Chapter Two: Healthy Thinking

Chapter Two: Healthy Thinking

Reflective Expressions

CogYog aims to cultivate healthy thinking. However, before addressing "What is healthy thinking?" we must first consider the nature of thinking itself. The English language offers revealing clues: scholars have identified at least seventy-seven commonly used verbs related to thinking, suggesting that thinking is a significant concern among English speakers. More tellingly, English contains a distinct group of expressions for rethinking- we may take a second look at a first impression, think twice about an initial idea, do a double take after a first glance, second-guess a default assumption, or double-check something following a once-over. According to Dual Process Theory, these reflective expressions reveal a fundamental operation of human thinking: generating second thoughts about first thoughts.

Attention-Response Regulation Model

Decades of empirical research support Dual Process Theory, which proposes that humans evolved two thinking processes for attending and responding to activating stimuli. This theoretical framework serves as the basis for CogYog's Attention-Response Regulation Model, as illustrated in Figure Two. The Attention-Response Regulation Model adapts Dual Process Theory into a practical model for learning and applying cognitive yoga.