Visual thinking (different from visual learning)

[onemoretime]

I think in pictures. In fact, I notice that it takes a lot of cognitive resources to think in terms of language. I started talking very late, but learned to read very quickly. Even to this day, I generally don't sound out words in my head when I'm reading them, instead processing the information visually.

The upside is that I process info pretty quickly. When I'm asked a question, I start seeing pictures in my head, and can make connections and come to conclusions based upon these images (helps a lot in trivia contests). Likewise, it helps with my sense of direction, because I keep a mental map in my head.

The downside is that it's going to take me several stabs at doing something if you give me text without accompanying photos, or instruct via speech. I'll often respond to these commands to the effect of "I don't know what that's supposed to look like", even when it's been demonstrated. The difference is that, of course, I know what it looks like objectively, but have no clue how it looks subjectively. This can be very frustrating.

Anyone else like this?

 

[Reflection]

I used to study history by writing the dates inside flower-petals or on other pictures. When I wasn't connecting things with music, which is how I mostly remember things. But that's remembering, so it's different. I usually think in visual cues as well (I believe most people do) and it's rather difficult to remember things that weren't demonstrated.

However, when I'm studying vocabulary or grammar, I make up rhymes and tunes. Music is a huge part of my life, and I've never met anyone who remembered things in terms of music. When I can't visualise where I was at a particular moment, I tend to remember what kind of music was playing, the sounds in the background, things like that.

I don't know if I'm making any sense with this. It's late and my thoughts are kinda jumbled now. I'll post a more comprehensive answer in the morning.

 

[miss fortune]

I used to have the odd tendancy to always remember things I'd read by picturing the page that they appeared on... I got so good at it that I could write a paper and cite exact sources... without the book there

I think best in a sensory manner though... mostly touch related and motion related

 

[BlueGray]

I think and organize information visually. I don't have the same problem you are mentioning with written words though. This might be a result of how my "images" are abstract without much in terms of actual sensory information. Colors are all but non-existent is the first example that comes to mind.
Motion is one of the more important parts of my thinking.

I relate with the ability to follow maps. I am able to imagine myself on the map and just going along on it and pretty much overlay the map onto the outside world, allowing me to quickly understand what I am seeing.

 

[Betty Blue]

I'm pretty non-visual in thinking. I have lots of abstract ideas but they do not seem to be visual. I find it hard to think in pictures, i probably work better with drawing lines in my mind though, to make connections.
I think you will find that most people are not picture thinkers. The funny thing is that most people who do think in pictures don't realise that the majority of people do not.

 

[InsatiableCuriosity]

I am a natural visual thinker too. My Ti sees my mind create 3 dimensional maps in my head with solutions to problems and expected consequences for each of the solutions. My critical eye is very good from the perspective of both the big picture and the small picture. My very low Se is OCD about paintings being crooked on a wall or visually out of balance. My Si allows me to naturally and instinctively deal with colour harmonies and balance in design of publications of type and graphics.

I am naturally attuned to the balance of Phi whether in symmetry or asymmetry. I train my students in the critical eye by using spot-the-difference pics, a graded set of online jigsaws (jigzone.com is awesome) and exploration of Phi and its application in nature and art.

 

[Southern Kross]

Anyone else like this?

Very much so. I have to picture things before I can get my head around stuff. My visual thinking is so dominant I actually struggle to manage other forms of thought and communication. When people say, tells me a telephone number I need to know or how much something costs, I literally have to picture the number in my head in order to understand. The word means nothing until I can link it to the image of the number (eg. forty seven... - 47). And this is quite difficult for me to do - it takes more time than it should. Its like translating from foreign words into my first language.

 

[kiddykat]

I think in pictures a lot too! Mind maps, flow charts are a saver for me. I can't study without creating one, especially if I'm bored or the reading material is dry.

I think I'm more predominantly a visual thinker because I didn't learn to write until about the 3rd grade when I attended school on a regular basis. Until then, I mostly depicted whatever I felt through drawings, verbally in my parent's native language, or in English with friends, but even that was a mixture of various languages (at times, confusing).

With directions- I remember things visually. Even if places have changed, reconstructed or rebuilt, as long as I'm somewhere 'near' that place? I can visually re-construct my memories to find it again. Like my old apartment from when I was 2? I remember re-piecing all of my memories of that place, and actually found 'home' just by going off of those memories.

 

[InsatiableCuriosity]

With directions- I remember things visually. Even if places have changed, reconstructed or rebuilt, as long as I'm somewhere 'near' that place? I can visually re-construct my memories to find it again. Like my old apartment from when I was 2? I remember re-piecing all of my memories of that place, and actually found 'home' just by going off of those memories.

This is interesting because I am always planning my journey in my head in a 3d map dependent on the time of the day and likely traffic conditions. Like you I can generally find my way back to locations which, by the published beliefs of the much vaunted pop psychologists and their adherents, I should not be able to do because I am a woman.

I have excellent map reading skills and finding my way to and from destinations I may have visited only once before is easy - I seem to have a built in compass.

 

[Southern Kross]

I think in pictures a lot too! Mind maps, flow charts are a saver for me. I can't study without creating one, especially if I'm bored or the reading material is dry.

Yeah, I remember I when taking an exam and needing to remember a piece of information, I would picture the actual page it was written on and how it looked. Does anyone else do this?

 

[kiddykat]

Photographic memory? Yes- I do it too.. When I'm stumped, I'll go, "I remember I wrote this in that corner of the paper, in that size."

It apparently didn't help me in cytology. Remembering various squamous, simple-squamous, cells, erythrocytes was a total nightmare!



Edit- I also like taking notes on copy paper. It allows for more versatility in how I 'group' my notes.

 

[Reflection]

The absolute worst thing, though, is when you can remember how everything else on the page looked like except for the answer you're looking for. Happened to me just last week.

(I wrote on the exam that I could remember exactly where it was written, but for the life of me couldn't remember what it actually said.)

 

[Southern Kross]

The absolute worst thing, though, is when you can remember how everything else on the page looked like except for the answer you're looking for. Happened to me just last week.

(I wrote on the exam that I could remember exactly where it was written, but for the life of me couldn't remember what it actually said.)

LOL. I know what you mean. I sit there visualizing the page, mentally straining to read the words. Sometimes you can vaguely see the shape of them but can't quite work out what they say.

 

[Reflection]

LOL. I know what you mean. I sit there visualizing the page, mentally straining to read the words. Sometimes you can vaguely see the shape of them but can't quite work out what they say.

Exactly! Just the vague outlines of something and you're straining to read it, as if you were myopic (well, I am, but without glasses I mean). It's so frustrating sometimes.

 

[Haphazard]

Information in my brain is either organized completely nonvisually or completely visually, and never the twain shall meet.

It's quite annoying.

 

[King sns]

I think in pictures. In fact, I notice that it takes a lot of cognitive resources to think in terms of language. I started talking very late, but learned to read very quickly. Even to this day, I generally don't sound out words in my head when I'm reading them, instead processing the information visually.

The upside is that I process info pretty quickly. When I'm asked a question, I start seeing pictures in my head, and can make connections and come to conclusions based upon these images (helps a lot in trivia contests). Likewise, it helps with my sense of direction, because I keep a mental map in my head.

The downside is that it's going to take me several stabs at doing something if you give me text without accompanying photos, or instruct via speech. I'll often respond to these commands to the effect of "I don't know what that's supposed to look like", even when it's been demonstrated. The difference is that, of course, I know what it looks like objectively, but have no clue how it looks subjectively. This can be very frustrating.

Anyone else like this?

I think we have a thread similar to this somewhere else, or at least I remember talking about it. I'm the exact same way. I think in movies and pictures. I find it pointless for me to sit through lectures when I learn by reading, writing, and doing. I'm a slow reader because everything must be translated into a picture. When I get something, I really, really get it. I hold on to a high percentage of things that I learn. I have very few thoughts that are not visual.

 

[sculpting]

my entp best friend says almost what you said OMT about visual memory. She can also remember the exact words used in conversations-convos held months or even years in the past-like photographic memory but instead with words. I have noticed a number of Ti users who have a substantially delay as they try and translate the visual thought into verbal words-INTPs especially. I have also seen ENTPs who are non english speakers delay a very long time or even stutter as they try and do the same task but I guess find the precise word in addition to translating from visual to verbal.

I think in blobs and flow charts. However I have a babbling river of subvocal dialogue that accompanies everything. I am superb at maps, but suck at innate orientation. I require a white board and marker to draw out the flow charts.

However to talk about Fi? Almost impossible-I cant find words, and I almost stutter.

 

[stalemate]

I don't think I have visual thinking. I can barely visualize anything in my head at all. I can visualize patterns I guess. Like to remember a phone number sometimes I remember the pattern of dialing it and not the actual numbers themselves. Same thing for my ATM pin.

When I am trying to think through some idea it is like my mind kind of has a network of connected nodes or something and I'm just hopping around from one to the other trying to see what works. I can almost see myself moving around through these in my head. Like a map if possibilities maybe, but very nondescript, more like a flowchart.

 

[stalemate]

I'm pretty non-visual in thinking. I have lots of abstract ideas but they do not seem to be visual. I find it hard to think in pictures, i probably work better with drawing lines in my mind though, to make connections.

This is kind of what I have.. the lines in my head to make the connections.

 

[Poki]

I think in words/concepts and not visually at all and have a very hard time translating that into speech almost like I cant do them both at the same time. My speech has to follow my thought pattern.