Thinking styles: deductive or inductive?
Source: Body Language Cards

Deductive reasoning is learning about data from theory and the model. Inductive reasoning is learning about the theory and the model from a study of the data.

People in cultures with a deductive thinking style are comfortable with abstractions. In an argument, discussion or written presentation, they prefer to go from the general to the specific and to deduce facts from general principles.

In cultures with an inductive thinking style, people go from the specific to the general. They arrive at a theory or model only after amassing facts through experimentation and observation.
The French (and Chinese), for example, tend to be highly deductive. North Americans, particularly US Americans, tend to be highly inductive.
Other Sources:
Research Methods Knowledge Base

Wiki article about reasoning
Stephen's Guide to the Logical Fallacies