Lateral Thinking

Origin. de Bono (1967).

Mechanism. Distinguishes vertical thinking — correct at every step, exploring one path deeply — from lateral thinking, which moves sideways to generate new entry points and may pass through incorrect intermediate positions. Justified by a self-organizing model of memory in which patterns are asymmetric: a route obvious in retrospect need not be findable in prospect.

Procedure. Four operations: recognize the dominant idea and name it; search for alternative framings deliberately; relax rigid controls; use chance and provocation as entry points.

Applies to. Problems where the correct answer, once seen, is obvious — the signature of pattern asymmetry.

Limitations. The self-organizing memory model is a plausible account and not an established one. The operations work; the explanation they are given is not itself verified.