| Gestalt Psychology
Gestalt psychology (also: Gestalt theory of the Berlin School)
is a psychological theory which provides a framework for a wide
variety of psychological phenomena, processes, and applications.
Human beings are viewed as open systems in active interaction with
their environment. It is especially suited for the understanding
of order and structure in psychological events. According to Gestalt
psychology, people naturally organize their perceptions according
to certain patterns. It is also related to cognitive distortions
in psychiatry.
Origins
Although Max Wertheimer is to be credited as the founder of the
movement, the concept of Gestalt was first introduced in contemporary
philosophy and psychology by Christian von Ehrenfels (a member of
the School of Brentano). The idea of Gestalt has its roots in theories
by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Immanuel Kant, and Ernst Mach.
Both von Ehrenfels and Edmund Husserl seem to have been inspired
by Mach's work Beiträge zur Analyse der Empfindungen (Contributions
to the Analysis of the Sensations, 1886), in formulating their very
similar concepts of Gestalt and Figural Moment, respectively.
Early 20th century theorists, such as Kurt Koffka, Max Wertheimer,
and Wolfgang Köhler (students of Carl Stumpf) saw objects as
perceived within an environment according to all of their elements
taken together as a global construct. This 'gestalt', or 'whole
form' approach sought to isolate principles of perception; seemingly
innate mental 'laws', which determined the way in which objects
were perceived.
These laws took several forms, such as the grouping of similar,
or proximate objects together, within this global process. Although
it has been criticised for being merely descriptive, it has formed
the basis of much further research into the perception of patterns
and objects (ref: Carlson, Buskist & Martin, 2000) and of research
into behavior, thinking, problem solving and psychopathology.
Theoric conception and methodolog
The investigations developed at the beginning of the 20th century,
based on traditional scientific methodology, divided the object
of study into a set of elements that could be analyzed separately
with the objective of reducing the complexity of this object. Contrary
to this methodology, the school of Gestalt practiced a series of
theoretical and methodological principles that attempted to redefine
the approach to psychological research.
The theoretical principles are the following
- Principle of Totality - The concious experience must be considered
globally (ie, the entire physical and mental aspects of the individual)
because the nature of the mind demands that each component be
considered as part of a system of dynamic relationships.
- Principle of psychophysical isomorphism - A correlation exists
between conscious experience and cerebral activity.
Based on the principles above the following methodological
principles are defined
- Phenomenon Experimental Analysis - In relation to the Totality
Principle any psychological research should take as a starting
point phenomenons and not be solely isolated to sensory qualities.
- Biotic Experiment - The School of Gestalt established a need
to conduct real experiments which sharply constrated and opposed
classic laboratory experiments. This signified experimenting in
natural situations, developed in real conditions, in which it
would be possible to reproduce, with higher fidelity, what would
be habitual on a subject.
Pragnanz
The most basic rule of gestalt is the law of pragnanz. This law
says that we try to experience things in as good a gestalt way as
possible. In this sense, "good" can mean several things,
such as regular, orderly, simplistic, symmetrical, etc. The other
gestalt laws are:
- Law of Closure - if something is missing, our mind adds it
- Law of Similarity - our mind groups similar things together
- Law of Proximity - things that are close together are seen as
belonging together
- Law of Symmetry - symmetrical images are seen as belonging together
regardless of distance
- Law of Continuity- our mind continues a pattern even after it
stops
Figure-ground minds have an innate tendency to perceive one aspect
of an event as the figure or foreground and the other as the ground
or the background.
Under the gestalt theory, these laws not only apply to images,
but to thought processes, memories, and our understanding of time.
Examples of the Gestalt experience include the perception of an
incomplete circle as a whole or a pattern of dots as a shape - the
mind completes the missing pieces through extrapolation. Studies
also indicate that simple elements/compositions where the meaning
is directly perceived do not offer as much a challenge to the mind
as complex ones and hence the latter are preferred over the former.
Relationship to gestalt therapy
Gestalt psychology should not be confused with the Gestalt therapy
of Fritz Perls, which is only peripherally linked to Gestalt psychology.
A strictly Gestalt psychology based therapeutic method is Gestalt
Theoretical Psychotherapy, developed by the German Gestalt psychologist
and psychotherapist Hans-Juergen Walter.
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