Mõtlemises

Mõtlemises refers to the mental processes involved in forming thoughts, judgments, and plans. In Estonian usage, the term is tied to the broader concept of thinking and is encountered in discussions of cognition, reasoning, problem solving, and decision making. The form Mõtlemises is the inessive case of mõtlemine, meaning “in thinking” or “in the thinking process,” and appears in sentences describing cognitive activities or contexts.

Thinking encompasses a range of cognitive processes, including perception, attention, memory, language, and reasoning. It also involves higher-order activities such as problem solving, planning, judgment, and metacognition—the act of reflecting on one’s own thinking. Researchers distinguish between different modes of thinking, such as analytical or logical thinking, creative thinking, and critical thinking, each serving different goals and circumstances.

Several factors influence thinking, including emotion, motivation, prior knowledge, and context. Cognitive biases and heuristics can affect conclusions and choices, while education and practice can strengthen thinking skills through strategies like summarization, hypothesis testing, and reflective thinking. Developmentally, thinking abilities evolve with age and experience, and formal education often targets the cultivation of transferable thinking skills that support learning and problem solving across domains.

In research and applied settings, thinking is studied through experimental tasks, observational studies, and, increasingly, neurocognitive methods. While the concept is widely explored, interpretations vary across disciplines, reflecting differences in emphasis on logic, creativity, or practical problem solving. See also: mõtlemine, cognitive science, metacognition.