History & Systems - Ch. 14 Vocab

elementism

the belief that complex mental or behavioral processes are composed of or derived from simple elements and that the best way to understand these processes is first to find the elements of which they are composed

Gestalt

the German word meaning “configuration,” “pattern",” or “whole”

molecular approach

the attempt to reduce complex phenomena into small units for detailed study. Such an approach is elementistic

molar approach

the attempt to focus on intact mental and behavioral phenomena without dividing those phenomena in any way

phenomenology

the study of intact, meaningful, mental phenomena

Christian von Ehrenfels (1859-1932)

said that mental forms emerge from various sensory experiences and that these forms are different from the sensory elements they comprise

Gestalt psychology

the type of psychology that studies whole, intact segments of behavior and cognitive experience

field theory

that branch of physics that studies how energy distributes itself within physical systems. In some systems (such as the solar system), energy can distribute itself freely. In other systems (such as an electric circuit), energy must pass through wires, condensers, resistors, and so forth. In either type of system, however, energy will always distribute itself in the simplest, most symmetrical way possible under the circumstances. According to the Gestaltists, the brain is a physical system whose activity could be understood in terms of ________

phi phenomenon

the illusion that a light is moving from one location to another. The ________________ is caused by flashing two lights on and off at a certain rate

Max Wertheimer (1880-1943)

founded the school of Gestalt psychology with his 1912 paper on the phi phenomenon

Kurt Koffka (1886-1941)

worked with Wertheimer on his early perception experiments. _______ is considered a cofounder of the school of Gestalt psychology

Wolfgang Köhler (1887–1967)

also worked with Wertheimer on his early perception experiments. _______ is considered a cofounder of the school of Gestalt psychology

psychophysical isomorphism

the Gestaltists’ contention that the patterns of activity produced by the brain—rather than sensory experience as such—causes mental experience

constancy hypothesis

the contention that there is a strict one-to-one correspondence between physical stimuli and sensations, in the sense that the same stimulation will always result in the same sensation regardless of circumstances. The Gestaltists argued against this contention, saying instead that what sensation a stimulus elicits is relative to existing patterns of activity in the brain and to the totality of stimulating conditions

law of Prägnanz

because of the tendencies of the force fields that occur in the brain, mental events will always tend to be organized, simple, and regular. According to the __________, cognitive experience will always reflect the essence of one’s experience instead of its disorganized, fragmented aspects

perceptual constancy

the tendency to respond to objects as being the same, even when we experience those objects under a wide variety of circumstances

figure-ground relationship

the most basic type of perception, consisting of the division of the perceptual field into a figure (that which is attended to) and a ground, which provides the background for the figure

principle of continuity

the tendency to experience stimuli that follow some predictable pattern as a perceptual unit

principle of proximity

the tendency to perceptually group together stimuli that are physically close

principle of similarity

the tendency to perceive stimuli as units that are physically similar to one another

principle of closure

the tendency to perceive incomplete objects as complete

geographical environment

according to Koffka, physical reality

behavioral environment

according to Koffka, subjective reality

insightful learning

learning that involves perceiving the solution to a problem after a period of cognitive trial and error

transposition

the application of a principle learned in one learning or problem-solving situation to other similar situations

productive thinking

according to Wertheimer, the type of thinking that ponders principles rather than isolated facts and that aims at understanding the solutions to problems rather than memorizing a certain problem solving strategy or logical rules

intrinsic (internal) reinforcement

the self-satisfaction that comes from problem solving or learning something. According to the Gestaltists, this feeling of satisfaction occurs because solving a problem or learning something restores one’s cognitive equilibrium

extrinsic (external) reinforcement

reinforcement that comes from a source other than one’s self

memory process

the brain activity caused by the experiencing of an environmental event

memory trace

the remnant of an experience that remains in the brain after an experience has ended

trace system

the consolidation of the enduring or essential features of memories of individual objects or of classes of objects

Kurt Lewin (1890-1947)

an early Gestaltist who sought to explain human behavior in terms of the totality of influences acting on people rather than in terms of the manifestation of inner essences. ______ was mainly responsible for applying Gestalt principles to the topics of motivation and group dynamics

life space

according to Lewin, the totality of the psychological facts that exist in one’s awareness at any given moment

psychological facts

according to Lewin, those things of which a person is aware at any given moment

principle of contemporaneity

Lewin’s contention that only present facts can influence present thinking and behavior. Past experiences can be influential only if a person is presently aware of them

quasi needs

according to Lewin, psychological rather than biological needs

Zeigarnik effect

the tendency to remember uncompleted tasks longer than completed ones

approach-approach conflict

according to Lewin, the type of conflict that occurs when a person is attracted to two goals at the same time

avoidance-avoidance conflict

according to Lewin, the type of conflict that occurs when a person is repelled by two goals at the same time

approach-avoidance conflict

according to Lewin, the type of conflict that occurs when a person is attracted to and repelled by the same goal at the same time

group dynamics

Lewin’s extension of Gestalt principles to the study of group behavior