Thinking | Class 11 Psychology Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 5 min read
Thinking – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of Thinking from Class 11 Psychology, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
Problem Solving
Problem solving is a goal-directed thinking process aimed at finding solutions to specific problems. It involves moving from an initial state (the problem) to a desired end state (the goal) through a series of mental operations or steps.
For example, organizing a school play for Teachers' Day involves identifying the problem, representing it by breaking it down into sub-tasks (such as choosing a theme, selecting actors, arranging funds), planning solutions by setting sub-goals, evaluating alternatives, selecting and executing the best solution, and finally evaluating the outcome. Table 7.1 outlines these mental operations in detail.
Obstacles to problem solving include mental set and lack of motivation. Mental set is the tendency to approach problems using previously successful strategies, which can lead to rigidity and hinder new solutions. Functional fixedness is a related obstacle where one is unable to see alternative uses for objects beyond their usual function. Lack of motivation can cause individuals to give up early when faced with difficulties.
Problem solving requires persistence, flexibility, and the ability to evaluate and adapt strategies to reach the goal effectively.
📊 Diagram: Table 7.1 Mental Operations Involved in Solving a Problem
🧪 Activity: Activity 7.2: Problems involving anagrams, joining dots, and water measurement using bottles to practice problem solving.
🔗 Connection: Prepares for understanding reasoning as a related cognitive process.
Table on page 5 (10×2)
| Table 7.1 Mental Operations Involved in Solving a Problem | |
|---|---|
| Let us look at the problem of organising a play in school on the occasion of Teachers' Day. Problem solving would involve the following sequence. | |
| Mental operation | Nature of problem |
| 1. Identify the problem | A week is left for teachers' day and you are given the task of organising a play. |
| 2. Represent the problem | Organising a play would involve identification of an appropriate theme, screening of actors, actresses, arranging money, etc. |
| 3. Plan the solution: Set sub-goals | Search and survey various available themes for a play, and consult teachers and friends who have the expertise. The play to be decided, based on such considerations as cost, duration, suitability for the occasion, etc. |
| 4. Evaluate all solutions (plays) | Collect all the information/stage rehearsal. |
| 5. Select one solution and execute it | Compare and verify the various options to get the best solution (the play). |
| 6. Evaluate the outcome | If the play (solution) is appreciated, think about the steps you have followed for future reference for yourself as well as for your friends. |
| 7. Rethink and redefine problems and solutions | After this special occasion you can still think about ways to plan a better play in future. |
Table on page 6 (9×5)
| Problems | The required quantity | The capacity of the bottles in ml. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | B | C | ||
| 1. | 100 | 21 | 127 | 3 |
| 2. | 99 | 14 | 163 | 25 |
| 3. | 5 | 18 | 43 | 10 |
| 4. | 21 | 9 | 42 | 6 |
| 5. | 31 | 20 | 59 | 4 |
| 6. | 20 | 23 | 49 | 3 |
| 7. | 25 | 28 | 76 | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
Problem 1 Anagrams: Rearrange the letters to form a word. (You can also construct some similar words) NAGMARA BOLMPER SLEVO STGNIH TOLUSONI
The answers to the anagrams are:
1. NAGMARA → ANAGRAM 2. BOLMPER → PROBLEM 3. SLEVO → LOVES or VOLES 4. STGNIH → THINGS 5. TOLUSONI → SOLUTION
Explanation: Each scrambled word is rearranged to form a meaningful English word related to the chapter on thinking and problem solving. For example, 'NAGMARA' rearranged gives 'ANAGRAM', which is a word puzzle. 'BOLMPER' rearranged gives 'PROBLEM', which relates to the topic of problem solving. Similarly, others are rearranged to form words relevant to
Problem 2 Joining dots: Without lifting your pencil from the paper, connect all nine dots by drawing four straight lines.
To connect all nine dots arranged in a 3x3 grid with four straight lines without lifting the pencil, follow these steps:
1. Start from the bottom left dot. 2. Draw a line diagonally up through the middle dot in the second row to the top right dot. 3. Continue the line beyond the top right dot to extend outside the square. 4. Draw the second line diagonally down through the middle right dot to the bottom middle dot. 5. Draw the third line horizontally left through the bottom middle dot to the bo
Problem 3 Try out the 'water in three bottles' activity with your friend. There are three bottles, A, B, and C. Bottle A can hold 21 ml., B can hold 127 ml., and C can hold 3 ml. The task for your friend is to get 100 ml of water with the help of these three bottles. There are six more problems like this. These seven problems are given below.
To get exactly 100 ml of water using bottles A (21 ml), B (127 ml), and C (3 ml), follow these steps:
1. Fill bottle B completely (127 ml). 2. Pour water from B into A until A is full (21 ml), leaving 106 ml in B. 3. Empty bottle A. 4. Pour water from B into A again until A is full (21 ml), leaving 85 ml in B. 5. Empty bottle A. 6. Pour water from B into A again until A is full (21 ml), leaving 64 ml in B. 7. Empty bottle A. 8. Pour water from B into A again until A is full (21 ml), leaving 43
1. Explain the nature of thinking.
Thinking is a mental process that involves manipulating information, forming concepts, solving problems, reasoning, and making decisions. It is an active cognitive process that enables individuals to understand, analyze, and respond to their environment. Thinking helps in organizing experiences, making judgments, and planning actions.
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Clear NCERT-aligned notes on अभिप्रेरणा एवं संवेग for Class 11 Psychology.