What people mean when they think in concepts?

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When I asked someone this, they say they don’t think of words when they do something like turn the knob of a door to open it. But I think in words and images, and I also don’t think of words when I open a door, because to me it isn’t a thought at all. But is that along the lines of how someone that says they think in concepts thinks? You think about every action you’re doing, just not in words? If there are no words, is it all images, or what actually \*is\* a concept to you?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

So some people have an inner dialogue going, almost like an inner conversation. They may think things like “Ok, grocery list: eggs, milk, cheese etc” or “Oh that’s a nice shirt, I wonder if I should get that for….” so on and so forth. They have an internal conversation, that’s made up of words.

About half the population does not have this inner dialogue. They still have thoughts about what they need from the store, or about what gift to get Aunt Susan etc, but it may instead be via images, or feelings or songs etc…..[Some people have a very vivid “inner eye” which means they can literally picture an Apple in high def…others have “aphantasia”](https://medium.com/@trentg.betham/when-the-minds-eye-sees-nothing-b35950f84e1f)which means they see nothing….but they can still explain what an apple is, draw it etc if asked…they’re the ones “thinking in concepts”.

If you tell me to think of that Apple…I don’t hear a word, I don’t see a picture, but yeah I’m thinking of the apple. I just don’t really have a better way to explain it other than the “concept” of an apple.

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