COGNITIVE PROCESSES

Introduction

Cognitive processes help in determining our psychological types and in discovering our best-fitting type patterns. Human beings because of their innate differences, they exemplify different personalities and psychological types because they use different cognitive processes. The important idea about cognitive processes is in our minds. Whenever we engage our minds, we use these processes at varied times. Every time we engage our minds, we either take in information or organize information and draw conclusions. Jung called the take-in process as perceiving and organizing process and drawing conclusion process as judging (Linda, &Dario, 2004, p.34). For instance, when we feel thirsty, that is perceiving, making a decision to get a drink is judging. In the process, we engage our minds in coming up with something to drink (perceiving). The three types of cognitive processes that will be discussed include, extroverted sensing, introverted sensing and extroverted intuiting.

In introverted sensing, individuals store information, compare, and contrast such information with the current situations. The immediate experiences that a person is going through is linked or related to the experiences. Therefore, a person views the current situations to the past, which helps in registering any similarities or differences. A good illustration is noticing that certain foods are sugary than they should. This type also allows us to make relationships on exposure to stimuli. For example, when you come across an individual, the individual may trigger your minds and reminds you of something that you had forgotten. This process also involving thinking back or reviewing our past to allow us draw on the lessons we learned in the past that might be of applicability to the current situations. This process enables us to pay great attention to details to be able to get a clear picture of goals and objectives in what is going to happen. Therefore, this type of cognitive processes is of help in enabling people to relate their experiences with the current happenings hence helping them to be in a good position in solving problems.

In the study conducted by Jonathan, Mark, and Margaret, they noted that there existed relationship between the personality types and preferred method of coaching among the coaches that took the Myers Briggs type inventory. Even though the results was more aligned to intuitive, introvert sensing was evidence in the coaches. The study was carried out through an online survey and 212 people /coaches were targets. The methodology that was used in the study enabled the researcher to determine the cognitive process of the coaches as it compared the results to the wider UK population. Coaches in their coach clear from other coaches and these experiences are applied in their own coaching which helps them to achieve their objectives (Passmore, Holloway, & Rawle-Cope, 2010, p. 1).

Extroverted sensing happens when we become aware of what is going on or happening in our environment in details. For instance, we might be drawn to behave in a certain manner or act based on what we experience in our environment to be able to get immediate results. This process allows us to learn about different things or facts in a panacea of information that comes into our context and what goes on in this context. This process goes on until our capability become exhausted or other thing come into our way and destructs our attention. This process is continuous and takes place as we relate with the environment in sensing what goes around our world. It also entails reading different cues in the environment and enabling us come up with alternatives in a given situations and still be able to get where or what we want to. Therefore, this type of cognitive process is important in the sense that it helps the minds of people thinking in relation to the things or events that happen in our environment helping us come up with solutions that help in countering the constrain or obstacles that come in our way.

A study cared out on high school student’s bands and choir revealed that most of the choir students valued social activities, friendship and being part of a group. Therefore, it conquer with this type of cognitive process as these students were much oriented to the outer world , focusing in communication and using environment to interact and learn about other friends (MacLellan, 2011, p. 85).

The methodology used was type indicator form that was used in measuring the level of personality traits of the band members. 355 students completed the consent forms and were eligible to participate in the study. The findings revealed that students involved in choir were extroverts and learned and shared on their experiences. The methodology used in this study (MBTI) is highly reliable in measuring the personality types and cognitive processes.

Extraverted thinking involves being able to engage in contingency planning, quantify and schedule information. This kind of thinking helps individuals in organizing their environment and ideas through illustrations such as charts, tables, graphs, outlines, flow charts, pictures, among many other forms. This process is more sophisticated in the practical scenario; it assists in organizing and monitoring people and things to ensure that they work in a more efficient way to ensure productivity. Furthermore, empirical thinking is part of extroverted thinking, when we pursue to challenge an individual’s ideas based on his/her logic flow of ideas and facts or when we provide precise/concrete conclusion and explanations for the decisions made in pursuit to find order and logic in someone thoughts we are engaging in the extrovert thinking. For example, when audiences asks the speaker questions upon his presentation, it shows that the audiences followed the presentation in logic and therefore, based on the facts, they seek clarifications or add on more information or just conquer and agree with the ideas of the speaker. It also demonstrates that the audiences were able to establish the speaker’ thought process. In the circumstances that the audiences fails to establish this thought process, it then render or hinder effective understanding , and questions may not be asked due to failure to internalize and understand the logic or the meaning of the speaker.

When it comes to written or verbal communication, extraverted thinking helps individuals to easily follow an individual, logic, organization and sequence. A person who may posses skills and expertise in a given topic may demonstrate flow and logic in his /her explanation and writing of ideas than someone with little or no specialty in the topic of discussion. Furthermore, extroverted thinking helps us to notice missing item. For instance, when a person in the introduction says that he/she is going to discuss or talk about ten issues, and ends up discussion only nine of them. Therefore, extroverted thinking is our day-to-day lives as it helps us to organize or compartmentalize several aspects of our lives at the same time necessitating us towards achievement of our objectives and goals in life.

In their study, Marlene and Easter (2009) postulate that wiling to argue is associated with higher-level thinking (117). In her study, she tested the relationships between ways of knowing, connected knowing and the willingness of these students to urge. Participants were 171male and 231 female college undergraduate. They completed assessment in ways of knowing and willingness of arguing and defined argument. Those with high scores indicated more willingness to argue and defined the word argument as a constructive form of communication, while those with low scores defined the word as an emotional battle with the goals of psychological harm. Therefore, this demonstrates that logical writing transcends into logical thinking a clear demonstration of the extrovert thinking. The methodology employed in the study was appropriate as it enable the students to demonstrate their level of cognitive thinking which then helped in drawing conclusions.

In conclusion, these three cognitive processes are important in the entire thinking and mental process of people. Individual’s cognitive processes enable them to perceive and make judgments depending on the situations and environments. Experiences in a person’s life is also important in the introverted sensing as people are able to make comparison and contrast in making decision in their life. Therefore, these processes are important in the lives of people as they help in organizing ideas and making decisions that pertains to their day-to-day life.

References

Linda, B., & Dario, N. (2004). Understanding yourself and others: An introduction to the personality type code, Telos publication.

MacLellan, C. R. (2011). Differences in Myers-Briggs Personality Types among High School Band, Orchestra, and Choir Members. Journal of Research in Music Education, 59(1):85-100.

Marlene, S., & Easter, M. (2009). Ways of Knowing and Willingness to Argue. Journal of Psychology, 143(2):117-132.

Passmore, J., Holloway, M., & Rawle-Cope, M. (2010). Using MBTI type to explore differences and the implications for practice for therapists and coaches: Are executive coaches really like counselors? Counseling Psychology Quarterly, 23(1):1-16.