Characterlife
Earlylife
April15,1880,MarcosWertheimMowasborninPragueduringtheAustro-HungarianEmpire.HisfatherWilliamWertheimerhadbeeninchargeofaprivatebusinessschoolformanyyears,andhismotherRosaWertheimerwasanaccomplishedamateurviolinist.MarcosWertheimerbeganhiseducationinaCatholicelementarygrammarschoolattheageof5,graduatedfromtheschoolattheageof10andenteredNeustedtHighSchool.Duringthisperiod,Wertheimerbecameinterestedinphilosophy.
Universitystudies
Aftergraduatingfromhighschoolin1898,heenteredtheCharlesUniversityinPraguetostudylaw.TheteachingsofthephilosopherandpsychologistOlenfellhadaprofoundinfluenceonWertheimer.Herehealsostudiedothercoursessuchasphilosophy,music,physiologyandpsychology.In1902,hetransferredtotheUniversityofBerlintostudyphilosophyandpsychology.AmonghisfamousteachersisthefamousphilosopherandpsychologistKarlStumf.In1904,hetransferredtotheUniversityofWürzburg,andinthesameyearreceivedaPhDinphilosophyundertheguidanceofthefamousphilosopherandpsychologistKülpe.Hisgraduationthesiswasaboutcriminaldeterminationusingvocabularyassociation.
FoundingSchool
Inthefirstsixyearsaftergraduation,WertheimerworkedinsomepsychologicalandphysiologicalinstitutionsinVienna,Berlin,WürzburgandPrague,andcontinuedtostudyvocabularyAssociation,andclinicalresearchonaphasiawithexperimentalpsychologymethods.Inthesummerof1910,Wertheimersuddenlyhadsomeepiphanyabouttheperceptionofquasi-motionphenomenaonthetraingoingonvacation,sohegotoffthetrainhalfway,boughtatoymovingviewfinder,andstarteddoingitinhishotelroom.Perceptualexperiment.Inthefallofthesameyear,hewenttoworkattheSchumannInstituteofPsychologyatFrankfurtCollege(laterFrankfurtUniversity).Here,hediscussedwithKoleandKofka,andformulatedthemainprogramofthelaterGestaltpsychology.DuringtheFirstWorldWar,heconductedresearchonthedesignofsoundsourcedetectioninthearmyandenteredtheUniversityofBerlinin1922.In1929,WertheimerservedastheheadoftheDepartmentofPsychologyattheUniversityofFrankfurt.
ImmigratingtotheUnitedStates
Atthebeginningof1933,duetochangesinthedomesticpoliticalsituationinGermany,heandhisfamilyleftGermanyandcametotheUnitedStatesonSeptember13.Fromthefallofthatyear,WertheimerbeganteachingattheNewSchoolofSocialStudiesinNewYork.Althoughhisphysicalconditionwasgettingworse,hecontinuedtostudythetopicofproblemsolvingandcompletedhisonlymonograph"CreativeThinking"attheendofSeptember1943.OnOctober12,WertheimerdiedofaheartattackathishomeinNewRochelle,NewYork.Hisbook"CreativeThinking"waspublishedin1945.InOctober1988,theGermanPsychologicalSocietyawardedWertheimeraWundtbadge,whichisthehighesthonorofthesociety,provingthathiscontributionsinexperimentalresearch,theoreticalcreation,andconcernforhumanityissueshavebeenconfirmed.
Mainworks
1912 | Experimentalstudiesontheseeingofmotion.ZeitschriftfurPsychologie,61,161–265 |
1920 | UeberSchlussprozesseinproduklivenDenken.Berlin,Leipzig,1920 |
1922 | InvestigationsinGestalttheory:I.Thegeneraltheoreticalsituation.PsychologischeForschung,1,47–58. |
1923 | InvestigationsinGestaltTheory:II.Lawsoforganizationinperceptualforms.PsychologischeForschung,4,301–350. |
1938a | Thegeneraltheoreticalsituation.InWDEllis(Ed.),AsourcebookofGestaltpsychology(pp.12–16).London,England:Routledge&KeganPaul.(Originalworkpublished1922) |
1938b | Gestalttheory.InWDEllis(Ed.),AsourcebookofGestaltpsychology(pp.1–11).London,England:Routledge&KeganPaul.(Originalworkpublished1924)p> |
1938c | Lawsoforganizationinperceptualforms.InWDEllis(Ed.),AsourcebookofGestaltpsychology(pp.71–94).London,England:Routledge&KeganPaul.(Originalworkpublished1923) |
1945 | Productivethinking.NewYork,NY:Harper. |
AcademicAchievements
SimulatingResearch
WetthaiMoputforwardtheGestaltistviewpointthroughtheperceptualresearchofquasi-motionphenomena,andfoundedGestaltpsychology.Theso-calledphiphenomenonreferstothephenomenoninwhichtwostationarystimulithatappearoneaftertheotherareperceivedbytheindividualasthestimulusmovingfromthepositionofthepreviousstimulustothepositionofthenextstimulus.Wertheimerusedatachometertoprojecttworaysoflightonthescreenthroughtwoelongatedcracks,oneisaverticalline,andtheotherisatanangleof20°or30°tothisverticalline.Ifthetimeintervalbetweenthetwolinesprojectedoneafteranotherisverylong(forexample,morethan200milliseconds),thesubjectwillseetwolightraysappearingoneafteranother.Ifthetimeintervalbetweentheappearanceofthetwolinesisveryshort(forexample,30milliseconds),thesubjectseestworaysoflightappearingatthesametime.Butifthetimeintervalbetweentheappearanceofthesetwolinesiswithinacertainrange(suchas60milliseconds),thesubjectswillseethelightmovingfromoneplacetotheother.
Fortheabove-mentionedmechanismofmotionperception,therehavebeenthreeexplanationsbefore:(1)thetheoryofeyemovementrepresentedbyWundt;(2)themixedtheoryofafterimagerepresentedbyMarby;(3)Thetheoryofsensorysynthesis(orassociationtheory)representedbyErlenfer.Wertheimerrefutedthesethreeinterpretationsandproposedhisowninterpretation.Hebelievesthatsimilitudeitselfisaphenomenon,awholeoragestalt,ratherthanacollectionofmotionlesssensoryelements.Hefurtherdeducedthatthewholeofpsychologicalphenomenacannotbeanalyzedasanelement,becausethewholeisnotequaltothesumoftheparts,andthewholeprecedesthepartsanddetermineseachpart.ThisisWertheimer'sfirstGestaltviewbasedontheexperimentalresearchofquasi-motionphenomenon,andthepaperentitled"ExperimentalResearchofquasi-motionphenomenon"waspublishedinthe"JournalofPsychology"in1912.LaterthiswasconsideredthebeginningofthecreationofGestaltpsychology.
PrinciplesofPerceptualOrganization
In1923,Wertheimerpublishedapaperonperceptualorganization,proposingthe"prinCipleofPerceptualOrganization"(prinCipleofPerceptualOrganization).Prägnanz),describinghowandwhydiscretesensoryinputsareperceivedasawhole.Theprinciplehedescribedincludesseveralsub-principles:(1)theprincipleofsimilarity,thatis,theattributesofapartofthesensorydomainaresimilartootherparts;(2)theprincipleofproximity,thatis,apartofthesensorydomainisclosetootherparts;(3)Theprincipleofclosuremeansthatapartofthesensorydomainformsaclosedshape;(4)Theprincipleofcommondestinymeansthatapartofthesensorydomainchangesinthesamewayasotherparts,suchassimultaneousmovement.Theseprinciplesarestillbeingdiscussedasactivetopicsincognitiveneuroscienceandsensorypsychophysiologyincontemporarypsychologytextbooks.
Creativethinking
Firstofall,Wertheimercommentedontwotraditionalviewsoncreativethinking.Hebelievesthatalthoughthetraditionallogicalviewhasgreatadvantages,suchasstrictthinking,emphasisonrules,andemphasisonproofs,itcannotbesaidthattheaccuratecompletionoflogicaloperationscanleadtocreativethinking.Healsobelievesthatassociativeismistheconnectionofthinkingasaseriesofideas.AlthoughLenovosaidithasdevelopedtoaverycomplexlevel,itscoreisstilloldconceptssuchasrepetitionandproximity.
Secondly,WertheimerappliedtheprinciplesofGestaltpsychologytothestudyofhumancreativethinking.Wertheimerdiscoveredthroughalotofresearchthatcreativethinkingistobreaktheoldgestaltanddiscoveranewone.Inhisview,anewunderstandingoftheinterrelationshipsofsituations,goals,andwaystosolveproblemsisthefundamentalelementforcreativelysolvingproblems,andpastexperiencecanonlygainmeaningandmeaninginanorganizedbodyofknowledge.Geteffectiveuse.
Again,Wertheimerputforwardthreeprinciplesofscientificcreationmethods.Theyinclude:(1)Theprincipleoflogical-non-logicalcomplementarity,thatis,logicalandnon-logicalthinkingcomplementeachother,interactwitheachother,andjointlycompletecreativethinking.(2)Thestructure-integrityprinciple,thatis,theintegrationofstructuralreorganizationandreinterpretationtoformcreativethinking.(3)Harmony-theprincipleofsimplicity,thatis,creativethinkingpursuesstructuralintegrity,simplicityandharmony.
Finally,Wertheimeralsoemphasizedtheimportanceofcultivatingstudents'creativethinking.Henotonlyexploredtheessence,principlesandwaysofcreativethinking,butalsopointedoutthepracticalsignificanceofteacherstoeducatestudentstobreakthebox,bebravetoinnovate,andcultivatecreativethinkingability.Hebelievesthatthedetailedleveloftheproblemshouldbeconnectedwiththestructureoftheoverallsituationforconsideration,andtheproblemshouldbesolvedfromtheentireproblemtothedirectionofeachpart.Hesaidthatifteacherscanarrangetheproblemssothattheclassroomexerciseunitbecomesameaningfulwhole,itcanhelpstudentsrealizeandmastertheprinciplesofproblem-solving,anditiseasytotransferthisprincipletoothersituations.
Anecdotes
Teachingstyle
Wertheimer'steachingisserious,dedicated,andalwaysfullofpassion.HisstudentsattheNewSchoolofSocialStudiesrecalledhisteachingsituationlikethis:"Theimpactofhispersonalityissopowerful,theentireclassroomenvironmentseemstohavechanged...Weseemtobeonanovelandexcitingadventure.Andhewasactiveinthisexpedition...Hewalkedbetweenthebenchesintheclassroom,shoutingloudly,anddancing,seemingtoignoreanyrequirementsfor'elegance';hisunfetteredandcompletelynaturalteachingstylemadeusForgetabouthisageandhisfame...Hiswordsseemtomakenumbersandgeometricfigurescomealive."Wertheimerwillclearlyexpresshisviewsonthefieldsandtopicsheisinterestedin.Astudentcommentedonhim:"Heisanextremist.Heenthusiasticallysupportswhathesupports,andstronglyopposeswhatheopposes."
Viewsonlanguage
Wertheimerfirmlybelievesthatthereisonlyonewaytoexpressanopinionthatisthebest,andthatisthemethodthatconformstowhathecallsthe"goodGestalt"principle.ThephilosopherHoraceCullendescribedWertheimer’screationof"CreativeThinking"inthisway:"Hewroteit,andthenrewrittenit,tryingtofindthebestwayofexpression.Youcansaythathechangeditinthisway.Themethodofchanging,searchingandsearchingishispersonality,justlikePenelope(theloyalwifeoftheheroOdysseusinGreekmythology)weavingcloth,weaving,weaving,weaving,itseemsendlessWertheimerseemstothinkthatlanguageislikea'alwaysbetrayingtool'forthethoughtshewantstoexpress,andseemstoalwaysserveitsopponents;languageisalwaysdistortedandfalsified(theviewstobeexpressed).Thepurposeandbehavioroflanguageistocreatedivision;usingitwilldividethewholeintodistinct,independentpartsandthenreassembleitintoapiecedifferentfromtheoriginalwhole."Wertheimer’sviewoflanguageishisTheconcretemanifestationofGestaltviewinlanguage.Henotonlyusedthemetaphysicalanalysislanguage,butalsobelievedthatresearchinotherfieldsisalsoaccustomedtomakingsimilarmistakes.KarensummedupWertheimer’sthoughtsinthisway:“Naturalscience,psychology,logicderivedfromAristotle,ourtraditionalviewofcognition,allofwhichcombineelementsandTheircompositionistakenforgranted."
Characterevaluation
HarvardUniversityprofessorandpsychologistEdwinNewmansaid:"WertheimerisadiligentresearcherTheauthor...Inhisresearchfield,hewritesverycreativearticles.Peoplewhoreaditalwayscan’thelpbutsay,“Whydidn’tanyonethinkthatbefore?”Hisworksarenotmany,andtheyarealwaysread.Thereisafeelingofwantingtostop.Wertheimerhasneverwritten-Ithinkhehasneverbotheredtowrite-asystematicmonograph.HeonlyoccasionallywritesarticlestodefendGestaltpsychology.Heisinterestedinhisfield.Ihaveneverdoneasystematicsummary."
ForWertheimer’sseldomwriting,Newmansaid:"Truthislikeagreatmovement,amagnificentcurtain,andpeopleIcanonlyhearafewwordsorseeasmallcorneroccasionally.Butallthetruthisalwaysthere,waitingforsomeonewithcourageandvisiontowalkoverandsee.Onceheseesandhears,hewillwritehimdown,Althoughnotperfect.Wertheimerisnotgoodatwriting,justlikeacomposercan’tcomposeeverythinghehears.Language—especiallywrittenlanguage—isalwaystooclumsywhenitcomestoexpressingtruth;Asfarasheisconcerned,thereisnosymbolthatcanperfectlyrepresentthetruth."
ThephilosopherHoraceCullensaid:"IfWertheimerdoesn’twritemuchinhislife,buthispersonalitycharmHehasafar-reachinginfluenceonspeech.Althoughhedidnotexpresshistheoreticalconstructioninwriting,hedidmorethroughteachingandeducatingpeople.Hecaneasilyattractstudentstoaccepthisideas.HispassionateteachingNotonlydiditinfectthestudents,buthisthoughtsalsotookrootintheirmindslikeseeds."