Affective Thinking
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
Affective thinking refers to thought processes where emotional elements predominate, leading to intuitive rather than systematic reasoning and sometimes producing insightful conclusions despite apparent logical deficiencies.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
AFFECTIVE THINKING, processes of thinking with a clear predominance of emotional elements. This predominance objectively manifests not only in the presence of physical signs of affect but also in the distinctive features of the thinking process itself. Conclusions arise not on the basis of systematic reasoning, but directly ("intuitively"). From the subjective side, the scope of concepts appearing in the course of thinking is not perceived with sufficient precision. The reasoning of a person with affect as a form of thinking usually appears inadequate in a logical sense, but sometimes it strikes with unexpected conclusions that have the character of penetrating insight (see Intuition).
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“Affective Thinking.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/affective-thinking/