The document discusses the Gestalt theories of perception and learning, emphasizing the importance of the organism's role in cognitive processes. It references various visual illusions to illustrate principles such as figure-ground relationships and the brain's search for patterns. The text also touches on insights from developmental psychology, problem-solving in animals, and the evolution of learning theories within cognitive psychology.

1. Some notes on „Gestalt” (This is in no way intended to constitute a proper introduction, but to accompany the selective discussion in class.) 10 February 2010 See also http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/gestalt.htm and links from there.

2. Stimulus—Response Stimulus— Organism —Response Hard-line behaviourists worked on the basis of relationship between these two... From Skinner onwards there has been a recognition that the Organism itself plays a critical role And it is the study of the learning Organism which takes centre stage in cognitive theories

3. Although actually pre-dating much behavioural theory, the first cognitive theory was „Gestalt”, associated with Wertheimer and his students Köhler and Koffka. Some of the principles of Gestalt can be teased out through visual illusions...

4. Necker cube This is just a two-dimensional pattern—but you can’t see it as such. It insists on being 3-d

5. Necker cube More than that—is this face the front or the back?

6. Necker cube Ditto this?

7. I didn’t use this one; it’s a great illusion, but what is the teaching point? (Perhaps it is that the quality of the illustration is not the point!

8. Faces or Vase? This is the classic “figure-ground” issue studied by the Gestalt pioneers.

9. The appearance and disappearance of the black dots may represent the brain’s search for pattern...

10. Response to overload— habituation and exhaustion may account for this

11. Which circle in the middle is bigger? They’re both the same. (Measure them) But we are influenced by context

12. What is it?

13. Dog sniffing among leaves

14. Old or young woman?

15. Insistence on mostly likely version Which side is the light coming from? See the note on the blog about this one (with video)

16. Even when the parts make sense, but the whole? M C Escher, Waterfall , 1961.

17. Dolphins Put up your hand up when you can see at least seven dolphins. Children apparently get this a lot faster than adults. I wonder why?

18. Brain insists on finding patterns („Gestalten”) wherever possible. So it is not neutral and passive.

19. Cognitive Theories 1 If it ain't biological, behaviourist or humanist, it's cognitive . It all starts with Gestalt theories [Wertheimer, Köhler and Koffka]: originally theories of perception, Gestalt moved into problem-solving learning. Influenced by developmental psychology of Piaget (as amended), focusing on the maturational factors affecting understanding.

20. Broadly, cognitive theory is interested in how people understand material, and thus in; aptitude and capacity to learn (thus fringing onto psychometrics and testing), and learning styles (initially an honorable field of study, now exposed as not even wrong).

21. What are they?

22. What are they? Ship arriving too late to save a drowning witch

23. What are they? Worm wriggling across a razor blade

24. What are they? Koala climbing a tree

26. OK, you got the others, But this a woman in a dressing-gown bending down to stroke her cat.

27. Mild tension until everything “falls into place” (usually indicated by laughter) Active mental work without behavioural action Learning as problem-solving Not just confined to human beings

28. Learning curves Knowledge/ skill Time Notional behavioural curve The learning curve produced operant conditioning may look something like this

29. Learning curve (2) Notional Gestalt curve “ Ah-hah” or “ knack” This one includes a “step” (exaggerated here) characteristic of a break- through or flash of insight Knowledge/ skill Time Notional behavioural curve

30. K öhler’s chimps 1 Such insight may reasonably be inferred to be demonstrated by one of Kohler’s apes deliberately piling up boxes to get at out-of-reach bananas

31. K öhler’s chimps 2 (1925) Or this one, using shorter sticks to get a longer one to reach the fruit.

32. Betty the crow Or this New Caledonian Crow bending a wire into a hook to fish food out of a tumbler. Search for Betty Crow video for video

33. Can’t leave mind out of it. Mind makes meaning Search for patterns („Gestalt”) “ Trial and error” can take place in a purely mental form So need to study mental processes Development “ Intelligence”

34. “ Range of Convenience” What kind of theory is best for illuminating what kind of learning? Incremental skill acquisition “ Penny dropping” Academic study … . Behavioural   ? Gestalt   ? Cognitive ? ?  … .

35. References and Links at http://www.bedspce.org.uk/mod2/2010/02/10-february-gestalt-etc.html (c) James Atherton 2010