Jeamae Peralta

Casamayor
BSED-English 3A
(Reporter 7)
 Facilitating

Learning-Centered
Teaching
PART 3 MODULE 9

Gestalt

Psychology

 Module 9
Gestalt Psychology
In this module, challenge your self to attain the following

learning outcomes:
describe the different gestalt principle
list ways of applying gestalt psychology

in teaching-learning process
demonstrate appreciation of the

usefulness of gestalt principles in the

teaching-learning process
Introduction
Gestalt Psychology was at the forefront

of the cognitive psychology. It served as

the foundation of the cognitive

perspective to learning. It opposed the

external and mechanistic focus of

behaviorism. It considered the mental

processes and product of perception.

Advance Organizer
Gestalt Psychology

Gestalt Principle
Lifespace
Insight Learning
(Lewin)
Law of Proximity
Inner Forces
Law of Closure
Outer Forces
Law of Good
Continuation
Law of Good Pragnanz

Law of Figure/ Ground

 Engage
Examine the picture below

Is there the posibility of

Do you sense good or
Do you get the

you and me together? evil? "optical"and the "illusion"

What is Gestalt

Theory?
WHAT IS GESTALT THEORY?

was the initial cognitive

response to behaviorism.
it emphasized the impotant

of sensory wholes and

dynamic nature of visual

perception.
The term gestalt means

"form" or "configuration"
 Max
Wolfg an g
Ku rt

theimer r k a
Wer Ko hle Ko ff
1880-1943 1887-1967 1887-1941
Psychologists studied persecption and concluded that perceivers

(or learners) are not passive, but rather active.

Suggested that learners do not just collect information as is but

they actively process and restructure data in order to

understand it. This is the perceptaul process. Certain factors

impact on this perceptual process. Factors like past experiences,

needs,attitudes and one's present situation can affect their

perception.


Gestalt

principles
 Law of Proximity
Elements that are closer

together will be perceived as a

coherent object.
On the left, there
When object we are perceiving

appears to be three
are near each other , we

columns,while on the right,

perceive them as belonging

there appers to be three

horizontal rows. together.

 Law of Similarity
Elements that look similar

will be perceived as part

of the same form. There

seems to be a triangle in

the square. We link similar

elements together.
 Law of Closure
We tend to fill the gaps

or "close" the figures we

perceive. We enclose a

space by completing a

contour and ignoring gaps

in the figure.
Law of Good Continuation
Individuals have the tendency

to continue contours

whenever the elements of

the patterns establish an

implied direction. People tend

to draw a good continuous

line.
 Law of Good Pragnanz
The stimulus will be organized

into as good a figure as possible.

In this example, good refers to

symmetry, simplicity and regularity.

Based on our experiences with

The figure is perceived as a

perception , we "expect" cetrain

square overlapping a

triangle , not acombination

patterns and therefore perceive

of several complicated
taht expected pattern.
shapes.
 Law of Figure/Ground

We tend to pay attention and

perceive things in the

foreground first. A stimulus

Figures designed by Jenny

Fultz of Anderson
will be perceived as separate

University from its ground.

 Insights Learning
Gestalt Psychology adheres to the idea of

learning taking place by dicovery of insight.

Wolfgang Kohler- developed the first idea of

insight learning in which he described

experiments with apes where the apes could use

boxes and sticks as tools to solve problem.

 Experiment of Insight Learning

theory

KOHLER'S

EXPERIMENTS ON

SULTAN

Experiment with sticks

Experiment with box
 Insights Learning
In each of these problems, the important aspect learning was not

reinforcement, but the coordination of thinking to create new organizations

(of materials). Kohler's referred to this behavior insight or discovery learning.

Kohler proposed the view that insight follows from the characteristics of

objects under consideration. His theory suggested that learning could occur

when the individual perceives the relationships of the elements before himand

reorganizes these elements and comes to a greater understanding or insight.

This could occur without reinforcement , and once it occurs, no review,

training or investigation is necessary . Significantly, inisght is not necessarily

observable by another person.

Gestalt Principles

and the Teaching-

Learning Process
Gestalt Principles and the

Teaching-Learning Process

Kurt Lewin (1890-1947)

His theory focusing on "life space"

adhered to gestalt psychology.

He said that an individual has

inner and outer forces that

affect his perceptions and also his

learning.
-Inner Forces include his own motivation,

attitudes and feelings.

-Outer Forces include the attitude and

behavior of the teacher and classmates.

Mario Polito-Italian psychologist,writers about the

relevance of gestalt psychology to education.

Questions and

Clarification
Thank You!