Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4) Practice Exam 2025 - Free CAT4 Practice Questions and Study Guide

Divergent thinking is characterized by the ability to generate a variety of solutions to a problem or different ideas in response to a prompt. This type of thinking encourages creativity and explores many possibilities rather than restricting thought to a limited set of solutions. By emphasizing the production of numerous ideas, divergent thinking plays a crucial role in brainstorming and innovation. It contrasts with convergent thinking, which focuses on finding a single, correct answer to a problem or a specific outcome based on given criteria.

The other options relate more to convergent thinking or processes that limit options, which do not reflect the essence of divergent thinking. For instance, following a specific set of instructions and evaluating to select the best solution both imply narrowing down choices rather than allowing for a broad exploration of possibilities. Reducing information to a single conclusion clearly indicates a limitation of thought rather than the expansion of it.