Different thinking processes, organized by primary motivation/use case for using cognitive power (like a brain or AI).
“Thinking is to humans as swimming is to cats; they can do it, but they'd prefer not to.” - Daniel Kahneman
Acquiring knowledge, skills, or understanding through the processing of information or experiences.
Applying knowledge or skills from one domain or context to another, facilitating learning or problem-solving.
Forming connections or associations between stimuli or events based on experience.
Acquiring knowledge or skills through direct personal experience and reflection.
Creating new and original ideas, concepts and mental models.
Generating new and original ideas or concepts.
Generating novel ideas, designs, or artistic creations.
Forming predictions or expectations based on prior knowledge, experiences, or patterns.
Allowing the mind to freely wander and generate novel connections or ideas through spontaneous thought.
Combining different cognitive frameworks, ideas, or concepts to generate innovative or creative solutions.
Exploring new and potential possibilities.
Creating virtual models or scenarios to simulate real-world situations and study their outcomes.
Mentally envisioning or simulating hypothetical scenarios or processes to gain insights or test ideas.
Considering and exploring hypothetical scenarios, possibilities, or outcomes.
Formulating potential explanations or hypotheses to account for observed phenomena or data.
Making meaning or sense out of complex or ambiguous situations, data, or information.
Examining and breaking down information or data to understand its components and relationships.
Analyzing and assigning meaning to data, such as interpreting texts or images.
Assessing and understanding the emotions or opinions expressed in text or speech.
Identifying recurring patterns or structures within data or information.
Uncovering hidden patterns, insights, or relationships within large datasets.
Grouping or classifying items or concepts based on shared characteristics or criteria.
Blending or merging multiple cognitive processes or mental representations into a unified whole.
Combining or integrating information from multiple sources to form a comprehensive understanding.
Integrating multiple ideas, concepts, or sources of information into a coherent whole.
Formulating and defining abstract or complex concepts based on underlying principles or properties.
Creating mental representations or frameworks for organizing and understanding related ideas or entities.
Demonstrating ease and speed in generating and manipulating concepts or ideas.
Breaking down or deconstructing complex concepts or ideas into their constituent parts.
Distinguishing and articulating the differences between similar concepts or ideas.
Differentiating and distinguishing between similar concepts or ideas based on specific criteria or attributes.
Resolving ambiguity or multiple interpretations of concepts or terms.
Creating visual representations or diagrams to illustrate relationships and connections between ideas or concepts.
Creating abstract representations or models of real-world systems or phenomena.
Mapping or aligning the features or attributes of one concept onto another to facilitate understanding or problem-solving.
Applying knowledge or strategies from one domain to another that shares similar underlying principles.
Integrating diverse concepts or ideas to create new conceptual frameworks or theories.
Integrating or combining different conceptual domains or frames of reference to generate new insights or perspectives.
Extending or applying concepts or knowledge to new, related situations or domains.
Combining or integrating different concepts or ideas into a unified framework or understanding.
Integrating and connecting different semantic concepts or knowledge into a coherent understanding.
Modifying or updating existing concepts or mental models based on new information or insights.
Restructuring or reorganizing conceptual knowledge or categories based on new information or insights.
Modifying or revising existing beliefs, concepts, or mental frameworks based on new information or insights.
Creating metaphorical expressions or language to convey abstract or complex ideas in a more intuitive or relatable way.
Understanding and interpreting information or concepts within their broader contextual framework.
Drawing inferences or making predictions based on contextual cues or information.
Making something clearer or more understandable by providing additional information or context.
Expanding on an idea or concept by providing further details or explanations.
Extracting the essential features or principles from a complex set of data or concepts.
Extracting the essential or core elements from complex information or experiences.
Identifying or inferring the intentions or goals of others based on their actions or behaviors.
Constructing mental representations or simulations of real-world systems or processes.
Creating mental maps or representations of physical spaces or conceptual relationships.
Sudden and intuitive realization or understanding of a problem or concept.
Generating coherent and meaningful messages or information for effective sharing or interaction.
Converting text or speech from one language to another.
Engaging in dialogue or discussions to reach agreements or resolve conflicts between parties.
Constructing logical arguments, presenting evidence, and making persuasive or convincing claims.
Identifying and formulating counterarguments to challenge or critique existing ideas or claims.
Influencing or convincing others through effective communication, reasoning, or appeals.
Assessing available options and making choices based on defined criteria or goals.
Evaluating and ranking items or tasks based on their importance or urgency.
Providing personalized suggestions or recommendations based on user preferences or historical data.
Assessing and analyzing different options or alternatives to make informed decisions.
Making decisions or judgments based on instincts, gut feelings, or subconscious processing.
Reducing or resolving cognitive conflicts or inconsistencies between beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors.
Recognizing and identifying common cognitive biases that may affect decision-making or information processing.
Recognizing and reducing the influence of cognitive biases or heuristics on decision-making.
Considering alternative scenarios or imagining different outcomes to assess the potential impact of different choices or actions.
Reaching a sense of conclusion or resolution in cognitive processes, such as decision-making or problem-solving.
Providing reasons or justifications for one's decisions or choices.
Adjusting and adapting cognitive strategies or approaches in response to changing goals or environmental demands.
Alleviating discomfort or inconsistency caused by conflicting beliefs or attitudes.
Achieving consistency and harmony among different cognitive processes, beliefs, or mental models.
Identifying errors or mistakes in thinking or behavior and taking corrective measures.
Adjusting behaviors, strategies, or approaches to new or changing environments or situations.
Identifying patterns or rules from a set of examples or observations.
Perceiving and understanding the current context, including relevant information and potential implications.
The ability to perceive and interpret spatial information, such as the layout of the environment, landmarks, and distances between locations.
The encoding, storage, and retrieval of spatial information, including the ability to remember and recognize specific locations or routes.
The ongoing process of continuously monitoring and updating one's position and orientation in relation to the environment while navigating.
Estimating one's current position and direction based on internal cues, such as the integration of self-motion and elapsed time.
Mentally manipulating or rotating objects or spatial representations in the mind.
Planning and following routes to navigate from one location to another.
The creation and maintenance of mental representations or cognitive maps of the environment, including the relative locations of landmarks and routes.
Combining and interpreting information from different sensory modalities to form a coherent perception of the environment.
The ability to mentally adopt different perspectives or viewpoints to understand and navigate through the environment.
Using initial information or references as a starting point and adjusting subsequent judgments or estimates.
Organizing and structuring sensory information into coherent perceptual units or patterns.
The ability to plan and strategize efficient paths or routes to reach a destination, considering factors like obstacles, distances, and landmarks.
Identifying and using distinctive environmental features or landmarks as reference points for navigation and orientation.
Applying logical reasoning and strategies to find solutions to complex problems.
Analyzing symptoms or data to determine the cause or nature of a problem or situation.
Applying solutions or strategies from similar past problems to new or different problems.
Identifying, defining, and solving problems by leveraging conceptual frameworks or models.
Generating innovative or unconventional solutions to challenging problems.
Assessing the validity or quality of an insight or creative idea generated during problem-solving.
Combining or integrating cognitive processes or perspectives to achieve enhanced problem-solving or decision-making.
Identifying discrepancies, inconsistencies, or errors within information or processes.
Recognizing and analyzing discrepancies between expected outcomes or predictions and actual observed outcomes.
Analyzing and identifying the causes and patterns of errors to improve future performance.
Assessing the quality, effectiveness, or value of something based on specified criteria or standards.
Iteratively improving and enhancing an idea, concept, or solution.
Identifying and rectifying errors or mistakes in a given context or information.
Finding the best solution or maximizing/minimizing a certain objective within given constraints.
Modifying behavior, strategies, or systems to better fit changing circumstances or requirements.
Recognizing areas or aspects that are overlooked or not adequately considered.
Generating forecasts or estimating future outcomes based on available data.
Developing strategies or action sequences to achieve specific goals.
Imagining and mentally simulating possible future events or scenarios.
Mentally practicing or rehearsing actions, strategies, or scenarios to enhance performance or preparedness.
Strategizing and organizing actions or steps in advance to achieve specific goals or outcomes.
Mentally simulating or imagining future scenarios or events based on past experiences.
Developing strategies or actions to reduce or eliminate risks, problems, or negative impacts.
Determining and allocating cognitive resources to specific tasks or stimuli.
Shifting focus or redirecting cognitive resources between different tasks, stimuli, or sources of information.
Selectively focusing attention on relevant information while filtering out distractions or irrelevant stimuli.
Reacting to salient or attention-grabbing stimuli in the environment.
Preparing the mind to be more receptive to certain types of information or stimuli.
Maintaining focused and sustained cognitive effort over an extended period of time.
Shifting cognitive focus or attention between different contexts, tasks, or environments.
Narrowing attentional focus to a specific aspect or detail while filtering out irrelevant information.
Increasing the intensity or focus of attention on a specific task or stimulus.
Selectively attending to and processing relevant information while disregarding irrelevant or distracting information.
Allocating cognitive resources efficiently and effectively to optimize performance.
Regulating and directing cognitive processes to achieve specific goals or tasks.
Distributing cognitive resources and managing mental effort across multiple tasks or demands.
Simultaneously processing multiple streams of information or performing multiple cognitive tasks.
Recognizing and managing mental fatigue or cognitive overload to maintain optimal performance.
Organizing or grouping information into meaningful and manageable chunks to enhance memory and processing efficiency.
Simplifying or minimizing cognitive load by optimizing information presentation or task design.
Distributing cognitive resources effectively across multiple tasks or demands to prevent overload or underload.
Monitoring and adjusting one's own cognitive processes, strategies, or behaviors to optimize performance.
Detaching from a task or problem to allow for incubation or subconscious processing to occur.
Maintaining accuracy and precision in cognitive processes, reasoning, or information retrieval.
Collaborating and exchanging information with others to enhance problem-solving or decision-making.
Coordinating or aligning multiple cognitive processes to work together towards a common goal.
Shifting focus or attention away from a particular task or stimulus to redirect cognitive resources.
Retrieving stored information or experiences from memory for use in cognitive processes.
Monitoring and regulating one's own memory processes, including assessing memory strengths and weaknesses.
Recalling specific events or experiences from personal memory.
Recalling specific personal memories or events from one's own life.
Recalling general knowledge or facts about the world stored in long-term memory.
Reflecting and examining one's own thoughts, emotions, and experiences.
Inferring and understanding the mental states, beliefs, or intentions of oneself and others.
Understanding and attributing mental states, beliefs, and intentions to oneself and others.
Engaging in introspection and self-awareness to gain insight into one's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Cultivating present-moment awareness and non-judgmental attention to enhance cognitive clarity and well-being.
Recognizing, understanding, and managing emotions in oneself and others.
Monitoring and controlling one's own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to achieve desired goals.
Reinterpreting or reframing situations or events to change one's emotional response or appraisal.
Shifting or modifying attentional biases towards more positive or adaptive stimuli or information.
Engaging in self-reflection and introspection to analyze one's own thoughts, beliefs, or decision-making processes.
Adapting navigation strategies and mental maps to accommodate changes in the environment or unexpected obstacles.
Flexibly shifting between different cognitive frameworks or mental sets to solve problems or adapt to new situations.
Reevaluating and modifying cognitive schemas or beliefs to promote more adaptive thinking patterns.
Detecting and rectifying errors or mistakes made during cognitive tasks or problem-solving.
Monitoring and regulating one's own cognitive processes, including awareness of strengths and limitations.
Measuring and studying the time course of cognitive processes and mental operations.
Engaging in introspection or thoughtful consideration of one's own thoughts, experiences, or actions.
Demonstrating adaptability and the ability to recover quickly from setbacks or cognitive challenges.
Adjusting cognitive processes or beliefs based on feedback, errors, or new learning experiences.
Demonstrating adaptability and agility in shifting cognitive strategies or approaches in response to changing circumstances.
Applying logical or deductive thinking to draw conclusions or make inferences.
Drawing logical conclusions or making educated guesses based on available evidence or information.
Drawing conclusions or making inferences based on similarities or analogies between different situations or concepts.
Evaluating moral principles and making ethical judgments or decisions.
Inferring general principles or rules based on specific observations or examples.
Evaluating the reliability, credibility, or validity of sources of information or knowledge.
Using logical thinking and deductive reasoning to draw conclusions or solve problems.
Generating explanations or causal models to understand why certain events or phenomena occur.
Drawing conclusions or making inferences based on conditional statements or logical rules.
Using perceptual information to draw logical conclusions or make inferences.
Engaging in higher-level thinking about mathematical concepts, relationships, and proofs.
Formulating and testing hypotheses through logical deduction and reasoning.
Engaging in critical thinking and evaluating arguments or claims based on evidence and logical reasoning.
Assessing and adjusting the accuracy or reliability of one's own judgments or predictions.
Inferring or deducing additional information or consequences based on given facts or statements.
Employing metaphors or figurative language to enhance understanding or creative thinking.
Understanding and considering the viewpoints, thoughts, or emotions of others.
Adapting and shifting cognitive strategies, perspectives, or approaches in response to changing circumstances.
Understanding and sharing the emotions, experiences, or perspectives of others.
Adopting alternative viewpoints or perspectives to gain new insights or problem-solving strategies.
Reassessing and reinterpreting information or situations to modify beliefs or perspectives.
Understanding and empathizing with the mental states, perspectives, or experiences of others.
Updating or modifying beliefs in light of new evidence, information, or experiences.
Forming mental representations or images of objects, events, or experiences in the absence of actual stimuli.
Projecting oneself mentally into the past or future to remember or imagine specific events or experiences.