Cognitive Functions

In the upcoming weeks, I'm planning to post thoughts about the cognitive functions, labels attached to our various thought processes.  These allow us the chance to examine, discuss, and modify how we think.  While there are many ways to dissect and label our cognitive processes, one of the insightful approaches that Dr. Reuven Feuerstein used was to break our thinking into 3 phases:

1. Input
2. Elaboration
3. Output

Input is what you would presume.  It's how we gather information.  

Elaboration is the phase which we would often described as "that's thinking!".  It's where we process and work through information.

Output is the final phrase, the expression.  This is often overlooked, but you have to say and do what you mean, precisely and accurately.

I like this breakdown because it encompasses more than just pondering things inside your brain.  You have to gather information and express your conclusions well.  So with this mind, I plan to look closely at one or two cognitive functions at a time, flesh out some of their details, and offer my thoughts about them.  I hope this will open some paths for understanding how the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment works and why this is important for everyone's daily life.