Gestalt psychology

Gestalt Psychology (pronounced: gə-ˈshtält, -ˈshtôlt) is a school of psychology that emerged in the early 20th century in Austria and Germany. The term "Gestalt" is a German word that means "shape" or "form".

Etymology

The term "Gestalt" comes from the German word "Gestalt" which means "shape" or "form". It was first used in this context by the psychologists Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Köhler, and Kurt Koffka who were trying to counter the then-dominant structuralism in psychology.

Definition

Gestalt Psychology is a psychological perspective that emphasizes that the mind tends to perceive unified wholes and patterns rather than the bits and pieces that make up those wholes. This approach to psychology emerged as a response to structuralism and behaviorism, which were the dominant models of psychology in the early 20th century.

Principles

The main principles of Gestalt Psychology are the laws of Perceptual Organization. These include the Law of Similarity, the Law of Proximity, the Law of Continuity, the Law of Closure, and the Law of Prägnanz.

Related Terms

• Perceptual Organization
• Similarity
• Proximity
• Continuity
• Closure
• Prägnanz

See Also

• Max Wertheimer
• Wolfgang Köhler
• Kurt Koffka
• Structuralism
• Behaviorism

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Gestalt psychology
• Wikipedia's article - Gestalt psychology

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