Gestalt psyc Flashcards
o Overview of Gestalt psychologists’ contributions to problem solving.
They were initially interested in perception and then moved on learning,
problem solving and attitudes/beliefs
Insight Learning: Gestalt psychologists argued that problem solving often involves a sudden, spontaneous realization of a solution—this is known as insight or the “Aha!” moment. Unlike trial-and-error methods, insight involves a cognitive reorganization or restructuring of the problem’s elements to see a new relationship.
Restructuring: Problem solving occurs when individuals reorganize the elements of a problem into a new configuration that allows for a solution. Gestalt psychologists emphasized that how a person perceives a problem (its structure) determines whether they can solve it effectively.
Principles of Perceptual
Organization: These principles, like proximity, similarity, and closure, help explain how individuals group elements and make sense of visual and conceptual stimuli in problem solving.
o Connection to visual imagery.
Focused on “representing a problem in the mind” (Visual imagery)
Problems are presented differently in different peoples’ minds
Ie. People focus and approach problems in different ways
Solving a puzzle/problem involves changing the way it is represented in
the brain.
Therefore, Success depends on how it is represented in the person’s mind
o Basic components of imagery (two components highlighted).
Spatial Relations: This refers to the ability to mentally manipulate and imagine spatial relationships between objects. In problem solving, being able to visualize how different parts of a problem relate spatially can lead to a solution, especially in puzzles or tasks involving geometry.
Mental Rotation: Mental rotation is the ability to rotate images in the mind to see how different perspectives can change the problem’s structure. This is closely related to Gestalt’s emphasis on reorganization, as rotating or altering a mental image can lead to an insight that wasn’t apparent from the original perspective.
o Proposed methods for solving problems.
Insight and Restructuring: As mentioned, insight involves a sudden realization or reorganization of a problem’s elements, leading to a solution. It contrasts with step-by-step approaches and highlights the importance of seeing problems in new ways.
Breaking Functional Fixedness: One of the key barriers to problem solving, according to Gestalt psychologists, is functional fixedness—the inability to see objects or concepts in novel ways. Overcoming this requires creative thinking and the willingness to view elements of a problem as having multiple uses.
Major Obstacles in Problem Solving (Gestalt Psychology)
Functional fixedness - a cognitive bias that limits a person to
use an object only in the way it is traditionally used.
Mental set – a preconceived notion about how to approach
a problem
