Difference Between Concrete and Abstract Thinking
Concrete vs Abstract Thinking
People always think differently. Some may think in concrete terms and some in abstract terms. Concrete thinking refers to the thinking on the surface whereas abstract thinking is related to thinking in depth.
Concrete thinking does not have any depth. It just refers to thinking in the periphery. On the other hand, abstract thinking goes under the surface. A person having concrete thinking looks at the Statue of Liberty and only sees it as a lady with a torch. A person with abstract thinking will see the Statue of Liberty differently. He may think of it as a symbol of liberty and freedom. The Statue of Liberty is just a piece of concrete for the person with concrete thinking and it is a piece of art for the person with abstract thinking.
Concrete thinking is just regarding the facts. On the other hand abstarct thinking goes down below the facts. While some mental process is involved in abstract thinking, no such effort is evolved in concrete thinking. A person with concrete thinking does not think beyond the facts. They do not have the ability to think beyond a certain limit. Concrete thinkers only have a generalized concept for all things. On the other hand, abstract thinkers have a very specific concept of things.
When compared to concrete thinking, abstract thinking is about understanding the multiple meanings.
When abstract thinking is based on ideas, concrete thinking is based on seeing and also on facts. Abstract thinking may be referred to the figurative description whereas concrete thinking does not think so.
Summary
1. Concrete thinking does not have any depth. It just refers to thinking in the periphery. On the other hand, abstract thinking goes under the surface.
2. Concrete thinking is just regarding the facts. On the other hand abstract thinking goes down below the facts.
3. Abstract thinking may be referred to the figurative description whereas the concrete thinker does not think so.
4. Unlike the concrete thinking, abstract thinking involves some mental process.
5. A person with concrete thinking does not think beyond the facts. They do not have the ability to think beyond a certain limit.
6. When compared to concrete thinking, abstract thinking is about understanding the multiple meanings.
7. While abstract thinking is based on ideas, concrete thinking is based on what the person sees as well as the facts.
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hey,
description is very simple and easy….
Studying for my Nursing NCLEX-RN exam tonight. Didn’t quiet understood concrete vs. abstract until now.
Thank you so much for making it more understandable.
Why do you only see two ways of thinking?
Here’s an example of a concrete thinker
Haha, what a good maymay.
I feel that this is really biased. If “no such effort is evolved in concrete thinking,” (which should be “involved” not evolved) then how is it that there have been many concrete thinking geniuses?
Many people don’t have the ability think concretely. Which can be a very beneficial way of looking at things.
Isn’t that an oxymoron? If not, could you please send me your reference to that genius?
This is a very clear and easily understood article…thank goodness!!! this will really help in my nursing exams.
A very one sided argument there is more too thinking concretely than that friend.
There are more ways of thinking but this article is written to contrass these two only.
$5 bucks the person who submitted the article sees his/her self as an abstract thinker.
I’ll bet you more than 5 dollars that the person who submitted this article sees himself as an abstract thinker. I’ll bet you $200.
Also to get rid of the his/herself problem (his or her) we need a single word that means HIS and HER together, such as themself, but themself is incorrect english. This is a serious problem in english I’ve noticed (and possibly other languages) that you can’t say himself or herself because you may offend someone if you don’t use both – which wastes words and space.
One is the word you are looking for to replace herself or himself. Used in a sentence: One appears to see themselves as an abstract thinker.
I used to fly with an abstract thinking pilot who argued that if he thought his landing gear was extended, then to him it was extended regardless of whether it was actually extended or not.
With that kind of thinking someday he is likely to plant his abstract in a concrete runway.
Too funny.
The author wrote the following. “Concrete thinkers only have a generalized concept for all things. On the other hand, abstract thinkers have a very specific concept of things.” I believe the reverse is true. Concrete thinkers focus on the specific, the general. Abstract thinkers generalize. The concrete thinker sees a person, the abstract thinker sees a species, Homo sapiens sapiens.
I don’t agree with this article.
If you study the Hebrew language
Which consists of pictures and numbers and sound.
There is endless vast deep meaning of real life treasures.
For instance
Love in abstract is based on feelings which shift and change.
Love in concrete is giving, commitment
Just for fun. Concrete in Hebrew meaning growing together..❤️
I dont see anthing wrong with both as the two contrast one way of thinking. It helps to identify the kind of person companies are looking for to carry out specific task in there operation.
I am an abstract thinker and sometimes does delayed processes. So I looked to my concrete thinkers friends for their input. On the other hand, concrete thinkers can rush decision once they got facts. It achieved results in a matter of time but a long process of dealing with upset workers and create an unhealthy environment for workers.
So its a matter of acknowledging strength and weakness in each others way of thinking to bring about balance to make it work. Its something managers needs to look at as well. My 2cents.
Haha what a good maymay
Can i know a lot about abstract and concrete thinking in psychology fields?
I was born with concrete thinking.I was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorder.I am also literal thinking.If I don’t see something happen in front of me like the drug addictions it doesn’t exist.
I am aware that my own thinking isn’t realistic but I can’t change that.
But I am open to someone who can interpret the world around me.
Also if I see a highschool show or movie I think that’s how Highschool is.
In fact I felt lied to when I found when I was in highschool there was no friends there.Well there was maybe one but not a whole group.
I often feel like a person from another country trying to live in a world that doesn’t speak concrete because so much of it is abstract and is made for abstract people.
People who can help make my world make sense mean the world to me.
To me this was written by not so clever concrete thinker who justifies this by making it out that he or she has abstract thinking brain. To simplify concrete thinking in such a way undermines the scientists who have contributed so much to our society. It requires understanding of mathematics,logic and the concept of scientific proof. To say that everyone is good at this type of thinking is inaccurate and oversimplistic to say the least. An abstract thinker who is smart would have not made such a simplistic argument.
Would it then fair and true to say that the terms concrete and abstract for autistic spectrum students when applying it to everyday life are global characteristics that are so very rigid that even when explained and shown the solutions for everyday problems one might have to repeat solutions on an continuous basis despite giving them directions and solutions to solve the same problem as they face it another time?