Psych 182 Quiz 14

Psychophysical Isomorphism

(similar shape): experience is ordered in relation to underlying distribution of energy during brain processing. This leads to a top-down analysis (whole to parts); influenced by field theory.

Influence

Kant's 'faculties of mind' become 'characteristics of brain

Influence of Gestalt

Although many of its proposals are vague and the underlying brain physics were largely inferred without data, Gestalt has been absorbed into American Psychology. It is most apparent in perception, but researchers like the Gibsons extend Gestalt to all of psychology.

Intro

As the functionalists in the US were attacking the elementism of Wundt, so were the Gestalt Psychologists in Germany.

Kohler

Denounced Nazis Insight Learning

Transposition

Do animals learn absolute stimulus control or relational? We know now it depends on training.

Wertheimer

Experiment with strobe and movement of light led to founding of Gestalt Founder of Gestalt

Lewin

Father of Social Psych Universal Causation & Field Theory Totality of influences acting on people Motivation & group dynamics

Phi Phenomenon

Illusion that light is moving form one location to another. Caused by flashing two lights on and off at a certain rate Wundt: apparent movement due to eye movement; Wertheimer demonstrated this was wrong using a vertical light that dropped off to two horizontal lights in a way that our eyes cannot follow

Koffka

Introduced Gestalt to US with article on perception (this resulted in the view in the US that all Gestalt was perception). Cofounder of Gestalt

Influence

James: Stream of Consiousnes Act Psychology: (Brentano) all founders studied under Stumpf Physics: field theory: all events in a field are interrelated

Insight Learning

Kohler's work on Tenerife during WWI led to his thesis on insight learning. (Chickens had trouble; apes succeeded.) Kohler noted that during problems' pre-resolution, apes appeared to test various hypotheses. Later research found problem solving can happen 'all at once' only if the animal already has experience with all the parts of the problem.

insightful Learning

Learning that involves perceiving the solution to a problem after a period of cognitive trial and error

Approach-Approach Conflict

Lewin The type of conflict that occurs when a person is attracted to two goals at teh same time

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

Lewin Type of conflict that occurs when a person is attracted to and repelled by the same goal at the same time

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

Lewin Type of conflict that occurs when a person is repelled by two goals at the same time

Organization of Perception

Proximity Similarity Good Continuation Closure

Influence

Von Ehrenfels: mental forms emerge from various sensory experiences and that these forms are different from the sensory elements they compromise

Influence

_postulated space and time forms are independent of particular sensory elements

Gestalt Psychology

german meaning Configuration, Pattern, Whole Studies whole, intact segments of behavior and cognitive experience

Aristotle vs Galileo

cause in object vs interaction of object & world Many areas of psychology are still relatively Aristotelian

Universal Causation & Field Theory

everything that occurs is a function of the total influences occurring at the moment

Cognitive Balance

influenced by German Rationalists, Spinoza and eventually leads to Heider's balance theory, the foundation of social psychology and Festinger's cognitive dissonance

Motivation

main is to learn (intrinsic motivation). So, what happens if person has none for a particular area of learning?

Cognitive Trial & Error

problems cause disequilibrium and tension. This motivates the animal to try solutions cognitively until the best one emerges and equilibrium is restored. Much of the research intended to support this is the Insight Learning research mentioned earlier.

Pragnantz

psychological organization follows the energy of the brain in the simplest way "as good as conditions allow." Brain activity tends toward balance unless disrupted, then the process starts again.

Zeigarnik Effect

task sets up tension, completion relieves it; people remember unfinished tasks better than finished