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Gestalt Psychology

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Submitted By Bdufour7
Words 464
Pages 2
Bertrand Dufour
PSY/ 310
07/20/2015
Professor Shannon Kelly

Gestalt Psychology Gestalt psychology is best describe as a school of thought which looks into the human mind and behavior as a whole. The main idea behind Gestalt psychology is that the human mind considers objects as a whole before, or in parallel with, a perception of their individual parts. Many Gestalt psychologists believed that all mental experience was not only dependent on just a specific combination of elements. They were also dependent patterns and organization of an individual experience of perceptions. Founded by three German psychologists in 1910 Wolfgang Kolhler, Kurt Koffka, and Max Wertheimer had many contributions to the discipline. It began with the brilliant work of Max Wertheimer in response to the Wilhelm Wundt structuralism Gestalt psychology became establish. This development of psychology help inspires many individuals such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Immanuel Kant, and Ernst Mach. Gestalt psychology had many contributions to the discipline, especially with Gestalt therapy. Gestalt therapy specifically focuses on helping an individual raise their senses, feelings, and needs. Helping individuals expand their boundaries as well all while contributing to a person overall self-respect and well-being. Emphasizing on making strong connections, respectful meetings and establish great contact. Lewin's theory states that an individual is part of the community and should not be isolated. According to Gestalt principles of form perception (2014) the law of proximity states that when a collection of objects is perceived that we will view objects that are close to each other as a group. Law of similarity states that elements will be grouped perceptually if similar to each other. Law of Symmetry establishes when we perceive objects we tend to perceive them as symmetrical shapes that form near the center. Law of Closure depicts elements are grouped together if they belong to a figure that is closed. Law of pragnanz is the human eye can differentiate an object from its surrounding area, making it naturally perceived as a figure, and the surrounding area is perceived as ground. Gestalt psychology has impacted the field of psychology in the form of memory, learning and perception. Principles of Gestalt psychology like isomorphism, productive thinking are just some of its major contributions. The progression of Gestalt has been remarkable. Gestalt therapy has aimed at helping people come to understand their internal self that in terms help them to understand specific behaviors.

References

Goodwin, C. J. (2012). A History of Modern Psychology (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Schultz, D. P., & Schultz, E. (2012). A History of Modern Psychology (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. Kowalski, R., & Westen, D. (2011). Psychology 6th ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Soegaard, M. (n.d.). Gestalt principles of form perception. Retrieved from https://www.interaction-design.org/encyclopedia/gestalt_principles_of_form_perception.html

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