Gestalt Theory Research Paper

Abstract

Gestalt is a German word signifying a pattern or shape. The roots of Gestalt therapy can be traced to Max Wertheimer, who studied human perceptual illusions. Wertheimer’s research led to a holistic view of the human psyche that provided a necessary counterpoint to the fragmented, reductionist, and structuralist views that prevailed in research psychology. Gestalt therapy emerged after blending the principles of Gestalt with the goals of psychotherapy. In particular, Gestalt therapists like Frederick “Fritz” Perls used the concept of a Gestalt to emphasize the importance of holism in psychotherapy. Humanism also became a cornerstone of Gestalt therapy, which promotes an “I/Thou” therapeutic relationship based on points of contact between individuals who are connected in an integrated social network. Group therapy and art therapy are also methods used in Gestalt psychology.

Although the phrase may seem out of vogue, Gestalt psychology underwrites a lot of contemporary psychotherapies and therapeutic interventions, particularly those with a humanistic outlook. Gestalt psychology started off with firm empirical grounding in the science of perception and cognition, and then merged with prevailing psychotherapies to become an integrated type of holistic therapy that promotes self-awareness, self-empowerment, and acceptance.

The Origin and History of Gestalt

In 1912, Max Wertheimer offered a new paradigm for the field of psychology. Reacting against the reductionist tendencies of his colleagues, Wertheimer postulated that the best way to understand human behavior, the human psyche, and the human condition was to zoom out, viewing it as a whole instead of merely a sum of discrete and distinct parts (Corey, 2016, p. 199). Gestalt is a German word meaning “pattern,” or “shape,” and Wertheimer provided some empirical support for his theory first by publishing the results of his research in human perception. Wertheimer studied a phenomenon called apparent motion, a type of visual illusion that occurs when watching a film reel (Woldt & Toman, 2005, p. 4). The individual perceives motion where there is really just a series of static images. From this early experiment, Wertheimer showed how all manner of human perceptions generated “emergent properties,” which were “overall qualities of an experience that are not inherent in its components,” (Levine, 2012, p. 12). The concept of emergence in psychology, cognitive science, and social systems has become so engrained, that it is easy to forget to credit the Gestalt psychology movement.

Gestalt psychology draws from philosophies of Immanuel Kant, Ernst Mach, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Other prominent Gestalt psychologists include Wolfgang Kohler, who is credited with saying “the whole is different than the sum of its parts,” and Kurt Koffka. Early Gestalt researchers focused mainly on the application of theory to understanding human perception, but later researchers merged Gestalt tenets with psychotherapy. The most notable form of Gestalt therapy was developed by Frederick “Fritz” Perls. Fritz Perls’s Gestalt therapy blended psychoanalysis with humanistic, experiential, and interpersonal interventions (Corey, 2016, p. 199). Especially when it comes to perception and cognition, Gestalt propositions can be empirically tested, making it a good fit for the increasing rigor of the social sciences (Woldt & Toman, 2005). While reductionism and structuralism remain important lenses through which to view some aspects of human perception, cognition, and behavior, the Gestalt tradition reminds researchers not to surrender appreciation for the forest when examining an individual tree.

Framework and Concepts

The concept of Gestalt can be defined as a type of framework asking researchers to step back and view variables as a system, watching for patterns and interconnectedness. A melody in music is one example of a Gestalt experience: one cannot perceive a melody by looking at one note or one chord. Rather, the listener must hear a sequence of notes and chords over time to make out a melody. Visual perception is of course another way to test the theories of Gestalt psychology. A shape is comprised of many smaller elements. Those constituent parts, such as the lines that make up a square, are worthy in and of themselves. Yet only a Gestalt vantage point allows the shape to emerge in conscious awareness.

Gestalts emerge according to certain patterns and laws of perceptual and cognitive organization. Some of the fundamental laws of Gestalt psychology include the law of similarity, the law of proximity, the law of continuity, and the law of closure (Woldt & Toman, 2005, p. 13). Gestalt psychologists also accounted for perceptual inaccuracies and cognitive biases that arise due to factors like emotional states, motivation, expectation, and prior experience (Corey, 2016, p. 203). Perhaps quite appropriately, Gestalt psychology has dissipated rather than remaining a distinct segment of psychology.

Therapeutic Practices and Techniques

Unlike cognitive-behavioral psychology or psychodynamics, Gestalt psychology never bequeathed a prominent method of therapeutic intervention used in clinical settings (Corey, 2016, p. 201). This is not to say that Gestalt contributed nothing to the evolution of therapeutic practices and techniques in social science. On the contrary, Gestalt psychology did contribute much to the gamut of psychotherapeutic interventions.

The basic concepts of Gestalt…

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…working with clients who are not too verbal or are not sufficiently knowledgeable of English (or the language used in the therapy). Gestalt therapy could also be accommodating to different cultures and different perceptions.

How is Gestalt Theory is Differentially applied with Children, Adolescent and Adults

The applicability of Gestalt therapy with children seems to me somewhat limited, especially because the therapy is mostly “an existential encounter” and children of short age may not be suitable or mature enough to this approach, although, on the other hand, the focus on the “here and now” and of being authentic it’s easier that with adults, also given that children’s “past history” and blockages tend to be much smaller that the adults (Corey, 2016, p. 221). I also think children are more willing to do exercises and experiments with less constraints than many adults. For teenagers, who are somewhere in the middle because of their age and life experience compared to children and adults, Gestalt group counseling may be more suitable to allow them to relate to each other with focus on their feelings and on the here-and-now conflicts they often experiencing in such a momentous age (Woldt & Toman, 2005, p. 219).

Strengths and Weaknesses of Gestalt Theory Approach

Regarding the general strengths and limitations of Gestalt therapy, I think that being a holistic approach, considering and involving the client's’ thoughts, feelings, behaviors, language, body expression, and dreams, makes it an encompassing approach, powerful and with emphasis on “the here and now” of the human experience. It is creative and helps clients move from just “talking” about their issues to “experiencing and feeling” them, and it gives therapists many practical tools to help them out in this transformative existential process (Corey, 2016, p. 220).

In terms of its limitations, there is a risk of some therapists using and abusing their power with regards to their clients and their self-disclosures too forcefully (Levine, 2012, p. 59); also, there are some clients that are not accustomed to or feel uncomfortable with the use of their imagination an abstractions, which are required to be engaged in the Gestalt therapy process.

Conclusion

Gestalt’s emphasis on the “what” and the “how,” but not on the “why” of events, and the call for authenticity and openness may make therapy with adults more difficult than with younger groups. Adults tend to be less flexible than younger populations and less prone to explore beyond of what they already know and feel comfortable with.…