Psych 397 Chapter 15

Front 1

Approach-Approach Conflict

Back 1

A type of conflict marked by the presence of two attractive by mutually exclusive goals. Thus, the achievement of one goal precludes the possibility of attaining the other.

Front 2

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

Back 2

A type of conflict in which a positive goal is associated with some unattractive or undesirable feature.

Front 3

Solomon Asch (1907-1996)

Back 3

A second generation Gestalt psychology remembered for his work on social psychology, cognition, learning, perception and personality theory.

Front 4

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

Back 4

A type of conflict marked by the presence of two unattractive or undesirable alternatives.

Front 5

Closure

Back 5

The tendency psychologically to complete that which is incomplete, to fill in the gaps, or to see wholeness even when it is not present.

Front 6

Karl Duncker (1903-1940)

Back 6

Gestalt psychologist remembered for his work on the nature of problem solving and for work on the relativity of perceived movement.

Front 7

Field Theory

Back 7

Generally associated with the psychology of Kurt Lewin. Field theory emphasizes the interdependence of the person and the environment. It may be viewed as a corrective to extreme individualistic psychologies that neglect the role of context.

Front 8

Figure-Ground

Back 8

A principle of perception characterized by the tendency of the subject to see some things as standing out and other things as forming background.

Front 9

Functional Fixedness

Back 9

The inability to find productive solutions to new problems. May also refer to the inability to see alternative uses for a particular tool or method.

Front 10

Gestalt

Back 10

There is no exact English equivalent for this German term, but English words such as whole and configuration are close in meaning.

Front 11

Gestalt Therapy

Back 11

A form of therapy coming out of the world of Fritz Perls and having little or nothing in common with Gestalt psychology.

Front 12

Good Continuation

Back 12

The perceptual tendency toward linearity, continuity or coherence. Good continuation is manifested when a perceptual pattern is tracked even in the presence of irrelevant or competing cues.

Front 13

Group Dynamics

Back 13

In Lewin's psychology, this expression refers broadly to the study of the effects of groups on individuals and the effects of individuals on groups. It also includes the study of group structures and their effect on work, productivity and achievement of group goals.

Front 14

Insight

Back 14

The capacity to see a problem in a large context and perceptually to restructure relationships necessary to the solution of the problem.

Front 15

Isomorphism

Back 15

The Gestalt position on the mind-brain problem. Literally, this term refers to similarity of form. Isomorphism, in the context of the mind-brain problem, refers to an assumed functional relationship between experience and underlying brain processes.

Front 16

Kurt Koffka (1886-1941)

Back 16

Pioneering Gestalt psychologist remembered especially for introducing Gestalt psychology to the English-speaking world and for the extension of Gestalt theory into the field of developmental psychology.

Front 17

Wolfgang Kohler (1887-1967)

Back 17

Principal advocate of the Gestalt school. Kohler is remembered for his pioneering work on the role of insight in learning, for his treatment of value theory from a Gestalt perspective, and for his broad systematic approach to science and psychology.

Front 18

Law of Pragnanz

Back 18

This law, according to Wetheimer, refers to the idea that perceptional organization tends to be as good as possible under prevailing conditions. Thus, perceptual organization is as orderly, coherent and economical as possible under prevailing conditions.

Front 19

Kurt Lewin (1890-1947)

Back 19

Inspired by Wetheimer, Kohler and Koffka, Lewin attempted to extend the Gestalt vision to other sub-disciplinary branches of psychology, including motivation, personality, social psychology and conflict resolution.

Front 20

Life Space

Back 20

Key concept in Lewin's psychology referring to all the psychological facts that are influential in the life of an individual at a given point in time.

Front 21

Ernst Mach (1838-1916)

Back 21

19th century physicist who argued that there are space-form and time-form sensations that are configural in their nature. Mach's analysis served as an inspiration for the early Gestalt psychologists who also argued that there are wholes that are grasped intuitively and that are more than a mere collection of elements.

Front 22

Phi Phenomenon

Back 22

Apparent movement illustrated by successive activation of two stationary lights placed in close spatial conjunction. Phenomenally, what is seen is movement from the first to the second light.

Front 23

Productive thinking

Back 23

Wertheimer's term for a bold and radical centering of a problem that results in creative new ideas, breakthroughs,insights or solutions. Einstein's revolutionary theory of relativity serves as a classic illustration of productive thinking.

Front 24

Proximity

Back 24

The perceptual tendency to group figures or Gestalten that are close together in space or time.

Front 25

Reproductive Thinking

Back 25

Wertheimer's term for the routine reproduction of familiar solutions that result in blind conclusions with no sense of direction.

Front 26

Similarity

Back 26

The perceptual tendency to group figures or Gestalten that are similar.

Front 27

Valence

Back 27

According to Lewin, the positive or negative characteristics of objects in the life space.

Front 28

Christian von Ehrenfels (1859-1932)

Back 28

One of the first to argue that form qualities are given immediately in experience. Although Ehrenfels believed that the whole is more important that the sum of the parts, he still believed that it was derivative and thus acts simply like another part.

Front 29

Hedwig von Restorff (1906-1962)

Back 29

A second generation Gestalt psychologist remembered for her study of memory with Wolfgang Kohler.

Front 30

von Restorff Effect

Back 30

Refers to superiority of recall for isolated items in a list compared to more homogeneous items.

Front 31

Max Wertheimer (1880-1943)

Back 31

Founder of the Gestalt school of thought and author of the influential book Productive Thinking.

Front 32

Zeigarnik Effect

Back 32

Tendency to remember in-completed tasks better than completed ones.