ABSTRACT

This chapter provides the various types of thinking included in the cognitive domain routinely used by analysts. It describes the benefits and pitfalls of each thought process. Problem solving is another one of those ill-defined terms that many use routinely. Problem solving starts with problem definition and that is where intelligence analysis begins. Critical thinking is inward directed with the intent of maximizing the rationality of the thinker. Reflective thinking is a recognized and tested problem-solving procedure. Reflective thinking is a basic thought model developed in the last century by John Dewey. Higher-order thinking skills are part of taxonomy developed in 1956 by educational psychologist Dr. Benjamin Bloom. Analysis, as defined by Robert Marzano, consists of matching, classifying, error analysis, generalizing, and specifying. It would seem intuitive that intelligence analysts would need to be analytical. To evaluate information, analysts need to be able to distinguish essential data from information that is simply interesting.