Gestalt Flashcards
What does the term “Gestalt” mean?
Configuration, form, or whole.
What is the primary focus of Gestalt psychology?
Experiencing things as whole, meaningful configurations rather than isolated parts.
What is the key principle of Gestalt psychology?
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Who were the founders of the Gestalt school?
Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and Wolfgang Köhler.
What is the Phi Phenomenon?
The illusion of continuous motion created by the rapid succession of distinct visual stimuli.
What does “Isomorphism” mean in Gestalt psychology?
A correspondence between the structure of perception and brain activity.
What is the Law of Prägnanz?
The tendency to perceive the simplest, most stable, and organized forms.
Define “Perceptual constancy.”
Perceiving objects as having consistent properties despite changes in sensory input.
What is the “Figure-Ground Relationship”?
Distinguishing an object (figure) from its background (ground).
What is the Principle of Continuity?
The tendency to perceive lines and patterns as continuous.
What is the Principle of Proximity?
Grouping objects based on their spatial closeness.
What is the Principle of Similarity?
Grouping stimuli that are similar in appearance.
What is the Principle of Closure?
Perceiving incomplete shapes as complete.
What is Insight Learning?
A sudden realization of a problem’s solution.
Describe Köhler’s chimpanzee experiment.
A chimp used insight to stack boxes and reach a banana, demonstrating problem-solving.
What is Transposition in learning?
Applying learned principles to new but related situations.
What is productive thinking?
Solving problems by understanding patterns and reorganizing information.
What is Lewin’s Field Theory?
Behavior is influenced by the interaction of an individual with their environment.
What is the “Life Space” in Lewin’s theory?
The psychological factors and forces affecting behavior.
What is the Zeigarnik Effect?
The tendency to remember uncompleted tasks better than completed ones.
Define Approach-Approach Conflict.
Choosing between two desirable options.
Define Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict.
Choosing between two unattractive options.
Define Approach-Avoidance Conflict.
Facing a single option with both attractive and unattractive qualities.
What is the impact of Gestalt psychology on modern psychology?
It influenced cognitive psychology and provided alternatives to behaviorism.
What is Top-Down Processing?
Using prior knowledge and context to interpret sensory information.
What is Bottom-Up Processing?
Perception starting with analyzing sensory input without prior knowledge.
What is the principle of Inclusiveness?
Perceiving a figure that contains all elements as a whole.
What is the criticism of Gestalt psychology?
Its concepts are often vague and difficult to measure experimentally.
What was Bluma Zeigarnik’s contribution to Gestalt psychology?
Researching how unfulfilled tasks create mental tension.
How does Gestalt psychology differ from behaviorism?
It emphasizes conscious experience and holistic perception over isolated behaviors.
