...Gestalt Psychology Reflection PSY 310 January 11, 2016 Sam Ivory Dr. Fine Gestalt psychology Reflection The school of thought is what Gestalt psychology theory is about. Gestalt believes that all things and scenes are observed in the simplest forms. Also known as the 'Law of Simplicity,' the meaning behind the theory is that the whole of an object or scene is more important than its individual parts. When you observe everything as a whole it allows us to us find order in disorder and unity among outwardly unrelated parts and pieces of information (Cherry, 2015). Gestalt theories have implications for education focusing more meaningful learning and true understanding of principles, over the traditional structured approaches based on memory and recall (King, Wertheimer, Keller & Crochetiere, 1994). Gestalt psychology gave a unique way on human perception. According to Gestalt psychologists, you don't just see the world; what you see, depending on what you are expecting to see. The reason behind Gestalt psychology is that it encourages people to 'think outside of the box' and to look for patterns. Another contribution to Gestalt psychology is the development of our senses is capable of visual recognition of things as a whole and not just simple line and curves (Schamber, 1986). However the breakdown of the mental process wasn’t done until it was in their smallest forms. The psychologist believed that behavior must be studied in all of its complexities instead...
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...Gestalt psychology means unified whole. Gestalt psychology does not look at things as individual elements but as a whole. The three main founders who established the school of gestalt psychology were Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka as well as Wolfgang Kohler. The foundations of the Gestalt psychology are perception, memory and learning. Some of the principles of Gestalt psychology are isomorphism, productive thinking as well as reproductive thinking which will be elaborated in this essay. One of the main contributions of Gestalt psychology is Gestalt therapy which focuses on helping an individual understand their internal self and the difference of what they experience and interpretation of events. Gestalt is a psychology term which means "unified whole". It refers to theories of visual perception developed by German psychologists in the 1920s. Instead of approaching psychology as atoms or elements according to Wundt's theory, Gestalt psychology, discovered by Wertheimer, a German, on the other hand, focuses on human experiencing psychological events as a whole. This essay will be focusing on some of the founders of Gestalt psychology and how it has been interpreted and developed over the years from 1880 to 1967, followed by the principles of Gestalt psychology leading to modern day contribution of Gestalt psychology. Historical Developments There were 3 main founders and contributors of Gestalt psychology. They were Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffa and Wolfgang Kohler. Max Wertheimer...
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...unning head: GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY Gestalt Psychology Theory Abstract The formation of the gestalt movement. The founding fathers of gestalt theory, Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, Wolfgang Kohler and their focus in the movement. Gestalt therapy explained by the laws and the theory of personality. How the gestalt theory is in effect today. Gestalt Psychology Theory The three pioneers of the Gestalt Theory, Max Werthmeimer, Wolfgang Kohler and Kurt Koffka. All three focused on different aspects that have continued to develop across multiple disciplines throughout the 2oth Century. Gestalt theory focused on the mind’s perceptive processes (Kearsley, 1998). The word gestalt has no direct translation into English, but “describes a configuration or form that is unified. A gestalt may refer to a figure or object that is different from the sum of its parts. Any attempt to explain the figure by analyzing its parts results in the loss of the figure’s gestalt” (Brennan, 2003). In simpler terms” A way a thing has been ‘placed’, or ‘put together’”; common translation includes “form” and “shape” (Myers, 1998). Zakia, 1997, described gestalt by saying,”…what you experience when you look at a picture is quite different from what you would experience if you were to look at each item that is in the picture separately”. Wertheimer was born in Prague in 1880 (The Columbia Encyclopedia, 2001). He studied at the Universities of Prague, Berlin and Wurzburg, receiving...
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...estalt Therapy Gestalt therapy is a form of psychotherapy that relates to the process of human perception and works on a basic concept of the Gestalt approach «The whole is different from the sum of its parts.» This approach in Gestalt psychotherapy describes the process of perception in addition to the psychic equipment in general. The Gestalt approach originated from research that was initiated by psychologists specializing in human perception which demonstrated that humans do not recognize objects as separate elements and instead organize the objects into significant totalities via the process of perception. The concept of Gestalt psychotherapy was then formally developed by Fritz Perlsduring the 1950s, a well known psychiatrist and psychotherapist that initiated an entirely new approach to psychotherapy. The name «Gestalt» means «form» and is derived from Hans-Jurgen Walter's «Gestalt Theory Psychotherapy» which is based on Gestalt psychology. Gestalt psychology relates to the interconnection of the individual and the increase in awareness where the individual's senses and behaviors merge together. Gestalt therapywas created to help individuals with problem solving. Fritz Perls noticed that the concept of individualism was a positive one but there was also a reverse side to this theory. The people who were looking for the answer to their hopes and dreams looked to Gestalt therapy as the answer which eventually became a weak point in the methodology. He added that for a...
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...Unit 9 Assignment PS210: History of Psychology Kaplan University August 18, 2014 Psychology today reflects the history and origins of psychology. In order to have a full understanding of psychology, you need to spend some time exploring its history and origins. Structuralism, in psychology is defined as the study of the elements of consciousness. It focuses on recurring patterns of thought and behaviors and it also involves more psychological aspect of human studies rather than social structures. Structuralist use numerous techniques to examine one's own conscious feelings and thoughts. Functionalism is the study of the mind and how the mind functions to the whole body to adapt into a community or a society. It is also a perspective or theory that tries to explain and justify why society is the way it is. According to different psychologist it can explain social structures and social behavior of a society and their functions. In the functionalist perspective, society is thought to function like organisms, with many social institutions working together to maintain and reproduce societies. Functionalists studied the mind not from the standpoint of its composition, its mental elements or its structure but as a conglomerate or accumulation of functions and processes (Schultz, 2012). William James was the major contributor to functionalism. James broadened the field of structuralism to more of an developmental, education, and gender based...
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...Foundation of Psychology Psychology is the study of human behavior and mind. According to Psychology: The Study of Mental Processes and Behavior defined psychology as the scientific investigation of mental processes (thinking, remembering, feeling, etc.) and behavior. Psychology alone has more than one basic foundation. Psychology can be as broad as biology and as detailed as philosophy, because it includes humans who are very complex in nature. Psychology involves more than how people act; it includes their thought process, emotions, memories, and analysis of events. When psychology was first introduced people weren’t sure if it was a science separated from biology and philosophy. The major school of thought in psychology exemplifies the major theories within psychology. Over the years there are many schools of thoughts in psychology that has developed, that are in addition to the main eight which are structuralism, functionalism, rationalism, behaviorism, psychoanalysis, humanistic psychology, Gestalt psychology, and Cognitive Psychology. . The first school of thought, structuralism was endorsed by Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Bradford Titchner between 1890-1920 in Germany and the US. This school of thought analyzes the mental processes and broke in down into the most basic component. Techniques such as introspection was use to examine how the human mind processed information. Due to the concept of structuralism, John Dewey was credited as the founder of functionalism...
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...The Science of Psychology Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Learning Objective Menu • • • • • • • • • • • • • • LO 1.1 LO 1.2 LO 1.3 LO 1.4 LO 1.5 LO 1.6 LO 1.7 LO 1.8 LO 1.9 LO 1.10 LO 1.11 LO 1.12 LO 1.13 LO 1.14 Definition and goals of psychology Structuralism and functionalism Early Gestalt, psychoanalysis, and behaviorism Modern perspectives Skinner, Maslow and Rogers Psychiatrist, psychologist, and other professionals Psychology is a science; steps in scientific method Naturalistic and laboratory settings Case studies and surveys Correlational technique Experimental approach and terms Placebo and the experimenter effects Conducting a real experiment Ethical concerns in conducting research Principles of critical thinking LO 1.1 Definition and goals of psychology What is Psychology? • Psychology - scientific study of behavior and mental processes. • Behavior - outward or overt actions and reactions. • Mental processes - internal, covert activity of our minds. • Psychology is a science • Prevent possible biases from leading to faulty observations • Precise and careful measurement Menu LO 1.1 Definition and goals of psychology Psychology’s Four Goals 1. Description • • • What is happening? Why is it happening? Theory - general explanation of a set of observations or facts Will it happen again? How can it be changed? 2. Explanation 3. Prediction • • 4. Control Menu LO 1.2 Structuralism and functionalism Structuralism • Structuralism - focused...
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...Background of psychology Psychology has brief history as a scientific discipline though it has been studied since ancient time under the faculty of philosophy. The word psychology was derived from Greek word 'psyche' and 'logos' literal meaning of which was 'soul' and 'study' respectively. The definition of psychology had ever been in the process of change since then. The development of psychology can broadly be traced into four periods: Ancient Greek period, per-modern period, modern period and current status 1. Greek period: Greek philosophers had contributed much for the development of psychology. Some of the key contributors were Socrates was interested in studying the reincarnation of soul. Soul or mind was considered as the representation of individuals. Plato, a bright student of Socrates expanded Socrates concepts in philosophy about life and soul. It was Aristotle who wrote first book in psychology called Para Psyche; about the mind or soul. In the book, he introduced the basic ideas in psychology today, like law of association. However, the notion of psychology was primarily related to study of soul or mind at that stage. Later on it was found that physical existence of soul was doubtful. Also, there was controversy in defining soul and mind among the philosopher. The contributors of the period never focused on the behavior of individual. That is why the attention was diverted from the study of soul or mind 2. Pre-modern period it was during 1800's that psychology was established...
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...Student Learning Guide Counselling Methods 1 © South African College of Applied Psychology (Pty) Ltd Developed and produced by the South African College of Applied Psychology Sunclare building, Claremont, Cape Town, 7708, South Africa. 2012. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by means of electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. Copyrighted materials reproduced herein are used under the provision of the South African Copyright Act 98 of 1978 section 12 (1) (a)(b) (3), for private study only by students. STUDENT LEARNING GUIDE: COUNSELLING METHODS 1 2 Table of contents How this guide works ........................................................................................................................ 10 Module Readings .............................................................................................................................. 11 Prescribed text book ......................................................................................................................... 11 Prescribed and recommended readings ........................................................................................... 11 Session One: An Overview of Theories of Psychotherapy and Counselling ..................................... 14 Reading for the session .....................................................................
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...CHAPTER 1: The Science of Psychology 1. Who founded the first Psychology laboratory and when was it (HINT: it was in Germany)? What else was he known for? a. First Lab 1879- Leipzig, Germany. Wilhelm Wundt, founder of psychology as discipline. Conscious experience and building blocks, trained many early psychologists 2. Identify the following, and the one or two main names (if applicable): Structuralists, Functionalists, Gestalt Psychology, Behaviorism Psychoanalysis, Humanistic Psychology, Cognitive Psychology b. Structuralists: Titchener- Wundt’s student. Wanted to examine the structure of mind and organization of basic elements of sensations, feelings, and images. “Structure of the mind” Example: I see a square as composed of four separate lines. Introspection: observing ones own conscious reactions. c. Functionalism- William James- first American psychologist. “Mental associations allow us to benefit from previous experience.” Deals with function, what does consciousness does to us, what is the purpose etc. d. Gestalt psychology- Max Wertheimer. Objects are well-organized structures, whole objects instead of parts. Ex. A square is a Square e. Behaviorism psychoanalysis – Sigmund Freud. Founded psychoanalysis in early 1900s, focused on unconscious thoughts in determining behavior. Psychoanalysis- feelings come from a hidden place in your mind called unconscious. f. Behaviorism- John Watson, B.F. Skinner. We can predict behaviors...
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...Learning Theories LE ARNI NG OUTCOMES After studying this chapter, you should be able to: 1. Explain what is cognitive revolution and the cognitive perspective on learning and how it differs from other theoretical perspective; Discuss the origins of the contemporary cognitive perspective including the Gestalt psychology and the role of perception; Describe the Information processing model to learning and distinguish the features of ‘Multistore model’; Explain what is schema theory; Link schema theory to cognitive structuralism and examine the role of insightful learning and meaningful learning; and Discuss application of cognitive theories in the classroom. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 104 CHAPTER 5 l LEARNING THEORIES - COGNITIVE LEARNING THEORIES INTRODUCTION Sometimes you wonder why the teacher use colourful chalk with some of the words written on the board. Sometimes the teacher write in capital letter with important words. These are useful as guides for the students to differentiate the important and unimportant facts. In other words, accurate perception is important in good learning. It is part of the Gestalt principles. Clearly, these principles are useful as guide for teachers as they organize their materials and learning activities. So in this chapter, we will discuss the origin and features of cognitive theory and relate them to cognitive constructivism and meaningful learning. Figure 5.1 give you some ideas related to cognitive learning theory...
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...From its early beginnings, psychology has remained a rapidly changing science. Starting in the late 1800’s through the 1930’s, psychologists disagreed about many aspects of the field of psychology, including fields of study and research methods. Out of this conflict, four major schools of thought developed – Structuralism, Behaviorism, Gestalt psychology, and Psychoanalysis. Structural psychologists believed the purpose of psychology is to describe, analyze, and explain conscious sensations and feelings. Behaviorists believed conditioning could change human behavior. Gestalt psychologists theorized humans and some animals perceive the world around them in an organized pattern. Psychoanalysts believed that powerful inner forces from the unconscious mind develop and influence human behavior. This paper will discuss the personality theories proposed by Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. This discussion will include a description of each theory. In addition, this paper will analyze the strengths and limitations of these theories. Finally this paper will compare and contrast each theory based on basic and underlying assumptions, deterministic versus free will, and awareness of self. Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud, a psychologist from Vienna, was the first person to propose the Psychoanalytical Theory of Personality. Though his work, he suggested the personality is comprised of three separate elements, the id, the ego, and the super ego (Burger 2008). The id, present at birth...
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...Exam One Study Guide I. Types of Psychologists a. Clinical Psychologists: i. help people with psychological disorders adjust to the demands of life ii. Evaluate problems such as anxiety and depression through interviews and psychological tests iii. Help clients resolve problems and change self-defeating behavior b. Counseling Psychologists: iv. Use interviews and tests to define their clients’ problems v. Clients typically have adjustment problems but not serious psychological disorders c. School Psychologists: vi. Employed by school systems to identify and assists students who have problems that interfere with learning vii. Help schools make decisions about the placement of students in special classes d. Educational Psychologists: viii. Attempt to facilitate with learning, but focus more on course planning and instructional methods for a school system rather than on individual children ix. Research issues such as how learning is affected by psychological factors such as motivation and intelligence, sociocultural factors such as poverty and acculturation, and teachers e. Developmental Psychologists: x. Study the changes-physical, cognitive, social, and emotional- that occur throughout the lifespan xi. Attempt to sort out the influences of heredity and the environment on development f. Personality Psychologists: ...
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...paper is to identify the approaches to the study of problem-solving and inform the role of insight and creativity in the process of problem solving. The paper also seeks to examine issues with representation and solution. As well as examining the role of reasoning, judgment, and decision making in the process of problem-solving. Approaches to the Study of Problem-Solving The approaches to the study of problem solving include Behaviorism, Gestalt psychology and Cognitive Psychology. Behaviorism concentrates on what goes on in minds and solemnly focuses on general behavior. Discovered in the early twenties by John Watson but made popular by B.F Skinner, behaviorism concentrates on what goes on in minds and solemnly focuses on general behavior. They came up with a principle of conditioning as to why humans and animals learn some behavior and not others. In simple terms, behaviorism is problem solving through learning. E. L. Thorndike conducted systematic studies in the late 1800s on behaviorism. His main agenda bases on the basic processes involved in learning. He enclosed cats in “puzzle boxes” limiting their freedom and carefully observed...
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...Liberty University Abstract This counseling theory paper combines different aspects of various counseling theories and puts them into one unified theory. This new theory takes in account my personal beliefs and worldview. This theory is not permanent, but is put together to allow direction for future counseling sessions. Although each client has a unique situation, this theory can be a basis on how a counselor would start the interaction between herself and the client. This paper outlines philosophical assumptions, which includes how man is inherently evil, but there is still hope for growth. The next section will then discuss the model of personality, which talks about how man develops. This section combines counseling theories such as Gestalt and behavior therapy. The next two sections discuss psychological health and abnormality. This section looks at how a client will be able to set himself free from symptoms that are harming the client. The next section will conclude by talking about psychotherapy and how a counselor should look at the role of the counselor and client while using certain techniques. This paper will conclude with a discussion of the assignment. Overall, this theory could be used in a Christian or secular setting and is based off of personal beliefs. Counseling Theory Paper Each counseling theory includes various strengths that can be used in a counseling session. Since a counselor should make known that each client’s life situation is unique, a counselor...
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