Third Mode of Thinking

A number of studies show that both children and adults exhibit difficulties with problem-solving tasks. In fact, only one-third of adults reach the formal operational stage. Coaching such tasks in everybody’s language proves to be helpful only if the situation described is close to life events. The presented study confirmed the improvement in the thematic version of the Wason Test both in pupils and university students, albeit being far from spectacular. The authors suggest distinguishing a bounded type of thinking characterized by highly schematic, mechanistic, and automated thinking. They argue that it results both in educational and everyday failures.

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