Psy 421: Systems and Theories of Psychology

Chapter 14: Gestalt Psychology

  1. Elements depend upon larger structures or wholes
  2. Denied Wundt’s and Titchener’s analytic introspection in favor of phenomenal experience and Behaviorism's assocationism and elementism
  3. Influences include: Mach--sensations of space-form and time-form

  4. Von Ehrenfels (1859-1932) and Gestaltqualitaten (form qualities) such as
    geometric forms and musical melodies
Max Wertheimer (1880-1943) Studied with Stumpf and Kulpe
Beginnings--apparent motion or "phi phenomenon"
phenomenal experience not reducible to elemental components
His posthumously published Productive Thinking (1945) is still in press.
Thinking is best done when the parts and wholes are seen in a coherent structure
He identified most teaching of thinking as "stupid"
Psychological phenomena are based on structure more than reason or experience. In order to fully understand one must see the relationships
Kurt Koffka (1886-1941) Student of Stumpf
First introduced Gestalt psychology to America
Wrote a Principles of Gestalt Psychology in 1935, a systematic thesis on Gestalt theory, applying it to child development, social psychology, thinking, learning and perception.
Wolfgang Kohler (1887-1967) Student of Stumpf
The most popular of the principle Gestalt psychologists, probably because of longevity
His research on animal learning and animal cognition The mentality of apes became a classic. His brightest chimp, Sultan, became very well-known
Gestalt Perceptual Principles Figure-ground and reversible figures
apparent motion
common fate
proximity
similarity
good continuation
Closure
illusions
All explained by the Law of Pragnanz: "good Gestalt in which components fit together
Kurt Lewin (1890-1947) Student of Stumpf
Action research during WW II
psychological and environmental fields and life space
Research on small groups and leadership and the study of group dynamics
study of conflict
Zeigarnik effect
Von Restorff effect
some research on animal behavior