THE NATURE OF INTUITION AND ANALYSIS
Intuition leads to a sense of knowing without knowing why. For example, someone may have a sense of knowing the best way forward in a difficult situation or they may know that they are uneasy about somebody or something without being able to explain how they came to this view. While the outcome is accessible to conscious thought, the way this outcome was achieved is not.
With Analysis, on the other hand, both the outcome and the thought processes that led to the outcome are accessible to conscious thought. Analysts not only have a sense of knowing but are able to explain why they know. This is because Analysis involves a conscious search for knowledge.
Various writers have pointed to some important differences between Intuition and Analysis.
INTUITION
ANALYSIS
Non-Conscious
Learners and problem solvers are unaware that they are acquiring and using knowledge
Conscious
Learners and problem solvers are aware that they are acquiring and using knowledge
Automatic
Learning and problem solving involve a non-conscious process that happens automatically and without any deliberate effort or attention
Intentional/deliberate
Learning and problem solving involve a deliberate and conscious effort to achieve understanding
Non-selective
Intuition draws on all available data and does not involve any conscious attempt to filter out elements that appear to be irrelevant
Selective
Analysis involves attending to and thoroughly assessing only those elements of a situation that are perceived to be relevant
Holistic (big picture)
Intuition involves attending to the big picture
Segmented
Analysis involves breaking problems down into their constituent parts and studying each part in detail
Simultaneous
Intuition is a process that involves considering all of the elements of a situation simultaneously
Linear
Analysis is a linear process in the sense that separate parts of a situation are considered in turn
Unconstrained
Intuition includes the automatic processing of non-obvious associations between the elements of a situation and elements stored in long-term memory. These associations can be so weak that they are below the threshold for conscious attention and therefore inaccessible to conscious control and logical manipulation
Constrained
Analysis is restricted to the processing of relatively obvious associations between elements. Because learners are aware of these associations, the processing of information is open to conscious manipulation
Synthetic
Intuition involves synthesizing data and recognizing patterns and connections that build to provide a non-conscious understanding of the rules and principles that govern a situation
Logical search for connections
Analysis involves a search for connections that entails a conscious step-by-step application of rules or other systematic procedures and/or the consideration and testing of theories