What is cognitive flexibility and how to work on it

Cognitive flexibility is one of the qualities that defines the human being and provides consistency due to the way of processing information. Many people have this highly developed ability and can resort to certain advanced reasoning within everyday life. This is reflected in the attitudes they have towards other people and even in the behaviors they display. However, there may be difficulties in carrying out an adequate adaptation to the thoughts, ideas and/or situations that arise from the social environment. For this reason, each human being is different and presents peculiarities that define it completely.

In this Psychology-Online article we will provide you with information about what is cognitive flexibility and how to work on it.

Index

1. What is cognitive flexibility
2. What is mental flexibility good for?
3. Activities to work on cognitive flexibility in adults
4. Cognitive flexibility exercises for children

Cognitive flexibility is the ability of human beings to adapt their beliefs and actions in the face of changes that occur in the environments that are frequented. This ability allows a person to put aside their own ideas and behaviors in the face of the need for modifications to occur.

For this reason, this ability goes against the rigidity that constitutes an obstacle to adapt to any eventuality that implies leaving routines and/or habits. In other words, it allows to improve the resolution of conflicts and the elaboration of alternatives that represent changes.

Cognitive flexibility does not only correspond to specific situations, but also enables the acceptance of ideas and actions from other people and it can be worked through the resolution of various problems, exposure to different perspectives and the practice of activities that challenge thinking routine.

Developing this ability can bring certain benefits that help people. Next, we will emphasize what cognitive flexibility is for:

• Higher tolerance for frustration: Some changes can bring some disappointment, since the results are different from those imagined. Introducing modifications in the mental schemes leads to a greater adaptation to situations that represent challenges.
• development of empathy: If a person can change his point of view due to the persistence of beliefs that are opposite, it becomes necessary to understand them in depth. In this way, the empathy allows to recognize feelings and other people's ideas without the need to avoid them.
• Effective communication: Those people who can modify the initial focus tend to have a more effective type of communication with their environment. This particularity is due to the fact that they take into account the perspective of social groups.
• Resilience: Fostering cognitive flexibility provides opportunities to overcome adversities that may arise. In this way, the person can have more options if they cannot carry out their initial scheme. Here we explain How to build resilience in children and adults.

Adopting an inclusive way of processing external information allows for greater calm and emotional stability. To elaborate it, it is pertinent to carry out activities to work on cognitive flexibility in adults:

• Participate in discussions: Going to social groups implies facing different thoughts about various topics. Indeed, participating in exchange spaces constitutes a practice to adapt to any change that arises.
• play group sports: there are personal leisure places where team sports can be practiced. In general terms, the most frequent activities are soccer, basketball, volleyball, handball, among others. Here there are differences in decision-making that must be agreed with the members of the same team.
• Table games: occupations like chess and checkers require efficient mental dexterity. In order to play properly, it is important to vary your strategies in the face of changes produced by your opponent.
• Meditation: the meditation Its objective is to downplay certain thoughts that negatively influence a person's life. In relation to this, allowing other reasoning to appear and incorporating them into the way of processing situations allows a greater range of cognitive flexibility to be obtained.

These alterations are not only observed in adults, but can arise during the childhood period. To solve this problem, you can perform some cognitive flexibility exercises for children:

• Changes in game rules: One of the most viable options is to introduce modifications to the game regulations. In this way, children can acquire a greater tolerance for changes and the frustration they may experience.
• Memory games: within a relaxed and comfortable space, it is possible to appeal to the memory of children so that they remember objects and/or people. Given this, the capacity for attention and concentration develops, which are essential for them to be able to modify their cognitive schemes.
• Art: In artistic activities that children feel comfortable with, they can be asked to draw, paint and/or act out different scenarios. This helps to acquire greater permeability in the face of sudden changes.

Despite the exercises and activities suggested for both children and adults, the persistence of this problem may be an indicator of some serious event. For this reason, it is important to see a health professional if the inability to develop cognitive flexibility leads to other difficulties.

This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is cognitive flexibility and how to work on it, we recommend that you enter our category of cognitive psychology.

• Restrepo Ruiz, S. (2016). Assessment and intervention of cognitive flexibility. Faculty of Psychology, Cooperative University of Colombia.