Die Gesellschaft für Gestalttheorie und ihre Anwendungen e. V. (GTA)

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The Gestalt timeline lists important Gestalt events in history, 100, 90, 80, 70, 50 years ago, from the perspective of the year:

140 years ago (1877)

  • 25.2. Erich M. v. HORNBOSTEL (1877-1935) is born (musicologist and psychologist who worked with Max WERTHEIMER in Berlin and contributed to Gestalt theory in research on acustics and vision).
  • 6.7. Robert OGDEN (1877-1959) is born in Binghampton, N.Y.

130 years ago (1887)

  • 1.1. Dimitrii USNADZE (1887-1950) is born.
  • 21.1.: Wolfgang KÖHLER (1887-1967) is born in Reval (today: Talinn) in Estonia.
  • 18.11. Adhémar GELB (1887-1936) is born in Moscow.

120 years ago (1897)

  • 9.8.: Lauretta BENDER (1897-1987) is born in Butte / Montana.
  • 27.9. Cesare MUSATTI (1897-1989) is born in Dolo (Venezia).
  • Susanne LIEBMANN (1897-1990) is born.

110 years ago (1907)

  • 11.4. Erwin LEVY (1907-1991) is born in Graudenz (Poland).
  • 10.6. Fabio METELLI (1907-1987) is born.
  • 14.9. Solomon Eliot ASCH (1907-1996) is born in Warsaw, Poland.

100 years ago (1917)

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Intelligenzprüfungen an Anthropoiden’ (apes are shown to have the ability to grasp the situational value of an object such as a tool by a process of insight; translated into English and published in 1927: The Mentality of Apes).
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Kriegslandschaft’ (early discussion of figure-ground structures in connection with camouflage in war).

90 years ago (1927)

  • Three of the famous Berlin dissertations of LEWINs students are approved: Bluma ZEIGARNIKs dissertation ‘Über das Behalten von erledigten und erledigten Handlungen’ (published in Psychologische Forschung, 9, pp 1-85, 1927), Anitra KARSTENs dissertation ‘Über psychische Sättigung’ (published in Psychologische Forschung, 10, 1928, pp 142-254), Maria OSVIANKINAs dissertation ‘Die Wiederaufnahme unterbrochener Handlungen’ (published in Psychologische Forschung, 10, 1928, pp 302-379).
  • Kurt KOFFKA leaves Germany permanently for the United States and settles at Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts.
  • Friedhart KLIX (1927-2004) is born in Friedersdorf (Lausitz).
  • Guido PETTER is born in Luino/Varese.
  • 24.12.: Vittorio BENUSSI dies in Padua.
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Gesetz und Experiment in der Psychologie’ (Symposion, 1, pp 375-421); ‘Kindlicher Ausdruck’ (Zeitschrift für pädagogische Psychologie, 28, pp 510-526).
  • Kurt KOFFKA: ‘Bemerkungen zur Denkpsychologie’ (Psychologische Forschung, 9, pp 163-184).
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Zum Problem der Regulation’.

80 years ago (1937)

  • Paul THOLEY is born.
    Edwin RAUSCH obtains PhD from the University of Frankfurt. His dissertation ‘Über Summativität und Nichtsummativität’ (On Summativity and Nonsummativity) is published in Psychologische Forschung (21, pp 209-289).
  • KÖHLER and VON RESTORFFs paper on recognition as influenced by the contents of the material seen in the retention interval: ‘II. Analyse von Vorgängen im Spurenfeld. Zur Theorie der Reproduktion.’ (Psychologische Forschung, 21, pp 56-112).
  • Adhémar GELB: ‘Zur medizinischen Psychologie und philosophischen Anthropologie’ (Acta psychologica, 3, pp 194-271).
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Psychoanalysis and topological psychology’ (Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 1, pp 202-211). One of his Berlin students, Sara JUCKNAT publishes her dissertation ‘Anspruchsniveau und Selbstbewußtsein’ (Psychologische Forschung, 22, pp 89-179).
  • David KATZ: ‘Animals and Men’ (London: Longmans, Green).

70 years ago (1947)

  • 12.2.: Kurt LEWIN (1890-1947) dies in Newtonville, Massachusetts. He does not live to see the famous National Training Laboratories (NTL) – to which he and his colleagues laid the foundations – start their work in this year.
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Gestalt Psychology’ is published in New York (Liveright).
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Group Decision and Social Change’ (in: T.M. Newcomb & E.E. Hartley, eds, Readings in social psychology, New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, pp 330-344); ‘Frontiers in Group Dynamics’ (Human Relations, 1, pp 5-41, 142-153).
  • Karl DUNCKER: ‘Phenomenology and Epistemology of Consciousness of Objects’ (Philos. Pehom. Res., 7).
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER and David A. EMERY: ‘Figural after-effects in the third dimension of visual space’ (The American Journal of Psychology, 60, pp 159-201).
  • Abraham S. LUCHINS: ‘Experiences with closed ward group psychotherapy’ (Americ. Orthopsychiat., 17, pp 511-520); ‘Group structures in group psychotherapy’ (J. Clin. Psychol., 3, pp 209-273); ‘Methods of studying the progress and outcomes of a group psychotherapy program’ (J. Consult. Psychol., 11, pp 173-183).

60 years ago (1957)

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER is elected president of the American Psychological Association.
  • Solomon E. ASCH is elected president of the Division of Personality and Social Psychology of the American Psychological Association.
  • Werner WOLFF (1904-1957) dies in New York.
  • Max WERTHEIMERs ‘Productive thinking’ (New York 1945) is first published in German, translated by Wolfgang METZGER (Produktives Denken, Frankfurt: Kramer).
  • Mary HENLE: ‘On Field Forces’ (Journal of Psychology, 43, pp 239-249); ‘Some Problems of Ecclecticism’ (Psychological Review, 64, pp 296-305).
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM: ‘Film as Art’ (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press).
  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Stimmung und Leistung’ (Münster: Aschendorff).

50 years ago (1967)

  • Solomon E. ASCH is awarded the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association.
  • 11.6.: Wolfgang KÖHLER dies in Enfield, New Hampshire.
  • Wolfgang METZGER and Anne BRUNS: ‘Entstehung und Heilung einer kindlichen Phobie’ (in: R. Mühlher and J. Fischl, eds, Gestalt und Wirklichkeit, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp 223-243). Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Der Geltungsbereich gestalttheoretischer Ansätze’ (Bericht über den 25. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie, Göttingen: Hogrefe, pp 13-24).
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM: ‘Toward a Psychology of Art’ (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press); ‘Abstraction and Empathy in Retrospect’ (Confinia Psychiatrica, 10, pp 1-15); ‘Constancy and Abstraction’ (in: R. Mühlher and J. Fischl, eds, Gestalt und Wirklichkeit, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp 71-78).

40 years ago (1977)

  • 22.6. Paul OPPENHEIM (1885-1977) dies in Princeton.
  • 13.10. Harry HELSON (1898-1977) dies.
  • Hans-Jürgen WALTERs dissertation ‘Die Gestalttheorie als wissenschaftliche Grundlage psychotherapeutischer Praxis und ihre Beziehung zu psychotherapeutischen Ansätzen der Gegenwart’ is approved at the University of Darmstadt and is first published as: Gestalttheorie und Psychotherapie – Ein Beitrag zur theoretischen Begründung der integrativen Anwendung von Gestalt-Therapie, Psychodrama, Gesprächstherapie, Tiefenpsychologie, Verhaltenstherapie und Gruppendynamik (3rd edition 1994 Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag; see reviews of this book). H.-J. WALTER publishes ‘Gestalt-Therapie, ein psychoanalytischer und gestalttheoretischer Ansatz’ (Gruppendynamik, Nr. 1, pp 3-27).
  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Adler als Autor’ and ‘Gestalttheorie im Exil’.
  • Mary HENLE: ‘The Influence of Gestalt Psychology in America’.
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM: ‘The Dynamics of Architectural Form’ (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press); ‘Zur Psychologie der Kunst’ (Köln: Kiepenheuer).

30 years ago (1987)

  • The international Society for Gestalt Theory and its Applications (GTA) holds its 5th Scientific Convention at the University of Regensburg, Germany.
  • 9.10. Lee E. TRAVIS (1896-1987) dies.
  • Gestalt Theory publishes a special issue commemorating the 100th birthday of Wolfgang KÖHLER (Gestalt Theory, 9, No 3-4). It contains the German translation of KÖHLERs ‘The Obsessions of Normal People’ by A. Zimmer and contributions by K. Foppa, D. Heckelmann, T. Hermann, S. Jaeger, P. Keiler, H. Lück, M. Müller, W. Schönpflug, V. Schurig, L. Sprung, H. Wallach.
  • Solomon E. ASCH publishes the paperback edition of his ‘Social Psychology’ (Oxford University Press) with a new preface commenting the developments in social psychology since the first edition of his famous book 35 years before.
  • A.S. LUCHINS and E.H. LUCHINS: ‘The Influences of Thinking, Surveyability and Illustrations on Einstellung Effects’ (Gestalt Theory, 9, pp 17-27); ‘Max Wertheimer in America: 1933-1943’ (Part I, Gestalt Theory, 9, pp 134-160).
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM: ‘Prägnanz and its Discontents’ (Gestalt Theory, 9, pp 102-107).
  • Molly HARROWER: ‘The Inside Story: Self-Evaluation Reflecting Basic Rorschach Types’ (Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum), co-aothored by Dawn BOWERS.
  • Mary HENLE: ‘On breaking out of dichotomies’ (Gestalt Theory, 9, pp 140-149).
  • G. KANIZSA and R. LUCCIO: ‘Formation and categorization of visual objects’ (Gestalt Theory, 9, pp 111-127).

20 years ago (1997)

  • The international Society for Gestalt Theory and its Applications (GTA) holds its 10th Scientific Convention at the University of Vienna, Austria: ‘The Problem of Genesis‘.
  • G. GALLI: ‘Beziehungen zwischen Lewins wissenschaftstheoretischen Begriffen und der Psychoanalyse’ (Gestalt Theory, 19).
  • A.S. LUCHINS & E.H. LUCHINS: ‘A Sampling of Gestalt Psychologists’ Remarks on Psychoanalysis‘ (Gestalt Theory, 19, 2, 128ff).

150 years ago (1866)

  • 2.3. : Kurt GRELLING (1866-1942) is born in Berlin.

130 years ago(1886)

  • 18.3. : Kurt KOFFKA (1886-1941) is born in Berlin.
  • 14.4. : Edward TOLMAN (1886-1959) is born in West Newton.
  • 6.9. : Edgar RUBIN (1886-1951) is born.

120 years ago (1896)

  • 13.1. : Ferdinand WEINHANDL (1896-1973) is born in Judenburg, Austria.
  • 23.6. : E. TRAVIS LEE is born.Fritz HEIDER (1896-1988) is born in Vienna.Jean PIAGET is born.

110 years ago (1906)

  • 25.1..: Molly HARROWER (1906-1999) is born in Johannesburg.
  • 1.2. : Edwin RAUSCH (1906-1994) is born.
  • 29.7. : Muzafer SHERIF (1906-1988) is born.
  • 14.12. : Hedwig von RESTORFF (1906-1962) is born in Berlin.
  • Sarah SLIOSBERG is born in Grodno (Poland).

100 years ago (1916)

  • 19.2. : Ernst MACH (1838-1916) dies in Munich.
  • 9.3. : Robert BALES is born.
  • Max WERTHEIMER leaves Frankfurt to teach at Berlin.

90 years ago (1926)

  • 24.3. : Heinz HECKHAUSEN is born.
  • Kurt GOTTSCHALDTs paper on hidden figures is published (“Über den Einfluß der Erfahrung auf die Wahrnehmung von Figuren”, Psychologische Forschung 8, 261-317).
  • Kurt LEWINs paper on quasi-needs as determining sequences of thoughts and actions is published in Psychologische Forschung.
  • Joseph TERNUS’ paper on phenomenal identity is published: “Experimentelle Untersuchungen über phänomenale Identität”, Psychologische Forschung 7.
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER publishes “Zur Komplextheorie” (Psychologische Forschung, 8, 236-243).

80 years ago (1936)

  • 31.3. : Wolfgang SCHÖNPFLUG is born.
  • 7.8. : Adhèmar GELB (1887-1936) dies in Schömberg/Calw, Netherlands.
  • 14.12. : Albert BREGMAN is born in Toronto.
  • Max WERTHEIMER starts his series of seminars in New York at the New School for Social Research (-1941).
  • Kurt LEWIN publishes “Principles of Topological Psychology” (New York and London: McGraw-Hill).
  • Wolfgang METZGERs: “Gesetze des Sehens” (Laws of Seeing) appears in its first edition (Frankfurt: Kramer; 2nd ed. 1953, 3rd ed. 1975).
  • Junius F. BROWN publishes “Psychology and the Social Order”.

70 years ago (1946)

  • Albert MICHOTTE publishes “La perception de la causalité” (Louvain: Editions de l’Institut supérieur de Philosophie; Engl. translation appeared in 1963: “The Perception of Causality”, London: Methuen).

60 years ago (1956)

  • Year commonly accepted as marking the beginning of the cognitive revolution

50 years ago (1966)

  • Edwin RAUSCH publishes “Probleme der Metrik”, “Das Eigenschaftsproblem in der Gestalttheorie der Wahrnehmung” and “Paradoxien der Identität”.

40 years ago (1976)

  • 8.7. : Siegmund (Fuchs) FOULKES (1898-1976) dies in London.
  • Gaetano KANIZSA publishes “Subjective Contours” (Scientific American, 234, 48-52).
  • Joseph de RIVERA publishes “Field Theory as Human-Science. Contributions of Lewin’s Berlin Group” (New York: Gardner Press).

30 years ago (1986)

  • 25.1. Robert W. LEEPER (1904-1986) dies.
  • 28.10. :Ronald LIPPITT (1914-1986) dies.
  • 11.11. : Kenower BASH (1913-1986) dies in Zurich.Paolo BOZZI joins the Advisory Board of the journal “Gestalt Theory”.
  • Wolfgang STADLER and Heinrich CRABUS publish Wolfgang METZGERs “Gestalt-Psychologie. Ausgewählte Werke aus den Jahren 1950 bis 1982” (omnibus volume of selected works): Frankfurt Waldemar Kramer.

20 years ago (1996)

  • 20.2. : Solomon ASCH (1907-1996) dies.
  • 24.3. : Erna HRUSCHKA (1912-1996) dies.
  • 10.7. : Heik PORTELE (1933-1996) dies.
  • 12.10. : Paul FRAISSE (1911-1996) dies in Chatenay-Malabry.

160 years ago (1853)

17.7.: Alexius MEINONG (1853-1920) is born in Lemberg.

120 years ago (1893)

8.7. : Fritz Solomon PERLS (1893-1970) is born in Berlin, Germany

110 years ago (1903)

2.2. : Karl DUNCKER (1903-1940) is born  in Leipzig, Germany.
7.2. :Walter ASMUS (1903-1996) is born in Neumünster, Germany.
Gita BIRENBAUM born in Kowno, Russia.
Roger G. BARKER (1903-1990) born.

100 years ago (1913)

14.7.: Mary HENLE is born in Cleveland, OH.
18.8.: Gaetano KANIZSA (19913-1993) is born in Trieste, Italy.
21.8.: Kennower W. BASH (1913-1986) is born. in Glasgow/New Scotia (Ca).

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Über unbemerkte Empfindungen und Urteilstäuschungen’. Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 66, 51-80. – ‘Zum Funktionsbegriff bei Aphasischen’. Münchner Medizinische Wochenschrift, 60, 2651.
  • Kurt KOFFKA: ‘Beiträge zur Psychologie der Gestalt- und Bewegungserlebnisse’. Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 67, 353-358.
  • David KATZ: ‘Über individuelle Verschiedenheiten bei der Auffassung von Figuren’. Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 65, 161-180.

90 years ago (1923)

Josefa ZOLTOBROCKI (1923-1995) born in Aschaffenburg, Germany.

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Zur Theorie der stroboskopischen Bewegung’. Psychologische Forschung, 3, 397-406.
  • Eino KAILA: ‘Gegenstandsfarbe und Beleuchtung’. Psychologische Forschung, 3, 18-59. – ‘Die Lokalisierung der Objekte bei Blickbewegungen’. Psychologische Forschung, 3, 60-77.

80 years ago (1933)

Nazi takeover in Germany. Many scientists have to flee or emigrate under the pressure.
Max WERTHEIMER comes to the United States and joins the faculty of the New School for Social Research (the ‘University of Exile’, founded by Alvin JOHNSON).
Giuseppe GALLI born.

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Dynamics in Psychology’. New York..
  • Molly HARROWER: ‘Organization and higher mental processes’. Psychologische Forschung, 17, pp. 56-120.
  • Adhémar GELB: ‘Ein Beitrag zur Psychopathologie der Farbwahrnehmung’. Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 129, 42-59. – ‘Über eine eigenartige Sehstörung (Dysmorphopsie) infolge von Gesichtsfeldeinengung’. Psychologische Forschung, 4, 42-63.
  • Kurt GOTTSCHALDT: ‘Der Aufbaue des kindlichen Handelns’. Leipzig: Barth.
  • Kurt GOLDSTEIN: ‘Über Täuschungen des Tastsinns unter pathologischen Umständen’. Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 129, 282-290.

70 years ago (1943)

12.10.: Max WERTHEIMER (1880-1943) dies  in New Rochelle, NY.
Otto von LAUENSTEIN dies.

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘A perspective on American psychology’. Psychological Review, 50, 77-79.
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Defining the ‘field’ at given time’. Psychological Review, 50, 292-310.
  • Werner WOLFF: The Expression of Personality, New York: Harper.

60 years ago (1953)

2.5.: David KATZ (1884-1953) dies in Stockholm, Sweden.

  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Die Lösung sozialer Konflikte. Ausgewählte Abhandlungen über Gruppendynamik’. Bad Nauheim: Christian Verlag.
  • Martin SCHEERER: ‘Personality and cognitive theory’. Journal of personality, 22, 1-16.

50 years ago (1963)

Karl BÜHLER (1879-1963) dies.

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Gestalt psychology in 1962’. Psychologia, 6, 3-6.
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Feldtheorie in den Sozialwissenschaften’. Stuttgart: Huber.
  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Zur Geschichte der Gestalttheorie in Deutschland’. Psychologia, 6, 11-21.

40 years ago (1973)

14.8.: Ferdinand WEINHANDL (1896-1973) dies in Graz, Austria.

  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Vom Vorurteil zur Toleranz’. Hannover: Niedersächsische Landeszentrale für Politische Bildung.
  • Giuseppe GALLI: ‘Methodologische Grundsätze zur Erforschung des phänomenalen Ich’. Psychologische Beiträge, 15, 550-574.

30 years ago (1983)

The Society for Gestalt Theory and its Applications (GTA) holds its 3rd Scientific Convention in Münster, Germany.
10.10.: Heinrich SCHULTE (1898-1983) dies in Bremen, Germany.

  • Molly HARROWER publishes ‘Kurt Koffka, an unwitting self-portrait‘, with a preface by Mary HENLE. Gainesville: University Presses of Florida.
  • Giuseppe GALLI: ‘Psychoanalyse und Gestalttheorie. Zwei Methoden im Vergleich’. Gestalt Theory, 5, 23-29.

20 years ago (1993)

The Society for Gestalt Theory and its Applications (GTA) holds its 8th Scientific Convention in Cologne, Germany: “HUMANE RESEARCH – HUMANE ACTION. On occasion of the 50th anniversary of Max WERTHEIMERs death.”
Abraham S. LUCHINS Honorary Member of the GTA.
28.9.: Maria RICKERS-OVSIANKINA (1898-1993) dies – she is interred at the family plot in Rendsburg, Germany.
Gaetano KANIZSA (1913-1993) dies.
Tamara DEMBO (1902-1993) dies.
23.3.: Julián de AJURIAGUERRA (1911-1993) dies in Villefranque, France.

  • Michael WERTHEIMER: ‘On the Occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of Max Wertheimer’s Death.’ Gestalt Theory, 15, 165-171.

110 years ago (1902)

  • Tamara DEMBO (1902-1993) born in Baku, Russia.
  • Anitra KARSTEN (1902-1988) born in Abo (Turku), Finland.
  • Kurt GOTTSCHALDT (1902-1991) born in Dresden, Germany (25.4.).
  • Andras ANGYAL born.
  • Junius F. BROWN born.

100 years ago (1912)

  • Max WERTHEIMER publishes ‘Experimentelle Studien über das Sehen von Bewegung‘, Zeitschrift für Psychologie 61, 161-265 (‘Experimental Studies on the Seeing of Motion‘), in which the effect of so-called apparent motion (induced by stroboscopic presentation) is identified as the phi phenomenon to stress the psychological reality of the experience in contrast to the older practice of describing the effect as an illusion or mis-perception.

90 years ago (1922)

  • Wolfgang KöHLER appointed Professor in succession of Carl STUMPF in Berlin (Psychological Institute of the Berlin University)
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Der Begriff der Genese in Physik, Biologie und Entwicklungsgeschichte: eine Untersuchung zur vergleichenden Wissenschaftslehre’ (Berlin: Springer).
  • Kurt KOFFKA: ‘Perception: an introduction to Gestalt theory’. Psychological Bulletin, 19 (10), pp. 531-581.

80 years ago (1932)

  • Christian von EHRENFELS dies.
    Kurt LEWIN comes to United States; psychology professor at Stanford University, Cornell University, University of Iowa (1932-44).
  • E.C. TOLMAN publishes ‘Purposive Behavior in Animals and Men’, trying to synthesize Gestalt theory and behaviorism.

70 years ago (1942)

  • Wolfgang METZGER accepts teaching position at Münster University and starts the Psychological Institute.
  • E.C. TOLMAN publishes ‘Purposive Behavior in Animals and Men’, trying to synthesize Gestalt theory and behaviorism.

60 years ago (1952)

  • Solomon ASCH: Social Psychology. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.
  • Edwin RAUSCH: Struktur und Metrik figural-optischer Wahrnehmung. Frankfurt: Kramer.
  • Edwin RAUSCH: Zum Ganzheitsproblem in der Psychologie des Denkens. Studium Generale, 5, S. 479-489.

50 years ago (1962)

  • Prof. Wolfgang Köhler, Swartsmore (USA), is awarded the Wilhelm-Wundt-Medaille by the German Society for Psychology.
  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Schöpferische Freiheit’. Frankfurt: Waldemar Kramer

40 years ago (1972)

  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Psychologie für Erzieher’.

30 years ago (1982)

  • Abraham S. LUCHINS & Edith H. LUCHINS: ‘An Introduction to the Origins of Wertheimer’s Gestalt theory’. Gestalt Theory, 4, 145-171.

20 years ago (1992)

  • Bruno WALDVOGEL: “Psychoanalyse und Gestaltpsychologie – Historische und theoretische Berührungspunkte” (Stuttgart: frommann-holzboog).
  • Hans-Jürgen P. WALTER: ‘Zur erkenntnistheoretischen Differenzierung des PERLSschen Verdikts ‘Mind-fucking’. Gestalt Theory, 14, 266-279.

110 years ago (1901)

  • George KATONA born in Budapest.
  • 9.11.: Bluma ZEIGARNIK (1901-1988) is born.

100 years ago (1911)

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: Habilitation in psychology, systematic philosophy, and philosophy of history.
  • Max WERTHEIMER: ‘Über das Denken der Naturvölker’, Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 60, 321-378.

90 years ago (1921)

  • Kurt LEWIN: Habilitation at the university of Berlin; starting assistantship at the Berlin Psychological Institute (staying there until 1934)
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER appointed professor for experimental psychology and philosophy at Göttingen university
  • Psychologische Forschung, the famous journal of the new Gestalt school, is founded by K. KOFFKA, W. KÖHLER, M. WERTHEIMER, K. GOLDSTEIN, and H. GRUHLE. The first issue is published on August, 18.
  • Kurt KOFFKA: ‘Die Grundlagen der psychischen Entwicklung’. Osterwieck/Harz: Zickfeldt. (English translation was published in 1924: ‘The Growth of the Mind’, New York: Harcourt, Brace)
  • Max WERTHEIMER: ‘Untersuchungen zur Lehre von der Gestalt, I. Prinzipielle Bemerkungen’, Psychologische Forschung, 1, 47-58.
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Das Problem der Willensmessung und das Grundgesetz der Assoziation, I’. Psychologische Forschung, 1, 191-302.
  • Edgar RUBIN: ‘Visuell wahrgenommene Figuren’. (transl. of 1915 original publication into German) Kopenhagen: Gyldendal.

80 years ago (1931)

  • Tamara DEMBO: Dissertation ‘Der Ärger als dynamisches Problem’, supervised by Kurt LEWIN, is accepted at Berlin university (published in the same year in Psychologische Forschung, 15, 1-144)
  • Wolfgang METZGER follows Max WERTHEIMER to Frankfurt university as his assistant;
  • Erwin LEVY hired as an assistant of Max WERTHEIMER in Frankfurt.
  • Friedrich HOETH born (24.8.1931 – 1.6.1981). In 1978 he participated in the foundation of the GTA and was member of the 1st board of directors of the GTA.
  • Kurt KOFFKA and Molly HARROWER: ‘Color and organization, parts 1 and 2’. Psychologische Forschung, 15, pp 145-275.
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Der Übergang von der aristotelischen zur galileischen Denkweise in der Biologie und Psychologie’. Erkenntnis, 1, 421-466. – ‘Die psychologische Situation bei Lohn und Strafe’. Leipzig: Hirzel.’.
  • Martin SCHEERER: ‘Die Lehre von der Gestalt: Ihre Methode und ihr psychologischer Gegenstand’. Berlin u. Leipzig: Walter de Gruyter.
  • Cesare MUSATTI: ‘Forma e assimilazione’, Archivo italiano di psicologia, 9, 61-156.

70 years ago (1941)

  • 22.11.: Kurt KOFFKA dies in Northampton, Massachusetts.
  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Psychologie. Die Entwicklung ihrer Grundannahmen seit der Einführung des Experiments’. Dresden, Leipzig.
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘On the nature of associations. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 84, 489-502.
  • KurtLEWIN: ‘Regression, retrogression and development’. Univ. Iowa Stud. Child Welf. 18, 1-43.
  • Kurt GOLDSTEIN and M. SCHEERER: ‘Abstract and concrete behavior: an experimental study with special tests’. Psychological Monographs 53.

60 years ago (1951)

  • Edgar RUBIN dies (born 1886).
    Agostino GEMELLI dies (born 1878).
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Field theory in social science’. New York: Harper.
  • Richard MEILI: ‘Denkpsychologie’. In: D. KATZ u. R. KATZ (Hrsg.), Handbuch der Psychologie, Basel: Schwabe, pp. 172-194.
  • Edwin RAUSCH: ‘Zum Problem der Ähnlichkeit’. Psychologische Forschung, 23.
  • Abraham S. LUCHINS: ‘An Evaluation of Some Current Criticisms of Gestalt Psychological Work on Perception’. Psychological Review, 58, 69-95.
  • Abraham S. LUCHINS: ‘Towards an Experimental Clinical Psychology’. J. Person., 20, 440-456.
  • Kurt GOLDSTEIN: ‘La structure de l’organisme. Introduction à la biologie à partir de la pathologie humaine’. (French translation of The Organism) Paris: Gallimard.
  • Georg KATONA: ‘Psychological Analysis of Economic Behavior’.
  • George DEVEREUX: ‘Some criteria for the timing of confrontations and interpretations’. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 32, 19-24. (Applying Gestalt psychology to some problems in psychoanalysis.)

50 years ago (1961)

  • Mary HENLE: ‘Documents of Gestalt Psychology’. Berkeley & Los Angeles: University of California Press.
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘La psicologia della Gestalt’. Milano: Feltrinelli.
  • Ivo KOHLER: ‘The Formation and Transformation of the Perceptual World’. New York: International Universities Press.

40 years ago (1971)

  • Mary HENLE (ed.): ‘The Selected Papers of Wolfgang KÖHLER’. New York: Liveright.
  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘I fondamenti della psicologia della gestalt’. (Translation of his 1941 book ‘Psychologie’.) Florenz: Giunti Barbèra. Including Gaetano KANIZSA: ‘Attualità dell’opera di METZGER’, pp. VII-XXVIII.
  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Psychologie in der Erziehung’. Bochum: Kamp.
  • Kurt GOLDSTEIN: Selected Papers. Den Haag.
  • Abraham S. LUCHINS: ‘Some Aspects of Wertheimer’s Approach to Personality’. Journal of Individual Psychology, 17, pp. 20-26.

30 years ago (1981)

  • 9.-11.4.: 2nd Scientific Convention of the GTA at the University of Bielfeld.
  • 1.6.: Friedrich HOETH (born: 24.8.1931) dies. He was a co-founder of the GTA.
  • Paul THOLEY: ‘Empirische Untersuchungen über Klarträume’. Gestalt Theory, 3, pp 21-62.
  • Erwin LEVY: ‘A Problem in Thinking’. Psychological Reports, 49, 219-236.
  • Michael KUBOVY and J. R. POMERANTZ (eds.): ‘Perceptual Organization’. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum.

20 years ago (1991)

  • 7.-10.3.: 7th Scientific Convention of the GTA at the University of Eichstätt: Das Werk Kurt LEWINs und seine Aktualität für die Sozialwissenschaften und ihre Anwendungen (The Work of Kurt LEWIN and its Topicality for Social Sciences and their Applications).
  • 24.3.: Kurt GOTTSCHALDT dies.
  • 14.9.: Wera MAHLER dies in Tel Aviv.
  • Erwin LEVY dies in New York.
  • Max WERTHEIMER: ‘Zur Gestaltpsychologie menschlicher Werte. Aufsätze 1934-1940‘. Editor: Hans-Jürgen P. WALTER. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM: ‘The Dynamics of Problem Solving’, Gestalt Theory, 13, pp 205-209.
  • Mario ZANFORLIN, G. VALLORTIGARA, and A. AGOSTINI: ‘The Whole May Be Less Than The Sum Of Its Parts’, Gestalt Theory, 13, pp 243-249.
  • Erwin LEVY: ‘Some Further Thoughts about the Brain-Mind-Problem’, Gestalt Theory, 13, pp. 272-275.

140 years ago (1870)

  • Ernst MACH: ‘Die Gestalten der Flüssigkeit’.

130 years ago (1880)

  • 15.4.: MaxWERTHEIMER (1880-1943) is born in Prague.

120 years ago (1890)

  • 9.9.: Kurt LEWIN (1890-1947) is born in Mogilno, Posen.
    Eino KAILA (1890-1958) is born.
  • Christian von EHRENFELS: ‘Über Gestaltqualitäten’.

110 years ago (1900)

  • 28.2.: Richard MEILI (1900-1989) is born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

100 years ago (1910)

  • Max WERTHEIMER starts his research on stroboscopic movement in Frankfurt.
    Kurt LEWIN matriculates at the University of Berlin.
    Erika OPPENHEIMER is born in Frankfurt.
  • Max WERTHEIMER: ‘Musik der Wedda’, Sammelbände der internationalen Musikgesellschaft 11, 300-309. Michael Wertheimer (1980) claims that this article already shows clearly the Gestalt theoretical approach.

90 years ago (1920)

  • Wolfgang KöHLER appointed Acting Director at the Berlin Psychological Institute
    Solomon ASCH comes to the U.S.
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Die physischen Gestalten in Ruhe und im stationären Zustand’. Braunschweig: Vieweg.
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Die Sozialisierung des Taylorsystems’, Prakt. Sozialismus, Nr. 4
  • Max WERTHEIMER: ‘Über Schlußprozesse im produktiven Denken’.
  • E.M. von HORNBOSTEL und Max WERTHEIMER: ‘Über die Wahrnehmung der Schallrichtung’.

80 years ago (1930)

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Some tasks of Gestalt psychology’. In: C. Murchinson (ed.), Psychologies of 1930. Mass.: Clark University Press; London: Oxford University Press, 1930, 143-160.
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Der Übergang von der aristotelischen zur galileischen Denkweise in Biologie und Psychologie’. Erkenntnis 1, 1930/31, 421-460.

70 years ago (1940)

  • 23.2.: Karl DUNCKER dies in Swarthmore/Baltimore.
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Dynamics in Psychology’. New York: Liveright
  • MaxWERTHEIMER: ‘A Story of Three Days. In: R.N. Anshen (ed.), Freedom: Its Meaning, Harcourt, Brace
  • Gaetano KANIZSA: ‘Organizing and Memorizing.
  • Kurt GOLDSTEIN: ‘Human Nature in the Light of Psychopathology’. New York: Schoecken
  • Junius F. BROWN: ‘The Psychodynamics of Abnormal Behavior’, New York: McGraw-Hill.
  • Sibylle ESCALONA: ‘The Effect of Success and Failure upon the Level of Aspiration and Behavior in Manic-Depressive Psychoses’, University of Iowa Studies in Cild Welfare, 16, pp 199-302.
  • Viktor von WEIZSÄCKER: ‘Der Gestaltkreis’, Leipzig: Thieme

60 years ago (1950)

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Psychology and Evolution’. Acta Psychologica, 7, 2-4, 1950.
  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Zum gegenwärtigen Stand der Psychophysik’ is published in Studium Generale 3, 1950, 261-270.

50 years ago (1960)

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘The Mind-Body-Problem’. In: S. Hook, ed., Dimensions of Mind: A Symposium, New York: New York University Press, 3-23.
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM: ‘Gestalten – Yesterday and Today ‘. In F. Weinhandl (Hrsg.), Gestalthaftes Sehen (Ehrenfels-Festschrift), Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.
  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Ist die Gestalttheorie überholt?’ is published in F. Weinhandl (Hrsg.), Gestalthaftes Sehen (Ehrenfels-Festschrift), Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 279-291.
  • MILLER, GALANTER ∓ PRIBRAM: ‘Plans and the Structure of Behavior’ (linking Gestalt theoretical and cybernetics approach)

40 years ago (1970)

  • 14.5.: Fritz Salomon PERLS dies in Chicago
  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Verlorenes Paradies. Im Psychologischen Institut in Berlin 1922-1931’. In: Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Psychologie 29, 1970, 16-25.
  • Fritz HEIDER: ‘Gestalt theory: Early history and reminiscences’. Journal of the History of Behavioral Sciences.
  • Abraham S. and Edith H. LUCHINS: ‘Wertheimer’s Seminars Revisited: Problem Solving and Thinking’. 3 vols., Albany: State University of New York Faculty-Student Association.

30 years ago (1980)

  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Das Problem der Ordnung’. In: A. Thomas und R. Brackhane (Hrsg.): Wahrnehmen, Urteilen, Handeln (Witte-Festschrift). Bern: Huber 1980, 314-334.
  • Paul THOLEY: ‘Erkenntnistheoretische und systemtheoretische Grundlagen der Sensumotorik aus gestalttheoretischer Sicht’. Sportwissenschaft, 10, 1980, 7-33.
  • Paul THOLEY: ‘Klarträume als Gegenstand empirischer Untersuchungen’. Gestalt Theory, 2, 1980, 175-191.
  • Michael WERTHEIMER: ‘Max Wertheimer, Gestalt Prophet’: Gestalt Theory 2, 3-17

20 years ago (1990)

  • Abraham S. LUCHINS and Edith H. LUCHINS: ‘The Einstein-Wertheimer correspondance on geometric proofs.’ The Mathematical Intelligencer, 12(2), 35-43.
  • Rainer KÄSTL: ‘Zur Beziehung von Wolfgang Metzger zu Taoismus und Zen-Buddhismus’ (Gestalt Theory, 12, pp 141-149).

150 years ago (1859)

  • Christian von EHRENFELS (1859-1932) is born in Vienna.

120 years ago (1890)

  • Christian von EHRENFELS finalizes his paper ‘Über Gestaltqualitäten’ (published in 1890).
  • 19.11. Friedrich SANDER (1889-1971) is born in Greiz/Thüringen.

110 years ago (1899)

  • 22.7. Wolfgang METZGER (1899-1979) is born in Heidelberg.
  • 12.10. Wera MAHLER (1899-1991) is born.

100 years ago (1909)

  • Kai von FIEANDT (1909-2000) is born.
  • Sara FORER is born in Jerusalem.
  • Jerome D. FRANK is born.
  • Kurt KOFFKA: ‘Experimental-Untersuchungen zur Lehre vom Rhythmus’, Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 52, pp 1-109.

90 years ago (1919)

  • Leon FESTINGER is born
  • Kurt KOFFKA: ‘Probleme der experimentellen Psychologie II: Über den Einfluß der Erfahrung auf die Wahrnehmung’, Die Naturwissenschaften, 7, pp 597-605.

80 years ago (1929)

  • Max WERTHEIMER appointed professor at Frankfurt University
  • Adhémar GELB named codirector of the Frankfurt Psychological Institute with Wertheimer
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Gestalt Psychology’. New York: Liveright
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Ein altes Scheinproblem’, Die Naturwissenschaften, 17, pp 395-401
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Gestalttheorie und Kinderpsychologie’, Werdendes Zeitalter, 12, pp 544-50.
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Die Entwicklung der experimentellen Willenspsychologie und die Psychotherapie’, Darmstadt.
  • Adhémar GELB: ‘Die ‘Farbenkonstanz’ der Dinge’, Handbuch der normalen und pathologischen Physiologie (A. Bethe ed.), Berlin: Springer, pp 594-677.
  • Karl DUNCKER: ‘Über induzierte Bewegung’, Psychologische Forschung, 12, pp 180-259.
  • Kurt GOTTSCHALDT: ‘Über den Einfluß der Erfahrung auf die Wahrnehmung von Figuren, II’, Psychologische Forschung, 12, pp 1-87.

70 years ago (1939)

  • Kurt GRELLING: ‘A Logical Theory of Dependence’, preprinted for the members of the 5th International Congress for the Unity of Science, Cambridge, Mass. [published in B. Smith, ed., Foundations of Gestalt Theory, München-Wien: Philosophia, 1988]
  • Kurt GRELLING and Paul OPPENHEIM: ‘Logical Analysis of ‘Gestalt’ as ‘functional whole”, preprinted for the members of the 5th International Congress for the Unity of Science, Cambridge, Mass. [published in B. Smith, ed., Foundations of Gestalt Theory, München-Wien: Philosophia, 1988; re-published with an overview and introduction by A.S. LUCHINS and E.H. LUCHINS in Gestalt Theory, 21 (1/99)]
  • Karl DUNCKER: ‘The Influence of Past Experience upon Perceptual Properties’, American Journal of Psychology, 52, pp 255-65.
  • Karl DUNCKER: ‘Ethical Relativity? An Enquiry into the Psychology of Ethics’, Mind, 48, pp 39-57.
  • Karl DUNCKER and J. KRECHEVSKY: ‘On Solution Achievement’, Psychological Review, 46, pp 176-85.

60 years ago (1949)

  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Schöpferische Freiheit’, Frankfurt: Waldemar Kramer.
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM: ‘The Gestalt Theory of Expression’, Psychological Review, 54, pp 66-82.

50 years ago (1959)

  • Edward C. TOLMAN (1886-1959) dies.
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Gestalt Psychology Today’, American Psychologist, 14, pp. 727-34.
  • Abraham S. LUCHINS and Edith H. LUCHINS: ‘Rigidity of Behavior’, Eugene: University of Orgeon Press.

40 years ago (1969)

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER (posthumously published): ‘The Task of Gestalt Psychology’, Princeton University Press.
  • Wolfgang METZGER: Lecture ‘The Phenomenal-Perceptual Field as a Central Steering Mechanism’ at the 2nd Banff Conference of Theoretical Psychology (published 1972).
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM: ‘Visual Thinking’, University of California Press.
  • Lewis W. BRANDT and Wolfgang METZGER: ”Reality’ – What does it mean?’, Psychological Reports, 25, 127-35.
  • H. HELSON: ‘Why did their precursers fail and the gestalt psychologists succeed?’, American Psychologist, 24, 1006-11.
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Grundzüge der topologischen Psychologie’, Bern: Lang.
  • Alfred J. MARROW: ‘The Practical Theorist. The Life and Work of Kurt Lewin.’ New York: Basic Books.

30 years ago (1979)

  • GESTALT THEORY – An International Multidisciplinary Journal, Official Journal of the Society for Gestalt Theory and its Applications (GTA), is founded.
  • 20.12. Wolfgang METZGER (1899-1979) dies in Bebenhausen bei Tübingen
  • Gaetano KANIZSA: ‘Organization in Vision – Essays on Gestalt Perception’, New York: Praeger.
  • Mary HENLE: ‘Einer kuschte nicht – Wolfgang Köhlers Kampf gegen die Nazis’, Psychologie Heute, März 1979, 80-86.
  • Mary HENLE: ‘Phenomenology in Gestalt Psychology’, Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, 10, 1-17.
  • Abraham S. LUCHINS and Edith H. LUCHINS: ‘Wertheimer’s Seminars Revisited: Impressions and Conceptions of Personality’, and: ‘Wertheimer’s Seminars Revisited: Problems of Psychology of Character and Personality’. Both: Albany: Psychology Department Reports, State University of New York.
  • Friedrich HOETH: ‘Variablität und Konstanz als phänomenologische Kategorien’, Gestalt Theory, 1, 19-25.
  • Hans-Jürgen WALTER: ‘Die Klinische Psychologie muß Gestalt annehmen’, Psychologie heute, 6, pp 43-53.
  • Kurt GUSS (Hrsg.): ‘Gestalttheorie und Sozialarbeit’, Darmstadt: Steinkopff.

20 years ago (1989)

  • Richard MEILI (born 28.2.1900 in Schaffhausen/Switzerland) dies.
  • 5th Scientific Convention of the Society for Gestalt Theory and its Applications (GTA) in Dortmund, Germany.
  • Gunnar JOHANSSON receives the Wolfgang-Metzger-Award.
  • International Workshop in Firenze/Italy: Gestalt Psychology – Its Origins, Foundations and Influence. (Lectures were published some years later with this title by POGGI, Stefano.)
  • Leon FESTINGER (1919-1989) dies.
  • Max WERTHEIMER: ‘Eine Geschichte dreier Tage’. First published in German, translated by Marianne Kerres and Hans-Jürgen Walter, Gestalt Theory, 11, pp 68-78.
  • Edwin RAUSCH: ‘Gesetz und Zufall als Grundlagen gestalttheoretischer Phänomenologie’, Gestalt Theory, 11, pp 3-51,
  • Ernst PLAUM: ‘Psychodiagnostik in der Tradition der Lewin-Schule’, Gestalt Theory, 11, pp 122-155.

130 years ago (1878)

  • Kurt GOLDSTEIN (1878-1965) is born in Kattowitz.
  • Vittorio BENUSSI (1878-1927) is born in Trieste, Italy.

110 years ago (1898)

  • Siegmund Heinrich FOULKES (FUCHS) (1898-1976) is born in Karlsruhe

100 years ago (1908)

  • Kurt KOFFKAs dissertation “Experimentelle Untersuchungen zur Lehre vom Rhythmus” – supervised by Carl STUMPF – is approved by the University of Berlin.
  • Kurt KOFFKA: ‘Experimental-Untersuchungen zur Lehre vom Rhythmus’, Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 52, pp 1-109.

80 years ago (1918)

  • Wilhelm SALBER is born in Aaachen, Germany.
    The dissertation of Rudolf ARNHEIM – supervised by Wolfgang KÖHLER – “Experimentell-psychologische Untersuchungen zum Ausdrucksproblem” is approved by the University of Berlin (published in Psychologische Forschung, 11, pp 2-132).
  • Two of the famous Berlin dissertations (supervised by Kurt LEWIN and approved in 1927) are published: Anitra KARSTENs dissertation “Über psychische Sättigung” (Psychologische Forschung, 10, 1928, pp 142-254), and Maria OSVIANKINAs dissertation “Die Wiederaufnahme unterbrochener Handlungen” (Psychologische Forschung, 10, 1928, pp 302-379).
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER publishes several articles critically examining RIGNANOs critique of Gestalt theory (“Antwort auf Herrn Rignanos Kritik”, Scientia, 43, pp 309-322; “Bemerkungen zur Gestalttheorie. Im Anschluß an Rignanos Kritik”, Psychologische Forschung, 11, pp 188-234).
  • Molly R. HARROWER publishes “Gestalt versus Associationism” (Psyche, London, 9, pp 55-71; summarizes the KÖHLER-RIGNANO-debate).
  • Wolfgang METZGER publishes “Certain Implications in the Concept of Gestalt” (American Journal of Psychology, 40, pp 162-166).
  • Fritz KÜNKEL publishes “Einführung in die Charakterkunde” (Leipzig).

70 years ago (1938)

  • Karl DUNCKER (1903-1940) emigrates to the USA and accepts a position as instructor for psychology at Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania (which he holds until his death).
  • William McDOUGALL dies.
  • William STERN dies.
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER publishes ‘The Place of Value in a World of Facts’ (New York: Liveright).
  • Willis D. ELLIS publishes “A Source Book of Gestalt Psychology” (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner) with an introduction by Kurt KOFFKA.
  • Kurt LEWIN publishes “The Conceptual Representation and the Measurement of Psychological Forces” (Contr. Psychol. Theory, Vol. I, Nr. 4, Durham, Duke University Press) and “Experiments on Autocratic and Democratic Atmospheres” (The Social Frontier 4, No. 37, pp 316-319). Together with Ronald LIPPITT he publishes “An Experimental Approach to the Study of Autocracy and Democracy: A Preliminary Note” (Sociometry 1, pp 292-300).
  • Jacob KASANIN and Eugenia HANFMANN publish “An Experimental Study of Concept Formation in Schizophrenia”.
  • Lauretta BENDER publishes “A Visual Motor Gestalt Test and its Clinical Use”. New York: The American Orthopsychiatric Association.
  • Kai v. FIEANDT publishes “Ein neues Invarianzphänomen der Farbenwahrnehmung” (Annales Academiae Scientiarum Fennicae, Series B, vol. 41,2) and “Über Sehen von Tiefengebilden bei wechselnder Beleuchtungsrichtung” (Psychological Institute of the University of Helsinki).

60 years ago (1948)

  • Kurt GOLDSTEIN publishes “Language and Language Disturbances – Aphasic Symptom Complexes and their Significance for Medicine and Theory of Language” (New York: Grune and Stratton).
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER publishes “The Humanists’ Sin of Omission” (American Scholar, 17, pp 97-98).
  • “Resolving Social Conflicts”, a selection of papers on group dynamics by Kurt LEWIN, is published by editor Gertrud Weiss-Lewin (New York: Harper & Brothers).
  • Abraham S. LUCHINS publishes: “The Role of the Social Field in Psychotherapy” (J. Consult. Psychol, 12, pp 417-425) and “Specialized audio-aids in a group psychotherapy program for psychotics” (J. Consult. Psychol., 12, pp 313-320).
  • Hans WALLACH publishes: “Brightness Constancy and the Nature of Achromatic Colors” (Journal of Experimental Psychology, 38).
  • Sibylle K. ESCALONA publishes “An Application of the Level of Aspiration Experiment to the Study of Personality” (New York: Columbia University Press).

50 years ago (1958)

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER is elected president of the American Psychological Association (APA). He deliveres the Gifford Lectures in Edinburgh. In this year he accepts a position as Research Professor of Psychology at Dartmouth College in Hannover, New Hampshire, lasting until 1967.
  • Eino KAILA (1890-1958) dies.
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER publishes “The Present Situation in Brain Physiology” (American Psychologist, 13, pp 150-154), “Perceptual Organization and Learning” (American Journal of Psychology, 71, pp 311-315) and “The Obsessions of Normal People” (Waltham, Mass.: Brandeis University). His book “Dynamics in Psychology” (1940) is published in German: “Dynamische Zusammenhänge in der Psychologie” (Stuttgart: Hans Huber).
  • Solomon E. ASCH publishes: “The Metaphor: A Psychological Inquiry” (in: Renato TAGIURI & Luigi PETRULLO (eds) Person Perception and Interpersonal Behavior, Stanford University Press).
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM publishes “Emotion and Feeling in Psychology and Art” (Confinia Psychiatrica, Vol. 1, No. 2).
  • Kai v. FIEANDT publishes “Towards a Unitary Theory of Perception” (Psychological Review, 65, pp 315-320).
  • Michael WERTHEIMER publishes “The Relation between the Sound of a Word and its Meaning” (American Journal of Psychology, 71, pp 412-415).

40 years ago (1968)

  • Wolfgang KÖHLERs “The Place of Values in a World of Facts” (1938) is published in German: “Werte und Tatsachen”.
    Solomon E. ASCH publishes “Gestalt Theory” and Abraham S.
  • LUCHINS “Max Wertheimer” in the International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences (6, pp 158-175; 16, pp 522-526).
  • Wolfgang METZGER publishes “Gestaltwahrnehmung” (Naturwissenschaft und Medizin, 5, pp 3-24).
  • Michael WERTHEIMER and F.H. HERRING publish “Individual Differences in Figural Aftereffects: Some Problems and Potentials” (Psychology, 68(2), pp 211-214).
  • Gaetano KANIZSA and G. VICARIO publish “Ricerche sperimentali sulla percezione” (Trieste: Edizioni Università degli Studi).

30 years ago (1978)

  • The international “SOCIETY FOR GESTALT THEORY AND ITS APPLICATIONS (GTA)” is founded with Wolfgang METZGER as its honorary president. Edwin RAUSCH and Mànes SPERBER become honorary members of the GTA.
  • Abraham S. LUCHINS and Edith H. LUCHINS publish “Revisiting Wertheimer’s Seminars”, Vol. 1: Value, Social Influence and Power; Vol. 2: Problems in Social Psychology (Cranbury, N.J.: Bucknell University Press); Vol. 6: Expression of Personality and Memory for Impressions (Albany: State University of New York Faculty-Student Association).
  • Mary HENLE publishes “Gestalt Psychology and Gestalt Therapy” (Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, 14, pp 23-32) and “Kurt Lewin as Metatheorist” (Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, 14, pp 233-237).
  • Werner WOLFF publishes “Diagrams of the Unconscious: Handwriting and Personality in Measurement, Experiment and Analysis” (New York: Grune & Stratton).
  • Kai v. FIEANDT and I.K. MOUSGAARD publish “The Perceptual World” (London/New York/San Francisco: Academic Press).

20 years ago (1988)

  • 2.1. Fritz HEIDER (born 1896 in Vienna/Austria) dies in the United States.
  • 24.2. Bluma ZEIGARNIK (born 9.11.1900) dies in Moscow.
  • Anitra KARSTEN (born 1902) dies.
  • Abraham S. LUCHINS publishes “The Rise and Decline of the American Asylum Movement in the 19th Century” (The Journal of Psychology, 122(5), pp 471-486).
  • Paul THOLEY publishes “A Model for Lucidity Training as a Means of Self-Healing and Psychological Growth” (in: J. GACKENBACH & S. LaBERGE (eds), Conscious Mind, Sleeping Brain, New York: Plenum Press, pp 263-288).
  • William EPSTEIN publishes “Has Time Come to Rehabilitate Gestalt Theory?” Psychological Research, 50, pp 2-6.

130 years ago (1877)

  • 25.2. Erich M. v. HORNBOSTEL (1877-1935) is born (musicologist and psychologist who worked with Max WERTHEIMER in Berlin and contributed to Gestalt theory in research on acustics and vision).
  • 6.7. Robert OGDEN (1877-1959) is born in Binghampton, N.Y.

120 years ago (1887)

  • 1.1. Dimitrii USNADZE (1887-1950) is born.
  • 21.1.: Wolfgang KÖHLER (1887-1967) is born in Reval (today: Talinn) in Estonia.
  • 18.11. Adhémar GELB (1887-1936) is born in Moscow.

110 years ago (1897)

  • 9.8.: Lauretta BENDER (1897-1987) is born in Butte / Montana.
  • 27.9. Cesare MUSATTI (1897-1989) is born in Dolo (Venezia).
  • Susanne LIEBMANN (1897-1990) is born.

100 years ago (1907)

  • 11.4. Erwin LEVY (1907-1991) is born in Graudenz (Poland).
  • 10.6. Fabio METELLI (1907-1987) is born.
  • 14.9. Solomon Eliot ASCH (1907-1996) is born in Warsaw, Poland.

90 years ago (1917)

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Intelligenzprüfungen an Anthropoiden’ (apes are shown to have the ability to grasp the situational value of an object such as a tool by a process of insight; translated into English and published in 1927: The Mentality of Apes).
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Kriegslandschaft’ (early discussion of figure-ground structures in connection with camouflage in war).

80 years ago (1927)

  • Three of the famous Berlin dissertations of LEWINs students are approved: Bluma ZEIGARNIKs dissertation ‘Über das Behalten von erledigten und erledigten Handlungen’ (published in Psychologische Forschung, 9, pp 1-85, 1927), Anitra KARSTENs dissertation ‘Über psychische Sättigung’ (published in Psychologische Forschung, 10, 1928, pp 142-254), Maria OSVIANKINAs dissertation ‘Die Wiederaufnahme unterbrochener Handlungen’ (published in Psychologische Forschung, 10, 1928, pp 302-379).
  • Kurt KOFFKA leaves Germany permanently for the United States and settles at Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts.
  • Friedhart KLIX (1927-2004) is born in Friedersdorf (Lausitz).
  • Guido PETTER is born in Luino/Varese.
  • 24.12.: Vittorio BENUSSI dies in Padua.
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Gesetz und Experiment in der Psychologie’ (Symposion, 1, pp 375-421); ‘Kindlicher Ausdruck’ (Zeitschrift für pädagogische Psychologie, 28, pp 510-526).
  • Kurt KOFFKA: ‘Bemerkungen zur Denkpsychologie’ (Psychologische Forschung, 9, pp 163-184).
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Zum Problem der Regulation’.

70 years ago (1937)

  • Paul THOLEY is born.
    Edwin RAUSCH obtains PhD from the University of Frankfurt. His dissertation ‘Über Summativität und Nichtsummativität’ (On Summativity and Nonsummativity) is published in Psychologische Forschung (21, pp 209-289).
  • KÖHLER and VON RESTORFFs paper on recognition as influenced by the contents of the material seen in the retention interval: ‘II. Analyse von Vorgängen im Spurenfeld. Zur Theorie der Reproduktion.’ (Psychologische Forschung, 21, pp 56-112).
  • Adhémar GELB: ‘Zur medizinischen Psychologie und philosophischen Anthropologie’ (Acta psychologica, 3, pp 194-271).
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Psychoanalysis and topological psychology’ (Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 1, pp 202-211). One of his Berlin students, Sara JUCKNAT publishes her dissertation ‘Anspruchsniveau und Selbstbewußtsein’ (Psychologische Forschung, 22, pp 89-179).
  • David KATZ: ‘Animals and Men’ (London: Longmans, Green).

60 years ago (1947)

  • 12.2.: Kurt LEWIN (1890-1947) dies in Newtonville, Massachusetts. He does not live to see the famous National Training Laboratories (NTL) – to which he and his colleagues laid the foundations – start their work in this year.
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER: ‘Gestalt Psychology’ is published in New York (Liveright).
  • Kurt LEWIN: ‘Group Decision and Social Change’ (in: T.M. Newcomb & E.E. Hartley, eds, Readings in social psychology, New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, pp 330-344); ‘Frontiers in Group Dynamics’ (Human Relations, 1, pp 5-41, 142-153).
  • Karl DUNCKER: ‘Phenomenology and Epistemology of Consciousness of Objects’ (Philos. Pehom. Res., 7).
  • Wolfgang KÖHLER and David A. EMERY: ‘Figural after-effects in the third dimension of visual space’ (The American Journal of Psychology, 60, pp 159-201).
  • Abraham S. LUCHINS: ‘Experiences with closed ward group psychotherapy’ (Americ. Orthopsychiat., 17, pp 511-520); ‘Group structures in group psychotherapy’ (J. Clin. Psychol., 3, pp 209-273); ‘Methods of studying the progress and outcomes of a group psychotherapy program’ (J. Consult. Psychol., 11, pp 173-183).

50 years ago (1957)

  • Wolfgang KÖHLER is elected president of the American Psychological Association.
  • Solomon E. ASCH is elected president of the Division of Personality and Social Psychology of the American Psychological Association.
  • Werner WOLFF (1904-1957) dies in New York.
  • Max WERTHEIMERs ‘Productive thinking’ (New York 1945) is first published in German, translated by Wolfgang METZGER (Produktives Denken, Frankfurt: Kramer).
  • Mary HENLE: ‘On Field Forces’ (Journal of Psychology, 43, pp 239-249); ‘Some Problems of Ecclecticism’ (Psychological Review, 64, pp 296-305).
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM: ‘Film as Art’ (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press).
  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Stimmung und Leistung’ (Münster: Aschendorff).

40 years ago (1967)

  • Solomon E. ASCH is awarded the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association.
  • 11.6.: Wolfgang KÖHLER dies in Enfield, New Hampshire.
  • Wolfgang METZGER and Anne BRUNS: ‘Entstehung und Heilung einer kindlichen Phobie’ (in: R. Mühlher and J. Fischl, eds, Gestalt und Wirklichkeit, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp 223-243). Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Der Geltungsbereich gestalttheoretischer Ansätze’ (Bericht über den 25. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie, Göttingen: Hogrefe, pp 13-24).
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM: ‘Toward a Psychology of Art’ (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press); ‘Abstraction and Empathy in Retrospect’ (Confinia Psychiatrica, 10, pp 1-15); ‘Constancy and Abstraction’ (in: R. Mühlher and J. Fischl, eds, Gestalt und Wirklichkeit, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp 71-78).

30 years ago (1977)

  • 22.6. Paul OPPENHEIM (1885-1977) dies in Princeton.
  • 13.10. Harry HELSON (1898-1977) dies.
  • Hans-Jürgen WALTERs dissertation ‘Die Gestalttheorie als wissenschaftliche Grundlage psychotherapeutischer Praxis und ihre Beziehung zu psychotherapeutischen Ansätzen der Gegenwart’ is approved at the University of Darmstadt and is first published as: Gestalttheorie und Psychotherapie – Ein Beitrag zur theoretischen Begründung der integrativen Anwendung von Gestalt-Therapie, Psychodrama, Gesprächstherapie, Tiefenpsychologie, Verhaltenstherapie und Gruppendynamik (3rd edition 1994 Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag; see reviews of this book). H.-J. WALTER publishes ‘Gestalt-Therapie, ein psychoanalytischer und gestalttheoretischer Ansatz’ (Gruppendynamik, Nr. 1, pp 3-27).
  • Wolfgang METZGER: ‘Adler als Autor’ and ‘Gestalttheorie im Exil’.
  • Mary HENLE: ‘The Influence of Gestalt Psychology in America’.
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM: ‘The Dynamics of Architectural Form’ (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press); ‘Zur Psychologie der Kunst’ (Köln: Kiepenheuer).

20 years ago (1987)

  • The international Society for Gestalt Theory and its Applications (GTA) holds its 5th Scientific Convention at the University of Regensburg, Germany.
  • 9.10. Lee E. TRAVIS (1896-1987) dies.
  • Gestalt Theory publishes a special issue commemorating the 100th birthday of Wolfgang KÖHLER (Gestalt Theory, 9, No 3-4). It contains the German translation of KÖHLERs ‘The Obsessions of Normal People’ by A. Zimmer and contributions by K. Foppa, D. Heckelmann, T. Hermann, S. Jaeger, P. Keiler, H. Lück, M. Müller, W. Schönpflug, V. Schurig, L. Sprung, H. Wallach.
  • Solomon E. ASCH publishes the paperback edition of his ‘Social Psychology’ (Oxford University Press) with a new preface commenting the developments in social psychology since the first edition of his famous book 35 years before.
  • A.S. LUCHINS and E.H. LUCHINS: ‘The Influences of Thinking, Surveyability and Illustrations on Einstellung Effects’ (Gestalt Theory, 9, pp 17-27); ‘Max Wertheimer in America: 1933-1943’ (Part I, Gestalt Theory, 9, pp 134-160).
  • Rudolf ARNHEIM: ‘Prägnanz and its Discontents’ (Gestalt Theory, 9, pp 102-107).
  • Molly HARROWER: ‘The Inside Story: Self-Evaluation Reflecting Basic Rorschach Types’ (Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum), co-aothored by Dawn BOWERS.
  • Mary HENLE: ‘On breaking out of dichotomies’ (Gestalt Theory, 9, pp 140-149).
  • G. KANIZSA and R. LUCCIO: ‘Formation and categorization of visual objects’ (Gestalt Theory, 9, pp 111-127).

The Gestalt Archive contains important Gestalt theoretical articles, both classical and topical:

Max Wertheimer (1924) – Gestalt Theory

What is Gestalt theory and what does it intend? Gestalt theory was the outcome of concrete investigations in psychology, logic, and epistemology. The prevailing situation at the time of its origin may be briefly sketched as follows. We go from the world of everyday events to that of science, and not unnaturally assume that in making this transition …
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Erich M. von Hornbostel (1927) – The Unity of the Senses

For the deaf there is no music. The obvious must always be suspect; we should question it – at least a little, tentatively – asking, Why is it so ?
A dancer had a dance, “The Lily”. Her humanity vanished in the high waving chalice of her veil, a deep violet faded away in spirals, ….
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Wolfgang Metzger (1928) – Certain Implications in the Concept of Gestalt

It is well-nigh impossible to present a new idea without arousing a great variety of misunderstandings, for the clothing of a new idea in words is like the putting of new wine into old bottles. …
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Kurt Koffka (1928) – On the Structure of the Unconscious

Originally published in: The Unconscious. A Symposium, (1928), New York: Alfred A. Knopf, pp. 43-68.
The concept of the unconscious plays a fundamental part in many psychological systems, although as its very name indicates it is defined more by what it is not than by what it is. …
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Kurt Koffka (1935) – Principles of Gestalt Psychology

Chapter I: Why Psychology?
When I first conceived the plan of writing this book I guessed, though I did not know, how much effort it would cost to carry it out, and what demands it would put on a potential reader. And I doubted, not rhetorically but very honestly and sincerely, …
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Kurt Lewin (1935) – A Dynamic Theory of Personality

First published in Gestalt Theory, Vol. 21, No 3 (Nov. 1999), pp 181-183
New York & London: McGraw-Hill, pp. 239-273.

There is an English translation of some of the contributions of Lewin’s Berlin group summarized by Kurt Lewin in this chapter in Joseph de Rivera’s book: Field Theory as Human Science (New York: Gardner Press 1976):

  • Maria Rickers-Ovsiankina: The Resumption of Interrupted Activities
  • Anita Karsten: Mental Satiation
  • Georg Schwarz: On Relapses in Relearning
  • Tamara Dembo: The Dynamics of Anger
  • Ferdinand Hoppe: Success and Failure

An summarized English version of

  • Bluma Zeigarnik: On Finished and Unfinished Tasks

was published in Willis D. Ellis’ book: A Source Book of Gestalt Psychology (New York: Harcourt-Brace 1938).

pdf-part 1  (pp.239-249), pdf-part 2 (pp.250-261), pdf-part 3   (pp.261-273)

Erwin Levy (1936) – A Case of Mania with its Social Implications

A business man in his forties was brought to a mental hospital as a case of “manic depressive psychosis, manic phase.” In short, he had suffered a stroke from which he had recovered quickly, except for some residua which, for practical life, were unimportant. …
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Junius F. BROWN (1937) – Psychoanalysis, Topological Psychology and Experimental Psychopathology

The academic Psychologist who has really studied psychoanalytical theory (and he is a very rare individual), ist apt to be overwhelmed by the systematic complexity of the theory and … pdf-Download

Kurt Goldstein and Martin Scheerer (1941) – Abstract and Concrete Behavior

First part of the introduction of K. Goldstein & M. Scheerer, Abstract and Concrete Behavior – An Experimental Study With Special Tests.
Psychological Monographs – Vol. 53, No. 2, Whole No. 239
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Kurt Lewin (1941) – Theory of Regression in Frustration

Regression has been defined here as a change which is opposite to development. Development includes some or all of the following changes (Chapter I, p. 14): increase in variety of behavior, increase in degree of hierarchical organizations, extension of area of activities and interests …
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Karl Duncker (1941/42)- On Pleasure, Emotion and Striving

At his untimely death, Dr. Karl Duncker of the department of psychology at
Swarthmore College, left his manuscript, which he had intended to be a chapter of a
book on motivation. In editing it, wit h a few minor exceptions ….
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Erwin Levy (1943) – Some Aspects of the Schizophrenic Formal Disturbance of Thought

Of late much work has been done in the field of the schizophrenic thought disturbance. In comparing many of these investigations with the concrete clinical material one often has the feeling of a strange contrast between the academic thinness of the former and the full richness of the latter …
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Abraham S. Luchins (1948) – The Role of the Social Field in Psychotherapy

Originally published in: J. Consult. Psychol., 1948, 12, pp. 417-425.
Contemporary psychotherapy – whether directive or nondirective, analytic or nonanalytic, administered in individual or group sessions — usually centers on the dynamics of the individual and on the creation of changes in the individual, rather than on the dynamics of the social field and on the manipulation ….
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Abraham S. Luchins & Edith H. Luchins (1959) – Comments on the Concept of Closure

The concept of closure was introduced by WERTHEIMER in his paper on the principles of perceptual organization (1923). Closure was considered as only one of several Gestalt principles of organization, all assuming to be operating in the direction of Prägnanz, a word used by WERTHEIMER to denote a tendency for organization…
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Mary Henle (1962) – Some Aspects of the Phenomenology of the Personality

Professor KÖHLER (1947, p.3) has observed: “There seems to be a single starting point for psychology, exactly as for all the other sciences: the world as we find it, naively and uncritically.” It needs hardly be mentioned that our own personality is an important part of this world as we find it. This paper will begin to apply to the psychology of personality …
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Wolfgang Metzger (1969) – The Phenomenal-Perceptual Field as a Central Steering Mechanism

It requires some courage to speak on consciousness to an American audience, for the phenomena any study of consciousness must rely on are too questionable for them. Strictly speaking they only consist of a sum of verbal reactions whose relation to the underlying observations as reported by the informant is highly complicated and whose reliability in any case remains uncertain. …
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Lewis W. Brandt and Wolfgang Metzger (1969) – ‘Reality,’ What does it mean?

Much confusion and many arguments are caused by different uses made of the word reality and by its various meanings. By definition empirical psychology deals with ‘reality’. However, it excludes some kind of ‘inner reality.’
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Wolfgang Köhler- An Old Pseudoproblem

Why are the objects of the phenomenal world perceived as before us, outside of ourselves, even though today everybody knows that they depend upon processes inside of us, in the central nervous system?
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Wolfgang Metzger (1972) – Do Schools of Psychology Still Exist?

If today we were to ask a psychologist, “What is left of the great disputes which determined the image of psychology in the twenties ?” the answer would be over-shadowed by a kind of a tacit agreement. “Those disputes belong to history. Psychological schools do not exist any more. Those particular conceptions which used to be the cause of fights as bitter as those over the articles of faith became part of our general psychological knowledge. …
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Wolfgang Metzger (1974) – Can the Subject Create His World?

In talking to younger psychologists, one finds that many of them seem to believe that perception is something at the surface of the mind, a kind of borderline problem, and that preoccupation with it is obsolete. They look with disdain at every psychological problem that does not at least deal with personality, motivation, or social intercourse. …
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Mary Henle (1975) – Gestalt Psychology and Gestalt Therapy

The purpose of this paper is to try to set the historical record straight while the history in question is still in the making. lt seeks to clarify the relations between gestalt therapy and Gestalt psychology, from which the therapy claims to derive. In considering gestalt therapy, I will confine myself to the work of Fritz Perls, the finder, …
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Abraham S. Luchins and Edith H. Luchins (1978) – Understanding Psychotics’ Speech

A psychiatrist who had been WERTHEIMER’s assistant in Germany [Erwin LEVY], started the discussion by saying that books often present statements which psychotic patients make but do not tell us much about the patients. He then described a case. When he asked a patient, How do you do? the patient did not answer. When he asked, Why don’t you answer? …
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Abraham S. Luchins and Edith H. Luchins (1978) – More on Psychotics’ Speech

In the beginning of the session, the psychiatrist made some remarks about flight of ideas. Since it sounds like rhyming, some say that it must be due to sound associations; any association that comes up is expressed and the natural, normal association that should follow is not accepted. It is also said that it is due to arbitrary changes of attention, lack of attention, and of thinking.
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Paul Tholey (1989) – Overview of the development of lucid dream research in Germany

As in other countries there were various reports of lucid dreams recorded through the centuries by German philosophers, poets and occultists. But these, as well as the investigations carried out by serious researchers, were completely ignored by scientists because they were based on personal experiences (see Schriever, 1935; Moers-Messmer, 1939). …
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Matthew Maibaum (1992) – A Lewinian Taxonomy of Psychiatric Disorders

Kurt LEWIN wrote briefly, but with considerable depth, about his conjectural ideas about mental disorder, termed ”Unreality”, and primarily from a developmental point of view. This paper, based upon this author‘s studies of LEWIN and his theorizing about the growth of levels of reality, and boundaries, will discuss some theorized bases of major mental disturbances as they would be explained, and explainable, according to Lewinian field theory. ..
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Abraham S. Luchins (1993) – On Being Wertheimer’s Student

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Abraham S. Luchins & Edith H. Luchins (1997) – A sampling of Gestalt psychologists’ remarks on psychoanalysis

WERTHEIMER and other Gestalt psychologists at times made critical remarks about psychoanalysis in seminars at the New School. These remarks may have led Abraham MASLOW, who attended the seminars, to form the opinion, which will be cited more fully later, …
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Abraham S. Luchins (1997) – On Schulte, Wertheimer, and Paranoia

With an excerpt from WERTHEIMERs Seminars and an additional comment
by Daniel J. Luchins
WERTHEIMER presented (in about 1936-1937) the case of a wounded delusional Russian Tartar – a prisoner of war – being treated in an Austrian Army hospital. He used the case to illustrate the role of the social field in producing psychopathological behavior.
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Hans-Jürgen Walter (1997) – Gestalt Theoretical Psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Familiarity with cognitive behaviour therapy, particularly the social cognitive approach, is widely assumed here. My paper is a part of a more comprehensive treatment of this theme in which my sister, Irene PAULS, wrote large parts of the section dealing with cognitive behaviour therapy. ..
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Hans-Jürgen Walter (1999) – What do Gestalt therapy and Gestalt theory have to do with each other?

The above question permits answers ranging from “absolutely nothing” to “they’re basically the same thing”. I have phrased it in that way because I suspect it is possible for the answers those present will give to cover the entire spectrum between these two poles.
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Abraham S. Luchins & Edith H. Luchins (1999)  – Isomorphism in Gestalt Theory: Comparison of Wertheimer’s and Köhler’s Concepts

The term isomorphism literally means equality or sameness (iso) of form (morphism). In mathematics an isomorphism between two systems requires a one-to-one correspondence between their elements (that is, each element of one system corresponds to one and only one element of the other system, and conversely), which also preserves structures.
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Abraham S. Luchins & Edith H. Luchins (2000/2001) – Kurt Grelling – Steadfast Scholar in a Time of Madness

Kurt GRELLING was born on 2 March 1886. His father, the Doctor of Jurisprudence Richard GRELLING, and his mother, Margarethe (née SIMON), were Jewish. Although Kurt GRELLING may have been baptized, his Jewish origins and his socialist political views ended his teaching career after the Nazis took control in 1933. 
Kurt Grelling Picture Gallery
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Fiorenza Toccafondi (2002) – Receptions, Readings and Interpretions fo Gestaltpsychologie

On reflection, we may become disorientated when following the image of Gestaltpsychologie in 20th century philosophical, epistemological, psychological and history of science literature. Gestaltpsychologie interpretations are varied, and at times diametrically opposed. We may find innatist, empiristic and idealistic interpretations. According to other readings, the Gestalt perspective was characterised by determinism, reductionism, cryptorealism and by a debasement of the subject’s role. Moreover, we may come across strained interpretations, accentuated to various degrees, with generic or metaphoric references and – in some cases – even historically incorrect. The aim of this essay is to offer a minimum selection, but sufficiently representative of the most significant transfigurations undergone by the Gestaltpsychologie of WERTHEIMER, KÖHLER and KOFFKA.
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Mario Zanforlin (2004) – Gestalt Theory in Italy – Is it Still Alive ?

At interational level Gestalt theory in Italy appears to have disappeared after the death of its most influential followers F.METELLI and G.KANIZSA.To show that this is not true and as evidence that Gestalt theory is still alive in Italy, more than twenty papers were presented at a meeting held last February in Padua entitled “Recent developments of Gestalt theory in Italy “.
In considering why young researchers today do not appear to call themselves Gestaltists, two main factors are suggested:
1) the changes in institutional organization that has transferred “academic power “over publications from the Directors of the Institute to “international referees “of non Gestalt orientation;
2) the internal debate among Gestalt oriented researchers,”descendants “of METELLI and KANIZSA, that has led some of them to prefer the term “Experimental Phenomenology”. From their writings it emerges that they seem to be closer to WERTHEIMER’s position rather than KÖHLER’s. They consider KÖHLER ‘ physiology and phenomenology as two independent sciences and are not interested in physiology. But there are also those who believe that it is possible to demonstrate a parallel between isomorphic physiological processes and phenomena.
In any case, leaving aside individual differences, all the young researchers use Gestalt concepts and phenomenological methods of investigation. Gestalt is still the main theory of reference for many young researchers and if it does not appear so evident from abroad, this is simply because, often, they do not discuss the general theoretical implications of their experimental results.
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First Part:  Selected articles 1979-1999

Note: Please be aware that some of the files below are pre-print versions and may in some cases not have the same page numbers as the published version.
Hinweis: Einige der hier zum Download zur Verfügung gestellte Dateien sind Pre-Print-Versionen und weisen nicht die gleiche Paginierung wie die tatsächlichen Druckversionen auf.

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Second Part: Selected Articles 2000-2008

Note: Please be aware that some of the files below are pre-print versions and may in some cases not have the same page numbers as the published version.

Hinweis: Einige der hier zum Download zur Verfügung gestellte Dateien sind Pre-Print-Versionen und weisen nicht die gleiche Paginierung wie die tatsächlichen Druckversionen auf.

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