Gestalt Psychology, Memory, and Socialization Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering Gestalt principles of perception, proximal vs distal stimuli, memory testing methodologies, and core concepts of socialization and dramaturgical theory.

Gestalt psychology

A theory focused on how people organize sensory information into meaningful wholes, often associated with the phrase "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."

Perceptual organization

The key phrase that points to Gestalt psychology regarding how information is structured.

Gestalt principle of similarity

The tendency to group objects that look alike, such as grouping circles with circles and squares with squares.

Gestalt principle of continuity

The tendency to perceive smooth, continuous lines or paths instead of broken segments.

Gestalt principle of proximity

The tendency to group objects that are close together.

Gestalt principle of closure

The tendency to fill in missing gaps to perceive a complete object.

Gestalt principle of common fate

The tendency to group objects that move in the same direction, such as birds flying together.

Distal stimulus

The actual object or event in the environment before sensory processing.

Proximal stimulus

The sensory information that reaches and is registered by the sensory receptors, such as light from a tree hitting the retina.

Context effect

When surrounding information or the environment biases or influences perception, judgment, or decision-making.

Recall cue

A stimulus that helps retrieve a memory, such as a specific smell reminding someone of their childhood.

Operation span testing

A task used to measure working memory capacity by requiring someone to process information, like solving math problems, while also remembering items.

Working memory

The ability to temporarily hold and manipulate information.

Digit span testing

A memory task where someone is asked to recall a sequence of numbers in order or backward.

Partial report technique

A method used specifically to test iconic or sensory memory.

Psychophysical discrimination testing

A method used to test how people perceive or discriminate differences in physical stimuli.

Psychophysics

The study of the relationship between physical stimuli and psychological perception.

Word association testing

A method used to measure associations between concepts by asking what word comes to mind after hearing another word.

Agent of socialization

A person, group, institution, or media source (e.g., family, school, religion, popular culture) that teaches norms, values, behaviors, and culture.

Social reproduction

The process of passing down social class, inequality, or social structures across generations.

Social network

The web of people and groups that an individual is connected to and influenced by.

Social status

A person's social position or rank in society, such as being a doctor, student, or parent.

Front stage self

The public presentation of self where an individual performs or acts according to social expectations, such as in an interview.

Back stage self

The private self where an individual behaves freely without an audience and away from public judgment.

Dramaturgical theory

The theory associated with Erving Goffman that describes social interaction in terms of theatrical performance, including front and back stage selves.

Erving Goffman

The sociologist associated with the development of dramaturgical theory.