Abstract reasoning is possibly what allows the human being to be as we know it today. Language, the ability to make plans and many other skills have to do with this facet of our mind.

In this article we will see what exactly is abstract reasoning , what are the areas of the brain most directly involved in it, and how to train it.

What is abstract reasoning?

A definition of what abstract reasoning is could be as follows. It is the set of cognitive operations based on the reorganization of abstract concepts, carried out with the aim of producing new information in the form of a conclusion.

Thus, it is a type of private behavior (not easily observable by another person without the appropriate measuring instruments) in which the concepts being worked with are highly abstract. Now then… what exactly does it mean that a concept is abstract? Let’s see.

Abstract concepts

Although we normally associate the idea of “concept” with the use of language, the truth is that non-human animals deprived of the ability to use language also think using concepts as raw material. A concept is, in short, a more or less simple memory based on a past experience, which leaves in the brain a type of information that can serve to explain other situations .

For example, a baby is able to recognize by touch an object that it had previously only seen, not touched, since its memory of the image of the object serves to create a mental representation of its shape in three dimensions. This representation of the object, which comes through the visual sensory mode but serves to generate other types of representations, is a concept.

Something similar happens with the way animals learn. For example, what happens when a predator smells a certain kind of prey has to do with concepts: in this case, the representation is an organism with several characteristics, among which is that particular smell and possibly the taste of its meat. In the same way, many living beings are capable of thinking from the concept of quantity , knowing that the unit is smaller than the pair, etc.

However, neither the concepts babies think with nor those used by the vast majority of animals are themselves abstract concepts. Why? Because they are not based on abstract properties of objects, landscapes and living beings that have been perceived through the senses.

This kind of simple concepts give information about easily verifiable sensorial characteristics, such as shape, colour, texture or danger for oneself, but they do not inform about aspects less linked to the earthly , such as attitudes, the genus to which a species belongs, etc. In short, it is not based on subtle properties that can be attributed indirectly to other things.

Different degrees of cognitive complexity

There are concepts that are more abstract than others, and for that very reason, there are abstract reasonings that are also more abstract than others.

For example, the concept of boundary is abstract because it does not tell us much about the physical properties of an object or living being, but Platonic love is even more abstract because it cannot even be represented by a form (in the case of boundary, that form could be a line) without making many concessions. Therefore, reasoning from the idea of what a border is is not the same as using the ideas of the famous Greek philosopher.

In short, abstraction is a relative property . Basically, the abstract is that which in itself we do not perceive directly, but which at the same time we can see “incarnated” in that which surrounds us: sympathy, minimalism, coarseness, etc.

The usefulness of abstract reasoning

A greater capacity for abstract reasoning gives us a greater number of options by which to adapt to changes . In the end, it is an aptitude that is closely related to intelligence.

Creating new information from sensory data is a task largely undertaken by abstract reasoning. Think, for example, of the process by which a new business idea is discovered.

Firstly, an unsatisfied need is discovered in a certain type of environment, or a personal or organisational strength is discovered that allows a new line of products or services to be developed. In addition, it is necessary to think about the logistics that will be used for this, and to see if it will be viable.

Later on, we think about the kind of skills that are needed to make this initiative successful and recruit the right people to work on it. In later phases, the details related to marketing are finalized, and it is necessary to create an image that transmits both the sensations that must be expressed by what is offered and the philosophy of the company.

All these steps require making well detailed plans for the future, and using carefully the language and the concepts linked to mathematics in order to create strategies and coordinate several people who will need to work in unison. In short, based on simple intuition, or a quick review of the type of products available on the market, we imagine a situation that we could reach and we begin to mentally construct the type of situations that should occur in order to reach the objective.

Your neurological bases

Abstract reasoning is based on all kinds of mental processes, since being so complex it needs the participation of many areas of the brain , especially the cerebral cortex. However, there are some brain structures that are more related to this type of operation than others.

The main parts of the brain linked to abstract reasoning are the frontal lobes of the two brain hemispheres on the one hand, and the associative cortex on the other.

The frontal lobe is a region of the nervous system that is in charge of making possible the planning and the establishment of medium and long term goals, something necessary to go beyond the impulses of the moment and, consequently, to start thinking about future situations, for which abstract concepts are indispensable.

Secondly, it is the associative crust that allows abstract concepts to exist. Its main function is to make the different impressions left by external stimuli (whether visual, auditory or of any other sensory modality) create the mental representation of qualities that we can attribute to several of these stimuli but which at the same time are not the stimulus itself. In short, abstract concepts are concepts of other concepts.

Together, these brain structures explain much of what has enabled humans to distinguish themselves from other animals. However, we must not forget that abstract reasoning does not simply emanate from the brain, but depends on learning. Exposure to stimulating situations is essential to improve our ability to adapt to change.

How to train him?

These are some useful activities to get used to using abstract reasoning:

  • Participate in debates.
  • Detecting logical fallacies.
  • Practice mental computation .
  • Training in philosophy.
  • Search for script holes in series or movies.