Gestalt Psychology

Gestalt Psychology

Psychological theory focusing on perception and learning.

Gestalt

A whole structure composed of figure and ground.

Embracing all aspects of oneself

Figure

The prominent and salient part of a whole.

Ground

The background, everything that is not the figure.

Illustrative Illusions

Optical illusions that change depending on the focus on the figure.

Switching Figures

The ability to switch attention between different figures.

Best Gestalt

The mind always seeks the most coherent whole structure.

Wholeness

The essential property of a gestalt, where it is more than the sum of its parts.

Organization of Whole

The specific arrangement and integration of the figure and ground.

Snake or Stick

The decision-making process of determining whether a dark, thin object on the road is dangerous or not; you need to figure out what is the most adaptive figure-ground relationship

False Positive

Mistakenly perceiving a stick as a snake. Less dangerous

"Faulty Gestalt" (pathology)

People perceive threat in things or people pathological ways; ex. female who fear of men, cannot work at jobs with men (affects interpersonal relationships)