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Lateral Thinking: How Brain Teasers Encourage Flexible Thinking
How Edward de Bono's idea of lateral thinking applies to word puzzles and mysteries.
Key Research Takeaways
- Edward de Bono introduced the term lateral thinking in 1967 for approaches that try new directions rather than following one line of logic.
- Functional fixedness is the habit of seeing an object or word only in its usual role.
- Puzzles with several possible meanings give you practice at switching viewpoints.
Vertical and lateral thinking
Edward de Bono, a Maltese physician and writer, coined the term lateral thinking in 1967. Vertical thinking moves step by step along one line of logic. Lateral thinking looks for different starting points. Both are useful, and many puzzles need both.
Functional fixedness
Functional fixedness is the tendency to see an item only in its usual role. In word puzzles, a word such as LIGHT might suggest brightness, while the answer needs its meaning as weight or as something you ignite. Puzzles with several meanings give you practice in switching viewpoints.
Carrying it into daily life
Practising flexible thinking may help you reconsider a problem before settling on the first answer. Puzzles are a playful way to build that habit, but they do not guarantee better decisions elsewhere.
Put This Theory Into Practice
Experience these cognitive mechanisms firsthand with Smotix's free daily brain puzzles: