Gestalts Principle - Essay Example

Questions 2

Gestalt’s principle suggests that a whole organism or organization is better than the sum of its parts. This implies that a product made out of the process of combining several components is more effective than the components that have been used to create it (King and Wertheimer, 2007). In other words, it implies that the product’s secondary value is greater than its primary value. Gestalt laws define the way we view objects though it is only descriptive. It offers us a firm foundation for carrying out further research into our ways of thinking, manners, and abilities to solve problems along with psychopathology. As a student majoring in mechanical engineering, I had a few preconceived ideas concerning the class. I joined the class two years ago and had the perception that mechanical engineering is about repairing old motor vehicles. During the course of my class work, I have learned that mechanical engineering comprises several other components apart from what I first thought it comprised. The discipline involves the activities of designing motor vehicle parts, testing their individual performances, and making new systems to be applied in the industry. I still however believe that mechanical engineering mostly deals with the motor vehicle industry as a whole. This still holds true for me despite the fact that I have learned of its applicability in other fields.

The theory of attention suggests that attention is a condition of the mind that trains one on receiving impressions (King and Wertheimer, 2007). A speaker can use several techniques to maintain the attention of his or her listeners. He could use gestures, make use of eye contact, and movements of the body to keep the listeners attentive. These actions make the listeners realize that you have an interest in addressing them and will give the speaker the required attention. The speaker can also use his voice to maintain the attention of his listeners. This can be done by using a voice that is comprehendible and makes a good impression. He should also have the ability to express the differences in the meanings of various concepts he is using (King and Wertheimer, 2007).

According to Piaget's theory, the sensorimotor period that begins at birth to the period a child gets to two years enabled me to start differentiating objects. I started doing things with the aim of achieving something. I also realized that things around me still existed even when I did not notice them. The pre-operational stage enabled me to start learning how to make use of languages in representing objects along with images (King and Wertheimer, 2007). During this period I was also able to group objects based on one attribute. In the concrete operational period suggested by Piaget, I was able to begin reasoning logically about various objects and activities that I encountered. It is during this period that I was able to begin the exercise of classifying objects. This was done on the basis of the many features they had that made them seem similar. In the final period that Piaget suggested and which I am currently in, I am able to logically think about theoretical proposals and systematically test several hypotheses (King and Wertheimer, 2007). I have become aware of the ideological and future problems that I am likely to encounter. The final stage is the best to be in since I can first reason about the consequences of various activities before indulging in them.

According to Vygotsky’s hypothesis, the zone of proximal dependence (ZPD) is the difference between the abilities we display out of our own independence and the ones we display out of communal support (King and Wertheimer, 2007). He states that the cultural growth of a child occurs first at the community level and then at the individual level. This implies that I will first learn society’s values, attitudes, and behaviors before deciding what is the right thing to do on my own. Vygotsky argues that there exist people who have more knowledge than we have within our communities and we ought to learn from them. I will be able to improve my ZPD by obtaining vital information from these people and deciding where to apply it in my activities. Finally, he suggests that the adoption of these skills by an individual leads to his increased thinking capacity (King and Wertheimer, 2007). The ability to learn from society and engage independently in problem-solving situations will help me improve my thinking ability greatly.