Reflection

Properties of human mentality are many-sided. One of them is an ability of thinking to critical introspection of acts, thoughts, feelings. Similar property, or a reflection, allows, figuratively speaking "to look back" and to draw necessary conclusions. The criticality directed to itself creates new values, breaks down the developed stereotypes of standards of behavior and knowledge. It promotes development of positive qualities of the person and, thereby, his progressing as persons. The reflection can have different types and be given various shapes.

Types of a reflection

Depending on an orientation of critical thinking it is accepted to allocate three main types of a reflection:

• Elementary. This manifestation of self-criticism is peculiar practically to each person. Rather often in life there are such situations when it is necessary to think of the reasons of own failures and mistakes. Similar reflections promote change of the existing ideas of the world around that allows to correct errors and not to allow them further;
• Scientific. The similar critical analysis finds the main application in various special disciplines. This type of a reflection is directed to a research of methods and methods of obtaining scientific results, justification of the theories and laws created on their basis;
• Philosophical. This type of reflexive thinking is considered the highest. It represents understanding and judgment of bases of life, reflection about sense of human existence. Since ancient times the philosophical reflection is a basis of spiritual improvement of the person, and also means of its self-knowledge. Ability to a similar type of critical introspection – the most important indicator of intelligence of the person.

Receptions of a reflection

Criticality of thinking is caused by the high level of development of human mentality. This ability of an individual is considered an indicator of its formation as persons. For implementation of the critical analysis use various receptions of a reflection. The most known of them are:

• Exit in a reflexive position. This reception consists in an exception of direct interest a situation in which there was a difficulty, and its change with a so-called look "from outside". At the same time there is an exit out of limits of the developed difficult situation, in the position allowing to understand a problem and to find a way of its permission. A starting point of a reflection in this case is understanding that there were certain difficulties, and fixing of a situation in which they arose;
• Reflexive display of a situation. Quite often change of the point of view on a situation promotes emergence of idea of probable causes of the arisen difficulties. In this case it is usually difficult to keep reflexive reasonings in consciousness. In this regard there is a need of creation of schematical display of a situation that allows to understand the developed situation rather objectively;
• Reflexive justification of activity. On the basis of the receptions of a reflection allowing to find out the reasons of difficulties there is an understanding of how to improve a difficult situation. The critical relation to a problem allows to prove need of the specific actions directed to change of a situation and elimination of the made mistakes.

Possession of receptions of a reflection – one of the most important indicators of level of mental development of the person.

Reflection forms

The critical analysis is capable to perform various functions, each of which directly depends on time of its carrying out. Due to such feature allocate three main forms of a reflection:

• Situational. Represents ability of the person to analyze a situation which develops at the specific moment, and to correlate to it the actions. This form of thinking allows to coordinate activity in strict accordance with the changing conditions;
• Retrospective. This form of introspection gives the chance to estimate already taken place events, and also results of the executed activity. The critical thinking in this case is directed to studying of the experience got in the past. The reflection helps identification of probable errors, search of the reasons of their emergence;
• Perspective. Means reflections of the subject about the forthcoming activity, promotes formation at it of ideas of the sequence of necessary actions. The similar form of a reflection allows to plan in the most effective way the work.

Critical introspection can be carried out as individually, and in group. In this regard, along with above-mentioned forms of reflexive thinking, allocate also intra subject and intersubject forms. Each of them, in turn, is subdivided into three components. For intra subject forms of thinking – it is the adjusting, selective and supplementing reflections. The first of them allows to pick up the way of action which is optimum adapted to specific conditions. The second form gives the chance to choose a problem solution from several possible options. The supplementing reflection makes available some complication of necessary actions due to addition of a number of elements in them.

Intersubject forms include cooperative, counteracting, and also competitive reflections. At the same time the cooperative form combines certain subjects for some joint activity, counteracting acts as means of fight for something, and competitive is applied in the conditions of partner rivalry.

Ability to reflexive thinking – the most important property of human mind. Only thanks to the analysis of the actions and feelings the subject can pass to the following step of development. This dependence between a reflection and development is characteristic not only of the certain person, but also of all society.