INTUITIVE KNOWLEDGE: CHARACTERISTICS, WHAT IT IS FOR, EXAMPLES - PSYCHOLOGY - 2025

The intuitive knowledge is anyone who appears automatically, without analysis, reflection or direct experience. Because it cannot be obtained in any of these ways, it is considered to come from an independent source, which is generally associated with the subconscious mind.

Different authors use the word "intuition" to refer to different phenomena. Thus, for example, we can associate this term with unconscious knowledge or reasoning; but also with pattern recognition, or the ability to understand something instinctively without the need for logical reasoning.

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The word "intuition" comes from the Latin term intueri, which can mean "consider" or "contemplate." This phenomenon has been studied since the time of Ancient Greece: some philosophers such as Plato or Aristotle already spoke of intuitive knowledge and considered it essential for our daily experience.

In more recent times, the study of intuitive knowledge has fallen into disciplines such as psychology. Especially since the appearance of the cognitive branch of this science, numerous investigations have been carried out to try to understand the operation of this phenomenon.

Intuitive knowledge characteristics

Next we will see some of the most important characteristics of intuitive knowledge, which separate this phenomenon from other forms of knowledge.

Is unconscious

The most important characteristic of intuitive knowledge is that it is a phenomenon that is not related to our rational mind. Rather, its products are created by our unconscious mind. We are able to voluntarily access the results of this process, but we do not understand how they have been formed.

Today, we still don't know exactly how intuitive knowledge is generated. Some researchers believe that it would appear innately in our species, similar to what happens with instincts in other animals. An example of this would be the ability to recognize faces that newborn babies possess.

However, other experts think that intuitive knowledge arises through experience. When a lot of data is collected about similar situations, our brain is able to find patterns automatically, giving rise to this phenomenon. This happens, for example, to those people who are experts on a specific topic.

Intuitive knowledge can probably fall into both categories. Thus, some examples of this phenomenon will be innate, while others would have appeared with experience.

Is immediate

Another of the most important characteristics of intuitive knowledge is that unlike other forms of wisdom, it does not require a process to appear. Rather, it arises suddenly, in a way that is not within our control.

In this sense, intuitive knowledge would be related to the insight process. In both cases, we are only aware of the result of the information processing, but we are not able to access the process by which it was created or to study it in a rational way.

It is generally believed that this type of knowledge can arise either from the relationship of several concepts, or from the recognition of a pattern. In any case, for the person who experiences its appearance, there is no kind of conscious effort: the new information arises automatically.

It is related to emotions

The vast majority of the time, the products of intuitive knowledge cause a specific emotional state in the person who experiences it.

Thus, for example, an individual may feel uncomfortable in front of someone who has just met, and would not know why; or a person could be put on alert in a dangerous situation automatically.

The relationship of intuitive knowledge with emotions is not clear. However, it is believed that the process by which it is formed would involve certain evolutionarily older brain structures, such as the limbic system, which also has to do with feelings and their regulation.

It is non-verbal

Related to the previous point is the fact that intuitive knowledge never expresses its results in words. On the contrary, when we experience this phenomenon, what we have are sensations and emotions that lead us to act in a certain way.

Thus, for example, a professional wrestler knows when his opponent is about to deliver a blow, but could not explain in words the process that led him to develop that conclusion. The same happens when we are able to recognize a facial expression, or to detect if they are lying to us or not.

It is extremely complex

At first glance, intuitive knowledge may seem very simple. This is because we do not have to make a conscious effort to, for example, know if someone is angry or happy or intuit where a ball is going to land when it is thrown at us. However, recent studies show that these processes are actually very complicated.

Thus, in fields such as robotics and artificial intelligence, attempts to reproduce the phenomenon of intuitive knowledge in machines have demonstrated the enormous complexity of this phenomenon.

Everything seems to point to the fact that, in order to have an intuition, our brain has to handle a gigantic amount of data and previous experiences.

Develops with experience

As we have already seen, part of the intuitive knowledge has to do with the accumulation of data in similar situations. When we have a lot of experience in a particular aspect of our life, intuitive knowledge is more likely to emerge.

In fact, many researchers consider that this type of knowledge is what differentiates experts in a discipline from those who have not yet attained mastery. The experts, by facing the same problems over and over again, would have accumulated a great deal of experience in their field.

Because of this, experts would develop intuitive knowledge more often than people who have not spent as much time on a discipline. This implies, among other things, that it is possible to train this type of knowledge indirectly, facing similar situations continuously.

It is totally practical

Due to its emotional and non-verbal nature, intuitive knowledge has nothing to do with theory or reason. On the contrary, its products are aimed at helping us make decisions, change our behavior, avoid dangers and ultimately improve our situation.

When intuitive knowledge arises in our mind, we generally feel the urge to move or make a change in the way we act, not to analyze it. In addition to this, it is impossible to rationally study the contents of intuition, so trying to do so would be wasting resources and time.

What is it for?

Intuitive knowledge, like all phenomena associated with the most primitive parts of our brain, is associated with a better capacity for survival and replication in our species. Thus, most of the situations in which it appears have to do either with our physical well-being, or with our relationships with others.

On the other hand, the intuitive knowledge associated with experience is slightly different. Rather than being directly related to survival or reproduction, its role is to save cognitive resources when we are constantly faced with similar situations.

As we have already seen, on a practical level both types of intuitive knowing are intended to change our behavior rather than make us reflect. Generally, there are three types of intuitions based on the situations with which they are related.

Intuitive emotional thinking

This type of intuitive knowledge has to do with the ability to detect emotional states in other people, as well as certain traits of their personality or way of being.

Rational intuitive thinking

It is the version of intuitive knowledge that helps us solve an immediate problem or face a specific situation. It is closely related to expert knowledge, and can be seen, for example, in athletes, or in those who constantly experience risky situations.

Intuitive psychic thinking

This type of intuition has to do with the ability to choose a path to overcome a long-term difficulty, such as to make a decision that will affect the future work or love.

Other types of intuitions

In some cultures and currents, both philosophical and psychological, there is sometimes talk of other types of intuitions that would not fall within any of the categories that we have just seen. Thus, we could find, for example, the insights, or the states of enlightenment of the Buddhist and Hindu religions.

Examples

To a greater or lesser extent, we all have intuitions constantly. Some of the most recognizable examples of this phenomenon are the following:

- The ability to detect the emotional state of a person with whom we usually interact, just listening to their tone of voice or seeing their facial expression.

- The ability to know where a ball is going to land when it is thrown at us and to be able to catch it on the fly.

- The ability of a firefighter who has been working in his field for many years to detect if a structure is about to collapse due to flames.

- Our innate ability to detect if someone is lying to us or if they are being honest.

Themes of interest

Types of knowledge.

Subjective knowledge.

Objective knowledge.

Vulgar knowledge.

Rational knowledge.

Technical knowledge.

Direct knowledge.

Intellectual knowledge.

Empirical knowledge.

References

1. "Intuition" in: Britannica. Retrieved on: February 24, 2019 from Britannica: britannica.com.
2. "What is intuitive knowledge?" in: Self-help Resources. Retrieved on: February 24, 2019 from Self-help Resources: Recursosdeautoayuda.com.
3. "Intuitive knowledge" in: Types Of. Retrieved on: February 24, 2019 from Types Of: typesde.com.
4. "The 4 types of intuitive thinking" in: The Mind is Wonderful. Retrieved on: February 24, 2019 from La Mente es Maravillosa: lamenteesmaravillosa.com.
5. "Intuition" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: February 24, 2019 from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org.