---
type: "Chapter"
knowledge_type: "chapter"
entity_type: "chapter"
id: "66f15d1ee361cd99fe372a3c"
title: "Thinking"
board: "CBSE"
curriculum: "CBSE"
class: "Class 11"
subject: "Psychology"
book: "Introduction to Psychology"
chapter: "Thinking"
chapter_slug: "thinking"
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source: "Edzy"
version: 1
last_updated: "2026-06-20"
---

# Thinking
Thinking is an internal mental process that is generally organized and goal-directed. It involves manipulating and analyzing information from the environment and is unique to human cognition.

---

## Knowledge Snapshot

| Field | Details |
| :--- | :--- |
| Class | Class 11 |
| Subject | Psychology |
| Book | Introduction to Psychology |
| Chapter | Thinking |
| Pages | 109-125 |

---

## Chapter Summary

### Short Summary
The chapter on Thinking explores the nature of thought processes, their organization, and goal-directedness, emphasizing the role of mental images and verbal representations in thinking.

### Detailed Summary
This chapter discusses thinking as a mental activity directed at problem-solving, making inferences, and decision-making. It also examines the relationship between thought and language, as well as the characteristics of creative thinking and how it can be developed. The text highlights that thinking is based on existing knowledge, which can be expressed through images or words. Furthermore, it explores how thinking underpins cognitive activities, showcasing its significance in interpreting and understanding information.

---

## Topic-Wise Explanation

### Nature of Thinking
Thinking is goal-directed, involving the recall of past experiences or strategies to tackle new problems.

### Building Blocks of Thought
Thinking uses existing knowledge represented as mental images or words, facilitating problem-solving and cognitive processes.

### The Processes of Thinking
Key processes include abstracting, reasoning, imagining, problem-solving, judging, and making decisions.

### Nature and Process of Creative Thinking
Creative thinking involves generating new meanings and ideas, demonstrating higher-level cognitive processes.

### Thought and Language
The chapter discusses how language supports thought development, evidenced by self-talk in problem-solving scenarios.

---

## Core Ideas

| Idea | Explanation |
| :--- | :--- |
| Goal-directed thinking | Thinking is organized to achieve specific goals, applicable in tasks like cooking or problem-solving. |
| Cognitive processes | Thinking encompasses various cognitive activities, such as reasoning and decision-making. |

---

## Important Points for Revision

* Thinking is mostly organized and goal-directed.
* Day-to-day activities involve planning and recalling steps.
* It is an internal mental process inferred from behavior.
* Thinking relies on existing knowledge represented as mental images or words.
* It involves manipulation and analysis of environmental information.
* Key processes include abstracting, reasoning, and problem-solving.
* Creative thinking adds new meaning to existing knowledge.
* There is a significant relationship between language and thought.

---

## Practice Questions

### Short Answer Questions
1. What is thinking primarily directed towards?
2. How does thinking process differ in familiar vs. new tasks?
3. What are the two forms in which knowledge can be represented?
4. List some key processes involved in thinking.
5. Explain the term 'creative thinking'.

### Long Answer Questions
1. Discuss the role of existing knowledge in the thinking process.
2. Explain how thought and language are interrelated according to the chapter.
3. Describe the characteristics and development of creative thinking.

---

## Source Attribution

| Field | Value |
| :--- | :--- |
| Source | Edzy |
| Reference Type | examSubjectBookChapter |
| Reference ID | 66f15d1ee361cd99fe372a3c |
| Canonical URL | https://www.edzy.ai/cbse-class-11-psychology-introduction-to-psychology-thinking |
| Markdown URL | https://www.edzy.ai/okf/chapter/cbse-class-11-psychology-introduction-to-psychology-thinking.md |