GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY Meaning and
Definition
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Gestalt psychology is a psychological theory that emerged in the early 20th century, focusing on how people perceive and experience the world holistically rather than as isolated parts. The word "gestalt" comes from the German word meaning "shape" or "form," emphasizing the idea that the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
In gestalt psychology, the emphasis is on understanding how individuals organize and interpret sensory information to form meaningful perceptions. It suggests that people naturally perceive objects and events as complete and structured wholes, rather than analyzing them piece by piece. This theory highlights the importance of the human mind's tendency to organize stimuli in a way that is coherent, meaningful, and recognizable.
According to gestalt psychology, perception is influenced by several principles, including figure-ground perception, which involves distinguishing objects from their surrounding background; closure, which involves mentally filling in missing parts to perceive a complete object; and similarity, which involves grouping similar elements together.
This approach also emphasizes the role of perception in problem-solving, learning, and creativity, suggesting that individuals tend to see patterns and relations that are not explicitly present. Gestalt psychology has had a significant impact on various fields, including cognitive psychology, visual arts, design, and psychotherapy, by providing insights into how individuals perceive, organize information, and make sense of their surroundings.
Common Misspellings for GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY
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Etymology of GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY
The word "gestalt" is of German origin, and it means "shape" or "form". The term "Gestalt psychology" was introduced by the German philosopher Christian von Ehrenfels in the late 19th century. He used the term to describe the study of perception and cognitive processes that focus on the whole rather than the individual parts. The field was further developed by Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Köhler, and Kurt Koffka in the early 20th century. The word "gestalt" in this context refers to the idea that perception is not simply the sum of individual parts, but rather the whole object or experience.
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