Notes to accompany a taught session on 10 February 2010. Module blog at http://www.bedspce.org.uk/mod2/2010/02/10-february-gestalt-etc.html

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.

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?

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

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.

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

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