Examples of Convergent and Divergent Thinking

The convergent thinking he is the one who looks for the correct answers to a dilemma, resorting more to logic than to creativity; while its opposite, the divergent thinking, is that he seeks creative solutions based on risk and curiosity.

The terms convergent thinking and divergent thinking were coined in 1967 by the American psychologist Joy P. Guilford (1897-1987) as part of his well-known studies on the structure of intelligence, each describing a specific type of reasoning tendency.

These types of thinking are opposed to each other, although they also complement each other: the ideas obtained through divergent thinking, for example, are structured by appealing to logical thinking, convergent.

Convergence tends to be more conventional and more rational, which is why it is also often called vertical thinking. Instead, the divergence lateral thinking implies “thinking outside the box” (a loan from the English To think outside the box), that is, to think from new perspectives.

Human beings use both types of thought and we turn to them on different occasions, although never simultaneously: either we converge, or we diverge. At the same time, there are in each person certain marked tendencies in personality (and not in intelligence) that make one or another model of thought more propitious and frequent.

Differences between convergent and divergent thinking

The differences between convergent and divergent thinking can be summarized as:

Examples of convergent thinking

Some examples of activities that require convergent thinking:

1. Solve a math problem.
2. Follow the right proportion of ingredients for a cooking recipe.
3. Set the family budget for a vacation.
4. Find the culprit of a crime among the suspects, using logical deduction and evidence.
5. Design a chess strategy to checkmate the opponent.
6. Calculate the taxes to be paid based on the profits obtained during the year.
7. Choose the best strategy to deal with a labor inconvenience among those proposed in a meeting.
8. Rebuild piece by piece an ornament that shattered on the ground.
9. Solve a crossword.

examples of divergent thinking

Here are some examples of activities that require divergent thinking:

1. Solve riddles and puzzles that contain Word games.
2. Improvise in the kitchen and get a personal recipe.
3. Discuss a work problem and end up discovering in it an unexpected benefit that turns it into an advantage.
4. Use the pieces of a damaged device to build a totally different one.
5. Go for a walk without a defined course, and thus discover a new route.
6. Compose a song.

References:

• "Convergent thinking" in Wikipedia.
• "Divergent Thinking" on Wikipedia.
• “What are Divergent and Convergent thinking and the RSS solution?” In the diary The world (Spain).
• “Divergent and convergent thinking” in Human Centric.

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