thinking
[thingk´ing] ideational mental activity (in contrast to emotional activity); the flow of ideas, symbols, and associations that brings forth concepts and reasons.
autistic thinking self-absorption; preoccupation with inner thoughts, daydreams, fantasies, delusions, drives, and personal logic. It is egocentric, subjective thinking lacking objectivity and preferring a narcissistic, inner, private reality to that with external validity. Used interchangeably with
dereistic thinking, although differing in emphasis. Called also
autism.
critical thinking a style of reasoning that involves a complex process of reflection and analysis. See accompanying table.
dereistic thinking thinking not in accordance with the facts of reality and experience and following illogical, idiosyncratic reasoning. Used interchangeably with
autistic thinking, although not an exact synonym: dereistic emphasizes disconnection from reality and autistic emphasizes preoccupation with inner experience. Called also
dereism. magical thinking that characterized by the belief that thinking or wishing something can cause it to occur.
primary process thinking in psychoanalytic theory, primitive thought processes deriving from the id and marked by illogical form, preverbal content, an emphasis on immediate wish fulfillment, and an equating of thought and action. Such processes are characteristic of childhood and of dreams.
secondary process thinking in psychoanalytic theory, the more sophisticated thought processes, based on logic, obeying the rules of causality, and consistent with external reality. Such processes are characteristic of mature conscious thought.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
crit·i·cal think·ing
(krit'i-kăl thingk'ing) 1. The practice of considering all aspects of a situation when deciding what to believe or what to do.
2. nursing Reflective and reasoned thinking, leading to judgments about what to believe or actions to take in any given situation.
Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012