{"id":18546,"date":"2022-09-23T08:30:46","date_gmt":"2022-09-23T00:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/?p=18546"},"modified":"2025-07-24T14:26:51","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T13:26:51","slug":"fluid-reasoning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mindvalley.com\/blog\/fluid-reasoning\/","title":{"rendered":"Fluid reasoning: How to tap into its power to enhance learning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you like challenges, are a creative problem solver, or are considered \u201cstreet smart,\u201d it may just mean that you have a high level of fluid reasoning<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it\u2019s not a term commonly thrown around in everyday vernacular, what is it exactly? And why is it something that should be on your radar?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the saying goes, \u201cKnowledge is power.<\/em>\u201d But it\u2019s only power if you use it and know how to improve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s where you can begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is fluid reasoning?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fluid reasoning is the ability to apply logic and reasoning to a new situation, right off the bat. It\u2019s independent of any past knowledge and includes nonverbal, sequential, quantitative, and categorical reasoning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine you have a new project that requires skills and knowledge you haven\u2019t had a chance to work on yet. What would be your strategy in this situation? How would you deal with it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fluid reasoning is exactly what comes into play when you can\u2019t rely on your previous experience or knowledge. It\u2019s what makes you good at recognizing patterns and relationships between seemingly unrelated things to come up with fresh solutions to a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is fluid intelligence in psychology?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fluid reasoning is the main component of fluid intelligence. While they\u2019re often used interchangeably, it really comes down to the meaning of intelligence versus reasoning. So here\u2019s an analogy to paint a picture:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.<\/em>
Reasoning is to know not to put it in a fruit salad.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s one of two types of intelligence as identified by Raymond Cattell back in 1963. The other type is crystallized intelligence (more commonly known as \u201cbook smarts\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s defined by the American Psychological Association as \u201cthe set of mental processes that is used in dealing with relatively novel tasks<\/em>.\u201d It adds that this type of ability is used in the acquisition of its counterpart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the main differences between fluid and crystallized intelligence?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The term \u201cfluid\u201d refers to the ability to flow easily, based on Google Dictionary\u2019s definition. And \u201ccrystallized\u201d is to make clear or solidify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The differences, however, extend beyond its moniker. Here’s what you should know about fluid vs. crystallized intelligence:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fluid intelligence<\/strong><\/td>Crystallized intelligence<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Uses your innate ability.<\/td>Uses skills you learned and experienced in life.<\/td><\/tr>
Involves comprehension, reasoning, and problem-solving.<\/td>Involves recalling stored knowledge and past experiences.<\/td><\/tr>
Can think speedily and reason flexibly.<\/td>Recalls pre-existing information.<\/td><\/tr>
Examples include solving puzzles, constructing strategies to deal with new problems, and seeing patterns in statistical data.<\/td>Examples include remembering geographical locations, building one\u2019s vocabulary, and recalling historical events and dates.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to note that while both have distinct traits, many of life\u2019s tasks involve using both. For example, if you\u2019ve come across a math problem, you use fluid intelligence to come up with a strategy to solve it and crystallized intelligence to recall the exact formula you need to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fluid Reasoning Index: What is it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fluid reasoning is a crucial factor in a child\u2019s cognitive development. So the Fluid Reasoning Index (FRI) aims to assess and measure children\u2019s general thinking and reasoning skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s one of five components of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children\u00ae-Fifth Edition (WISC-V), which is one of the most frequently used assessments for children in schools worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what does fluid reasoning measure? The FRI looks at the child\u2019s ability to detect the underlying connections between visual objects. It identifies whether or not the child can use reasoning to identify and follow those rules across novel settings and situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more: Average IQ score by age\u2014how do you stack up?<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fluid reasoning examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In what scenarios can fluid reasoning be applied? Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n