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Circular vs. Linear Thinking

By Rachel Blees

Circular Thinking

What is it?

Circular thinking focuses on pulling in more of what you want. It is a belief that the answer will come when everyone is included. It seeks to find what is meaningful and allow that understanding to infuse everything we do. Without circular thinking we could not change, feel contentment or develop relationships.

Linear Thinking

The opposite of circular thinking is linear (vertical) thinking. In this type of reasoning, progress is made in a step-by-step fashion and a response to each step must exist before advancing to the next one.

Linear Thinking

Women

How is this related to gender?

Women tend to think in an analytical or circular mode. Women are often dealing with multiple types of work at the same time, and have necessarily developed a thought function that brings together various components, a whole series of functions with wave-like modality: flavors, colors, models; a whole series of functions with wave mode.

Men

Men prefer a logical, linear, sequential, and angular thinking. It is common for men to think about one and only one thing at a time, women do not. Men tend to follow a linear reasoning which starts from one point and leads to another, which seeks the point of solution of a problem in a linear way. Fear-activated emotions lead to a linear style of thinking. Here logic, focus, objectivity, and discipline push back against the danger fear has identified for us. Without this instinct we could not survive.

Men

Here is a quiz I found to determine which type of thinker you are.

Imagine yourself facing a challenge. Does column one or column two feel like the best way to proceed?

Are you a circular or linear thinker?

Column 1:

1. Define the goal

2. Develop a strategy

3. Make a plan

4. Set time lines, costs, tasks

5. Activate the plan

6. Measure progress

Column 2:

1. Gather and welcome everyone effected.

2. Ask each person to express their feelings.

3. Interactively share information

4. Recognize a pattern, follow an idea

5. Give language to what is meaningful

6. Respond to the information and redesign

Results

Column one is a linear thinking process and column two is a circular thinking process. Scientists often think linearly while artists tend to think more circularly. Men on average tend to lean towards linear thinking while women are more circular.

Results

References

Castillo, M. (2014, April 1). Thinking in Different Directions. American Journal of Neuroradiology. http://www.ajnr.org/content/35/4/615

Hudson, K. (2017, November 3). Are You a Circular or a Linear Thinker? | 2 Ways of Knowing Project. 2 Ways of Knowing. https://2wkblog.com/2017/11/03/are-you-a-circular-or-a-linear-thinker-2/

R. (2019a, April 18). N. 33 | THE WOMAN’S THOUGHT? CIRCULAR. MAN’S? LINEAR. Regenesi. https://www.regenesi.com/blogs/circular-economy/the-womans-thought-circular-man-s-linear

Citations

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