As opposed to a "normal" or ''rules''-oriented mind.

A concept-oriented mind would be scored as "all conceptual" and "all creative" in a 'learning styles' test such as (http://webster.commnet.edu/faculty/~simonds/styles/interp.htm). Though don't take that test seriously since the notion that one can "compensate" for being highly conceptual or creative is exceedingly offensive and absurd.

Moreover, such tests do a supreme disservice by making it seem as if each dimension is as unimportant as all the others. They also use the pejorative term "style" to dismiss the importance of this fundamental personality trait. Let's examine this assumption in more detail.

What we find is that these dimensions don't just determine ''how'' one learns but also ''what'' one learns. Or even, what one '''can learn'''. As just one example,

A strongly auditory person will make a miserable graphic artist. Conversely, a strongly visual person will make a miserable musician. And someone who's in the middle, with no strong talent for either, would make a miserable musician ''or'' graphic artist.

The same goes down the list.

So in fact, the only dimensions that matter are those where a person scores at an extreme. And having scored at an extreme, one should surrender any pretense to try to "compensate" for this fundamental trait of one's mind.

But what matters to us ''here'' on wiki, is the distinction between people with highly concept- versus rules-dominated minds. That's because it dictates whether someone is a good programmer or a good designer. None of the other dimensions seem to affect the art of programming per se.

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I'll try to aggregate everything I wrote about concept-oriented mentality versus rules-oriented mentality on this page.

Notes:

* http://www.bertiekingore.com/high-gt-create.htm has a good description of creative thinkers
* The description of creative thinkers fits me much, much better than gifted. I am quite surprised. Creativity may be a much bigger factor in a concept-oriented mind than I surmised.
* One error of the learning styles test above is the exclusion of any written art forms other than poetry in question 5.3.A. And yes, this actually matters.

CategoryPsychology