integrative thinking

Definition

A decision-making process in which an individual balances tensions between opposing variables. In general, integrative thinking follows a four-step process. The first step (salience) seeks to define the relevant aspects of a problem. The second step (causality) seeks to determine the relationships between related and seemingly unrelated parts of the problem. The third step (architecture) involves the creation of a model that outlines the relationships defined in the previous two steps. The fourth step (resolution) outlines the decision and how it was reached. The process is similar to a feedback loop in which each step links forward to the next step as well as backwards to the previous step.