View source for Lateral thinking

{{Short description|Manner of solving problems}}
[[File:Edward de Bono - The Hub Kings Cross 2009 15.jpg|thumb|Maltese psychologist Edward de Bono (pictured in 2009) introduced the term "lateral thinking" in 1967.]]

'''Lateral thinking''' is a manner of [[Problem solving|solving problems]] using an indirect and [[Religion:Creativity|creative]] approach via reasoning that is not immediately obvious. Synonymous to [[Thinking outside the box|thinking outside the box]], it involves ideas that may not be obtainable using only traditional step-by-step [[Logic|logic]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Oxford English Dictionary: Lateral thinking|url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/lateral_thinking|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220191248/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/lateral_thinking|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 December 2016|access-date=19 December 2016|publisher=Oxford University Press}}</ref> The cutting of the [[Philosophy:Gordian Knot|Gordian Knot]] is a classical example. 

The term was first used in 1967 by Maltese psychologist Edward de Bono who used the [[Philosophy:Judgement of Solomon|Judgement of Solomon]], the Nine Dots Puzzle, and the [[Engineering:Sewing machine|sewing machine]] (automating the work rather than adding more workers) as examples, among many others, of lateral thinking.<ref>{{cite book |last1=de Bono |first1=Edward |title=The Use of Lateral Thinking |date=1971 |publisher=Avon Books |isbn=978-0140137880}}</ref> 

Lateral thinking deliberately distances itself from Vertical Thinking, the traditional method for problem solving.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Vertical versus Lateral Thinking <ref>{{cite web |author1=James S. Hernandez |author2=Prathibha Varkey |title=Vertical versus Lateral Thinking |url=https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=2d4671a5ce58041d24cbc582e512b21e569b9e51 |publisher=The Physician Executive |access-date=12 November 2024 |location=May June 2008 |page=26 |format=newsletter |date=2008}}</ref>
|-
! !! Vertical Thinking !! Lateral Thinking
|-
| linear || yes || no
|-
| pattern || develop an existing pattern || restructure an existing pattern
|-
| direction || stepwise and methodical || multidirectional and creative
|-
| uncertainty tolerated || no || yes
|-
| rewards for || depth of knowledge || breadth of knowledge
|-
| restricted by relevant information || yes || no
|-
| novel approaches welcomed || no || yes
|}

De Bono argues lateral thinking entails a switch-over from a familiar pattern to a new, unexpected one.  Such insight sometimes takes the form of humour<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rodgers |first=Chris |date=November 2009 |title=Blog: The significance of humour – pattern switching and lateral thinking |url=https://informalcoalitions.typepad.com/informal_coalitions/2009/11/the-significance-of-humour-pattern-switching-and-lateral-thinking.html |website=Informal Coalitions}}</ref> 
but can also be cultivated.<ref>{{Cite web |last=de Bono|first=Edward |title=Teaching Creative Thinking 3 – deBono |url=https://www.debono.com/teaching-creative-thinking-3 |website=de Bono}}</ref>

Critics have characterized lateral thinking as a pseudo-scientific concept, arguing de Bono's core ideas have never been rigorously tested or corroborated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aeon.co/essays/lateral-thinking-is-classic-pseudoscience-derivative-and-untested|publisher=Aeon.co|first=Antonio|last=Melechi|editor-first=Pam|editor-last=Weintraub|title=Lateral thinking is classic pseudoscience, derivative and untested|work=Aeon Essays|date=11 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cdYCAAAAMBAJ&q=%22example+of+lateral+thinking%22&pg=PA61|title=Snoopy or the Tiger?|date=18 November 1968|work=New York Magazine|publisher=New York Media, LLC|page=61|language=en|last1=Diebold|first1=John|access-date=5 June 2017}}</ref>

== Methods ==
Lateral thinking has to be distinguished from critical thinking.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Time for Some Lateral Thinking|last1=Burton|first1=John C.|last2=Sack|first2=Robert J.|date=June 1991|journal=Accounting Horizons|volume=5|issue=2|pages=118–23}}</ref> [[Critical thinking]] is primarily concerned with judging the true value of statements and seeking errors whereas lateral thinking focuses more on the "movement value" of statements and ideas. A person uses lateral thinking to move from one known idea to new ideas. Edward de Bono defines four types of thinking tools:
#idea-generating tools intended to break current thinking patterns—routine patterns, the [[Philosophy:Status quo|status quo]]
#focus tools intended to broaden where to search for new ideas
#harvest tools intended to ensure more value is received from idea generating output
#treatment tools that promote consideration of real-world constraints, resources, and support<ref>''Lateral Thinking: The Power of Provocation'' manual: Published in 2006 by de Bono Thinking Systems</ref>{{qn|date=January 2015}}

=== Random entry idea generation ===
The thinker chooses an object at random, or a noun from a dictionary and associates it with the area they are thinking about. De Bono exemplifies this through the randomly chosen word "nose" being applied to an office photocopier, leading to the idea that the copier could produce a lavender smell when it was low on paper.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Serious Creativity: How to Be Creative Under Pressure and Turn Ideas into Action
|last = de Bono|first = Edward|publisher = Random House UK|year = 2015|isbn = 978-0091939700|pages = 263}}</ref>

=== Provocation idea generation ===
 A provocation is a statement that we know is wrong or impossible but used to create new ideas. De Bono gives an example of considering river pollution and setting up the provocation, "the factory is downstream of itself", causing a factory to be forced to take its water input from a point downstream of its output, an idea which later became law in some countries.<ref>{{Cite book |last=De Bono |first=Edward |year=1992 |title=Serious creativity: using the power of lateral thinking to create new ideas |publisher=HarperBusiness |pages=145 |isbn=9780887305665 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NbB9AAAAMAAJ}}</ref> Provocations can be set up by the use of any of the [[Philosophy:Po (lateral thinking)|provocation techniques]]—wishful thinking, [[Philosophy:Exaggeration|exaggeration]], reversal, escape, distortion, or arising. The thinker creates a list of provocations and then uses the most outlandish ones to move their thinking forward to new ideas.

=== Movement techniques ===
The purpose of movement techniques is to produce as many alternatives as possible in order to encourage new ways of thinking about both problems and solutions. The production of alternatives tends to produce many possible solutions to problems that seemed to only have one possible solution.<ref name="Nageswari et al 2016">{{cite journal |last1=Nageswari |first1=R. |last2=Ravikumar |first2=B. |last3=Jayamani |first3=T. Stephen |title=Building Lateral Thinking Strategies to Impart English Speaking Skills |journal=Pertanika Journal |date=2016 |volume=24 |issue=2 |pages=687–700 |url=http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/pjssh/browse/regular-issue?article=JSSH-1285-2015 }}</ref> One can move from a provocation to a new idea through the following methods: extract a principle, focus on the difference, moment to moment, positive aspects or special circumstances.

=== Challenge ===
A tool which is designed to ask the question, "Why?", in a non-threatening way: why something exists or why it is done the way it is. The result is a very clear understanding of "Why?", which naturally leads to new ideas. The goal is to be able to challenge anything at all, not just those things that are problematic. For example, one could challenge the handles on coffee cups: The reason for the handle seems to be that the cup is often too hot to hold directly; perhaps coffee cups could be made with insulated finger grips, or there could be separate coffee-cup holders similar to beer holders, or coffee should not be so hot in the first place.<ref name="Nageswari et al 2016"/>

=== Concept formation ===
Ideas carry out concepts. This tool systematically expands the range and number of concepts in order to end up with a very broad range of ideas to consider.<ref name="Nageswari et al 2016"/>

=== Disproving ===
Based on the idea that the majority is always wrong (as suggested by Henrik Ibsen<ref>
In ''An Enemy of the People'', 1882.
</ref>{{Secondary source needed|date=March 2024}} and by John Kenneth Galbraith<ref>{{Cite book|title = Encyclopedia of the Kennedys: The People and Events That Shaped America|last = Siracus|first = Joseph|publisher = ABC-CLIO|year = 2012|isbn = 978-1598845389|pages = 269}}</ref>), take anything that is obvious and generally accepted as "goes without saying", question it, take an opposite view, and try to convincingly disprove it. This technique is similar to de Bono's "Black Hat" of ''[[Social:Six Thinking Hats|Six Thinking Hats]]'', which looks at identifying reasons to be cautious and conservative. 
=== Fractionation ===
The purpose of fractionation is to create alternative perceptions of problems and solutions by taking the commonplace view of the situation and breaking it into multiple alternative situations in order to break away from the fixed view and see the situation from different angles. This allows the generation of multiple possible solutions that can be synthesized into more comprehensive answers.<ref name="Nageswari et al 2016"/>

==Problem solving==
; Problem solving
: When something creates a problem, the performance or the status quo of the situation drops. [[Problem solving|Problem-solving]] deals with finding out what caused the problem and then figuring out ways to fix the problem. The objective is to get the situation to where it should be. For example, a production line has an established run rate of 1000 items per hour. Suddenly, the run rate drops to 800 items per hour. Ideas as to why this happened and solutions to repair the production line must be thought of, such as giving the worker a pay raise. A study on engineering students' abilities to answer very open-ended questions suggests that students showing more lateral thinking were able to solve the problems much quicker and more accurately.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Arsad |first1=Norhana |last2=Sanusi |first2=Hilmi |last3=Majid |first3=Rosadah Abd |last4=Ali |first4=Manisah Mohd |last5=Husain |first5=Hafizah |title=Lateral Thinking through Black Box Experiment among Engineering Students |journal=Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences |date=October 2012 |volume=60 |pages=14–20 |doi=10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.340 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

; Lateral problem "solving"
: Lateral thinking often produces solutions that appear "obvious" in hindsight. It can often highlight problems people never knew they had, or solve simple problems that have huge impacts. For example, if a production line produced 1000 books per hour, lateral thinking may suggest that a drop in output to 800 would lead to higher quality, and more motivated workers. Students have shown lateral thinking in their application of a variety of individual, unique concepts in order to solve complex problems.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Syahrin |first1=Alfi |last2=Dawud |first2=Dawud |last3=Suwignyo |first3=Heri |last4=Priyatni |first4=Endah Tri |title=Creative Thinking Patterns In Student's Scientific Works |journal=Eurasian Journal of Educational Research |date=29 May 2019 |volume=19 |issue=81 |pages=1–16 |doi=10.14689/ejer.2019.81.2 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

==See also==


* {{annotated link|Philosophy:Derailment (thought disorder)}}
* {{annotated link|Serendipity}}
* {{annotated link|Philosophy:Thought}} ([[Philosophy:Outline of thought|outline]])
** {{annotated link|Convergent thinking}}
** {{annotated link|Creativity techniques}}
*** {{annotated link|Social:Brainstorming}}
*** {{annotated link|Divergent thinking}}
** {{annotated link|Critical thinking}}
** {{annotated link|Data thinking}}
** {{annotated link|Philosophy:Higher-order thinking}}
** {{annotated link|Problem solving}}
*** Lateral thinking related
**** {{annotated link|Parallel thinking}}
**** {{annotated link|Social:Six Thinking Hats}}
*** {{annotated link|Thinking outside the box}}
*** {{annotated link|Philosophy:Vertical thinking}}
** {{annotated link|Philosophy:Reason}}
*** {{annotated link|Philosophy:Logical reasoning}}
**** {{annotated link|Abductive reasoning}}
**** {{annotated link|Deductive reasoning}}
**** {{annotated link|Philosophy:Inductive reasoning}}
** {{annotated link|Social:Strategic thinking}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite journal |last1=Atkinson |first1=Anthony B. |title=On lateral thinking |journal=The Journal of Economic Inequality |date=1 September 2011 |volume=9 |issue=3 |pages=319–328 |doi=10.1007/s10888-010-9149-9 |s2cid=153894709 }}
*{{cite journal |last1=Butler |first1=Stephen A. |title=Solving business problems using a lateral thinking approach |journal=Management Decision |date=1 January 2010 |volume=48 |issue=1 |pages=58–64 |doi=10.1108/00251741011014454 }}
*{{cite journal |last1=Hernandez |first1=James S |last2=Varkey |first2=Prathibha |title=Vertical versus Lateral Thinking|journal=Physician Executive |date=May 2008 |volume=34 |issue=3 |pages=26–28 |id={{ProQuest|199996417}} |pmid=18605267 |citeseerx=10.1.1.550.4364 }}
*{{cite journal |last1=Waks |first1=Shlomo |title=Lateral Thinking and Technology Education |journal=Journal of Science Education and Technology |date=1 December 1997 |volume=6 |issue=4 |pages=245–255 |doi=10.1023/A:1022534310151 |bibcode=1997JSEdT...6..245W |s2cid=108865906 }}
{{refend}}

==External links==


[[Category:Imagination]]
[[Category:Inductive reasoning]]
[[Category:Mental processes]]
[[Category:Problem solving skills]]
[[Category:Reasoning]]
[[Category:Systems thinking]]
[[Category:Thought]]

{{Sourceattribution|Lateral thinking}}