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Symbolic Thinking

The Symbolic Thinking cognitive function is responsible for thinking, planning, problem solving, goal setting, task execution and maintaining attention on the task at hand until a solution is found.

Symbol Thinking
  • Description

    Symbolic Thinking is Involved in:

    • critical thinking
    • generating strategies to solve problems
    • mental initiative
    • goal setting
    • task execution
    • using feedback to improve performance
    • quickly grasping the ‘main idea’ of what is read or heard rather than being lost in the details
    • maintaining focus and attention on tasks to completion
    • self-organization
    • focused attention 
    • being self-directed in the learning process
    • self-regulation
  • Difficulty

    A Difficulty in This Cognitive Function Leads to:

    • ‘hitting the wall’ - the individual struggles to generate solutions to problems so is frequently getting stuck and may need to rely on others to solve their problems  
    • difficulty in starting a task - when presented with a task (say an essay or a work project) the individual often doesn’t know where to start and so does nothing, experiencing inertia
    • a challenge in maintaining focus - attention frequently wanders and it is challenging to maintain focus on a task to successfully complete it 
    • lack of self-directed organization so the individual is often disorganized 
    • difficulty in self-reflection and learning from mistakes 
    • limited consequential thinking as the individual struggles with thinking through a plan of action and the various outcomes or consequences that might occur and then embarking on the plan that will generate the most positive outcome 
    • difficulty in planning 
    • being seen as impulsive or scattered and disorganized
  • Enhancement

    Enhancing This Function Leads to:

    • increased ability to plan and problem solve
    • increased focused attention 
    • improved ability to use judgement and think critically
    • better goal setting and ability to follow through on execution of the goals
    • generativity in the thought process with the ability to come up with a range of solutions to a problem 
    • greater mental initiative
    • improved ability to imagine a range of consequences from a course of action
    • improved ability to self-organize and self-regulate

Symbolic Thinking is Involved in:

  • critical thinking
  • generating strategies to solve problems
  • mental initiative
  • goal setting
  • task execution
  • using feedback to improve performance
  • quickly grasping the ‘main idea’ of what is read or heard rather than being lost in the details
  • maintaining focus and attention on tasks to completion
  • self-organization
  • focused attention 
  • being self-directed in the learning process
  • self-regulation

A Difficulty in This Cognitive Function Leads to:

  • ‘hitting the wall’ - the individual struggles to generate solutions to problems so is frequently getting stuck and may need to rely on others to solve their problems  
  • difficulty in starting a task - when presented with a task (say an essay or a work project) the individual often doesn’t know where to start and so does nothing, experiencing inertia
  • a challenge in maintaining focus - attention frequently wanders and it is challenging to maintain focus on a task to successfully complete it 
  • lack of self-directed organization so the individual is often disorganized 
  • difficulty in self-reflection and learning from mistakes 
  • limited consequential thinking as the individual struggles with thinking through a plan of action and the various outcomes or consequences that might occur and then embarking on the plan that will generate the most positive outcome 
  • difficulty in planning 
  • being seen as impulsive or scattered and disorganized

Enhancing This Function Leads to:

  • increased ability to plan and problem solve
  • increased focused attention 
  • improved ability to use judgement and think critically
  • better goal setting and ability to follow through on execution of the goals
  • generativity in the thought process with the ability to come up with a range of solutions to a problem 
  • greater mental initiative
  • improved ability to imagine a range of consequences from a course of action
  • improved ability to self-organize and self-regulate

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Our Brain’s Air Traffic Controller

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Imagine the busiest airport in the world. During the holiday season. In a snowstorm. The air traffic controller is never more urgently needed. Managing the arrivals and departures of dozens of planes on multiple runways. 

Guiding planes through flight paths and impending storms. Focussing, holding, and working with information, switching gears, and avoiding distractions. Making decisions in light of new information, revising plans, and staying calm in the storm. This is our brain’s Symbolic Thinking function.

Essential in Skills Such As:

  • Critical thinking

  • Multi-tasking

  • Decision making

  • Study and exam taking

  • Time management

  • Research

  • Self discipline

  • Goal setting and execution

  • Leadership

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