How to Make Your Mind Think Differently
- 1). Increase REM sleep. REM is a deep sleep phase characterized by vivid dreams. Researchers at the University of California tested participants' cognitive abilities before and after naps. They found that those who had REM naps performed better on measures of creativity and planning than those whose naps did not include REM sleep. While both groups were able to remember pre-nap events equally well, those who had REM sleep were able to combine ideas in new ways.
- 2). Avoid herd mentality. The group you associate with strongly influences your thinking and can hinder your acceptance of new ideas. Researchers at Emory University tested this phenomenon. Two groups were asked to look at shapes and explain how they would look if moved slightly. The test group included actors who gave incorrect answers, and the control group did not. Researchers discovered that test group participants were more likely to go along with the crowd and give wrong answers.
- 3). Look around. Richard Nisbett, a University of Michigan psychologist, researched the way that American and Chinese people look at things. When looking at an image, Easterners tend to spend more time studying the background and context, and Americans focus on the central image. This means that the two social groups not only remember what they've seen differently, but they also conceptualize ideas differently. Next time you're making a decision or considering new information, take a moment to notice context and background factors.
- 4). Write. Researchers at the Central Washington University tested the critical thinking of students who did a writing exercise and those who did not. They found that the writers preformed better at critical thinking measures -- especially for inference and analysis -- than those who did not write. The researchers defined inference as "the skills used to arrive at a conclusion by reconciling what is known with what is unknown" and analysis as "the ability to break a concept or idea into component pieces in order to understand its structure and inherent relationships." Researchers noted that critical thinking skills contribute to academic and career success. Subjects were placed randomly in either group, suggesting that a person can benefit from even a single session of writing.
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