GESTALT

PSYCHOLOGY
Gestalt Theory
- was the initial cognitive response to behaviorism.
- is how people tend to organize forms/figures as a whole.

The term gestalt, means form or configuration.

Psychologists: perceivers (learners) were not passive, but rather active.

When you looked at the pictures in the activity, your mind followed
certain principles of perception. Gestalt psychology is concerned with
such principles.
PROPONENTS

LAW of PROXIMITY
- holds the things close together
and grouped together in
perception.

LAW of
SIMILARITY
- Refers to perception of
similar objects that tends
to be related.

LAW of CLOSURE
- States that incomplete figures
tends to be seen as complete.
LAW of
CONTINUATION
- States that the perceptual organization
tends to preserve smooth continuities
rather than abrupt changes.
Slide
Master
LAW of PRAGNANZ
- The word pragnanz is a German term meaning "good figure."
- is sometimes referred to as the law of good figure or the law of simplicity.
- This law holds that objects in the environment are seen in a way that
makes them appear as simple as possible.

Slide
Master
LAW of FIGURE/GROUND
- The word pragnanz is a German term meaning
"good figure."
- is sometimes referred to as the law of good
figure or the law of simplicity.
- This law holds that objects in the environment
are seen in a way that makes them appear as
simple as possible.