what Kahneman referred to as System 1 Thinking, which is a fast reflexive system that identifies the familiar, especially threatening elements in a situation and quickly activates automatic response patterns. This system is the most essential for survival and is the default system. It typically works well in familiar everyday life where most situations and problems are familiar, and we have long-established patterned responses to them. However, this system also results in rapid stereotypical/prejudicial judgments and action. It is the price we pay for this powerful survival system.
All other effective strategies for enhancing thinking are essentially identified, applied, and evaluated through using MC, and that’s what makes it the most important of the so-called 21st century competencies (Sale, 2020). The following are two supporting powerful strategies that facilitate good thinking:
Questioning
The strategic use of questioning is a key strategy in developing all types of thinking – well recognised even in ancient Greek times (e.g., Socratic questioning) – and, as the world-famous success coach, Anthony Robbins (2001), wrote:
Questions are the primary way we learn virtually everything. Thinking itself is nothing but the process of asking and answering questions.
In terms of mental processing, the use of questions creates a stimulus to get our brains (and mind) searching (both consciously and sub/unconsciously) through our long-term memory (LTM) system to find appropriate responses to the stimulus question. The process of questioning, when done skilfully, makes the invisible internal neural representations occurring when thinking, visible to some extent. In this way we can check what we know, don’t know, and make the necessary remediation. Where knowledge gaps are found, further information gathering is required which, with good thinking, should result in enhanced learning. In the solving of complex problems, many of such iterations may be needed.
Self-talk and verbalisation
Another useful strategy is the use of self-talk and verbalisation. I have used this extensively for decades, as well as teaching students to use it, and am now assured to know that there is a valid cognitive-neuroscience base to what I was doing. For example, Treadwell (2017) points out:
‘Throughout our lives, we are conscious, non-consciously and subconsciously creating, refining, and modifying our identity through our self-talk. The influence of self-talk is foundational in establishing who we are, how we learn, and what we expect of our self.’
This strategy is easy to use and runs quality checks on what is already known and not known, by consciously pulling existing information out of LTM and into working memory. This facilitates the necessary retrieval practice that both reinforces (neurologically) what is already in LTM, as well as identifying any missing information that is needed to enhance learning and understanding. My many hours as a student, talking to myself about the similarities and differences of various personality theories and their applicability in specific cases, was time well spent – even if anyone looking or listening in thought I was just another ‘strange’ psychology student. Doing verbalisation with a friend(s) can be even better as this provides further quality checks, the benefits of collaborative learning, and reduces boredom – which is no mean gain.
Finally, it is important to recognise that creative thinking is not a process of ‘thinking out of the box’, but results from changes in internal neural connections in the brain and creating new perceptions in the mind. This typically results from extensive knowledge in a subject field (preferably more than one field), and actively seeking to derive new ways of looking at a problem or situation – what is referred to as reframing. This can be achieved by individuals but is often the result of multidisciplinary teams, applying extensive and varied knowledge bases through collaborative synergy, to elicit new and useful perceptions relating to understanding a situation/solving a problem.
In summary, good thinking is an achievable goal, and increasingly necessary in this rapidly changing, volatile, and threatened world. It is not just something to include somewhere in the school curriculum, but a central competence in all working environments.
Dennis Sale worked in the Singapore education system for 25 years as Advisor, Researcher, and Examiner. He coached over 15,000 teaching professionals and provided 100+ consultancies in the Asian region. Dennis is author of the books Creative Teachers: Self-directed Learners (Springer 2020) and Creative Teaching: An Evidence-Based Approach (Springer, 2015). To contact Dennis, visit dennissale.com.
