Concept Questions - History & Systems
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GestaltComplete-noimages.pptxGestalt Psychology
Intro to Gestalt
Gestalt is German for “shape” or “form”
Initially interested in perception
Learning, problem solving, cognition
Mach, the positivist philosopher
Described properties of spatial and auditory forms
“Form quality”: As perceptual wholes, forms have qualities that distinguish them from their elements (Psychological Permanence)
von Ehrenfels
Transposability of melodies
Max Wertheimer
The question of apparent movement on a train
Freidrich Schumann (spatial perception) could not answer
Demonstration: a vertical white stripe followed by a horizontal white stripe
Schumann (1907): at certain speeds, appears to move
Apparent movement: perception of movement with stationary objects
Further Studies of Apparent Movement
Phi Phenomenon: when lights are separated by 50 to 60 ms, they appear to move from one position to another
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zbzt7Cb2e4
This is a psychological experience that is not reducible to its elements
This is a direct challenge to both structuralism and functionalism
4 Principles of Gestalt Theory
Holistic Thinking: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts (supersummativity)
Phenomenological Basis: Phenomena are the subject matter of psychology
Methodology: Use lifelike (reality) experiments with small numbers of subjects
Isomorphism: Psychological processes are directly related to biological processes
Further Support
Edgar Rubin (1915): ambiguous figures
Evidence that perceptions are lively, active, and organized
Our perceptions appear as wholes, not pieces (as some other schools might suggest)
Gestalt Principles of Perception
Similarity: Equal and similar elements form groups or wholes
Gestalt Principles of Perception
Proximity: elements that are close together tend to be grouped
Gestalt Principles of Perception
Closure: our ability to “fill in” missing pieces
Good Gestalts: closure allows us to see a whole
Gestalt Principles of Perception
Continuity: connect elements in a way that makes them seem continuous or flowing in a particular direction
Wolfgang Köhler
Problem-solving in chimps
Argue against Thorndike’s trial and error
Learning experiments: organism perceives elements of a solution to arrive at the solution
Detour problem: direct access to a goal is blocked so Ss must make a detour
Problem solving with sticks: use stick as a tool to get food
Insight Learning
Insight learning: “appearance of a complete solution with reference to the whole lay-out of the field”
Solutions are based on a restructuring of the problem
Does not depend on rewards
Positive transfer from one problem to another
Animals learned to discriminate relationships between stimuli
Characteristics of Insight Studies
In animal enclosures/cages
Problem solving occurs when comfortable
Tested animals in the presence of others
Allowed for observational learning & imitation
Report results descriptively
