Gestalt Psychology Research Articles (Page 1)

This study examines the application of humanistic principles in Arabic language learning, emphasizing their role in developing students' motivation and learning independence. The research employs a library research method by systematically reviewing primary and secondary sources including journal articles, research findings, and academic works published between 2015 and 2025 that are relevant to humanistic education, Arabic language pedagogy, motivation, and learner autonomy. Data were collected through documentation techniques and analyzed using content analysis and qualitative descriptive analysis. The analytical stages consisted of: (1) collecting and selecting relevant literature, (2) reducing data by identifying major themes, (3) classifying concepts based on the humanistic theories of Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, and Gestalt psychology, and (4) drawing inductive conclusions from recurring patterns and findings. The results indicate that the application of humanistic principles positively influences students’ motivation and learning independence. The research gap identified in this study lies in the limited number of investigations directly connecting humanistic pedagogy with the development of learning independence in Arabic language education. Most previous studies focus on school-level learners rather than university students, and longitudinal research remains scarce. Overall, this study concludes that the application of humanistic principles strengthens intrinsic motivation and fosters learner independence. Future research is recommended to adopt empirical and longitudinal approaches to explore the long-term effects of humanistic education and to develop specific instruments for measuring learning independence in Arabic language contexts.

Contentopic mapping in ventral and dorsal association cortex: The topographical organization of manipulable object information

Background/Objectives: Gestalt therapy traditionally opposes categorical diagnostic labelling due to its fundamental inconsistency with phenomenological and process-oriented ontology. However, this epistemological rigour can limit integration with structured evidence-based interventions for complex personality organizations such as Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Despite the evidence base for DBT and Schema Therapy in treating BPD, these approaches may inadvertently minimize the lived phenomenological experience and organismic wisdom central to recovery. Meanwhile, Gestalt therapy’s anti-diagnostic stance limits its integration with structured evidence-based protocols. This paper proposes a hybrid theoretical model that addresses this gap by integrating the clinical epistemology of Gestalt therapy with Linehan’s biosocial theory of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and schema-focused interventions, while preserving the core principles of Gestalt. Methods: we present a model of theoretical integration that draws on Gestalt contact theory, the four modules of DBT (mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness) and the experiential techniques of Schema Therapy. The integration focuses on the dialectic of acceptance and change, which mirrors Gestalt’s paradoxical theory of change. The proposed framework preserves the non-protocol dimension of Gestalt therapy while incorporating the pragmatic utility of DBT and Schema Therapy. Results: key conceptual contributions we propose include: (1) theorizing the “Draft Self” as the object and subject of therapeutic work, (2) integrating mindfulness and grounding as embodied processes within live Gestalt experiments, (3) activation techniques to explore the identity fragmentation endemic to BPD. Conclusions:his integration offers a coherent, embodied, and process-oriented framework for understanding and treating BPD that validates patients’ lived experience, mobilizes evidence-based interventions, and opens up meaningful intertheoretical dialogue.

ABSTRACT This paper explores the role of aesthetics in Gestalt therapy, focusing on the concept of aesthetic diagnosis as outlined in the European Association for Gestalt Therapy (EAGT) Professional Competencies and Quality Standards and the work of practitioners. It highlights how aesthetic criteria, such as grace, fluidity, strength, and harmony, serve as essential tools for therapists to evaluate and intervene in the quality of contact within the therapeutic relationship. Aesthetic diagnosis is presented as a sensory, moment-to-moment evaluation process that guides therapeutic action and is inseparable from intervention. The paper further examines the co-creation of meaningful experiences in therapy, shaped by the therapist’s attunement to these aesthetic criteria, while integrating core Gestalt principles such as field theory and the co-creation of contact at the boundary. By comparing EAGT standards with other perspectives on aesthetics, this paper emphasizes the importance of aesthetic qualities in facilitating dynamic and effective therapeutic interactions, leaving space for adjusting the exact aesthetic qualities by theorists and practitioners. Incorporating Gestalt aesthetic elements into a person-centered approach (PCA) would be a meeting point between Perls and Rogers, combining Gestalt’s emphasis on sensory, embodied awareness with Rogers’ emphasis on empathic relationship and congruence.

The complex jet-ground interactions of Short Take-off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft are critical to flight safety and performance, yet studying them with traditional full-scale wind tunnel tests is prohibitively expensive and time-consuming, hindering design optimization. This study addresses this challenge by developing and numerically verifying a “pressure ratio–momentum–geometry” multi-dimensional similarity framework, enabling accurate and efficient scaled-model analysis. Systematic simulations of an F-35B-like configuration demonstrate the framework’s high fidelity. For a representative curved nozzle configuration (e.g., the F-35B three-bearing swivel duct nozzle, 3BSD), across scale factors ranging from 1:1 to 1:15, the plume deflection angle remains stable at 12° ± 1°. Concurrently, axial force (F) and mass flow rate (Q) strictly follow the square scaling relationship (F∝1/n2, Q∝1/n2), with deviations from theory remaining below 0.15% and 0.58%, respectively, even at the 1:15 scale, confirming high-fidelity momentum similarity, particularly in the near-field flow direction. Second, a 1:13.25 scale aircraft model, constructed using Froude similarity principles, exhibits critical parameter agreement (intake total pressure and total temperature) of the prototype-including vertical axial force, lift fan mass flow, and intake total temperature—all less than 1.5%, while the critical intake total pressure error is only 2.2%. Fountain flow structures and ground temperature distributions show high consistency with the full-scale aircraft, validating the reliability of the proposed “pressure ratio–momentum–geometry” multi-dimensional similarity criterion. The framework developed herein has the potential to reduce wind tunnel testing costs and shorten development cycles, offering an efficient experimental strategy for STOVL aircraft research and development.

The rapid development following the emergence of web technologies has facilitated users' access to information. The design processes of web platforms are of great importance to ensure that all users can access these platforms. Within this process, it can be said that the use of web accessibility in the field of web technologies has become a key element. In this context, the need has arisen for individuals with various disadvantages and general users to access digital platforms on equal terms. Web accessibility is not limited to the implementation of technical criteria; it is also associated with users’ ability to perceive and interpret focal points through the fundamental principles of visual and cognitive psychology. In this regard, the transition of web accessibility from technical standards to the process of visual perception and interpretation offers a significant perspective through Gestalt Psychology and theory. The visual perception principles of Gestalt Psychology and theory, which are increasingly utilized in design processes, are widely used in interface designs of digital platforms and in the design of accessible websites. Web platforms prepared in accordance with Gestalt principles and WCAG 2.1 web accessibility criteria are of critical importance in being equal, accessible, and barrier-free for all users. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine the websites of universities in terms of web accessibility criteria and to determine the extent to which they comply with these criteria. The study provides information on the use of Gestalt principles and web accessibility criteria in web interface design, the importance of web accessibility, and fundamental issues related to the web. In the study, based on the Webometrics Index ranking, the websites of the foundation universities ranked among the top three and the state universities ranked among the bottom three in Türkiye were examined within the scope of 30 basic web accessibility criteria of WCAG 2.1 Level A. In this context, the web accessibility status of the universities was revealed, deficiencies were identified, and necessary recommendations were provided.

A correlation study between the concept of gestalt principles in psychology and wholistic concept of homoepathy: A brief overview

This book addresses the philosophical problem of expressiveness, defined as the capacity of objects to convey affective states. Common in both everyday language and artistic contexts, expressive attributions pose significant philosophical questions. The book has a dual aim: to clarify the nature of experiencing objects as expressive and to propose a novel theory of "expressive experience." The first aim involves examining existing attempts to understand expressive experience, identifying misunderstandings about the mental states involved, and specifying the role of emotions. The second aim builds on this clarification, presenting an original theory that synthesizes key insights from previous accounts. While the primary focus is the analytic debate of the past fifty years, the book also incorporates perspectives from phenomenology, Gestalt psychology, and ecological psychology. Expressiveness intersects with various philosophical and psychological issues, challenging theories of perception and emotions, and bridging aesthetics with the philosophy of mind, developmental psychology, and cognitive sciences.

Enumerating a large set of objects (e.g., more than four items) can be accomplished more quickly and/or accurately when the objects are grouped into clusters based on Gestalt principles such as proximity and color similarity, a phenomenon known as "groupitizing." However, whether other visuospatial features can similarly influence this mechanism remains unclear. This study investigated the impact of a novel feature: shape-from-dots homogeneity. Participants performed a simple enumeration task involving dot patterns, ranging from four to 20 items, spatially arranged in small clusters. In Experiment 1, the dots within the clusters were placed to form either homogeneous patterns of regular quadrilaterals (e.g., squares) or heterogeneous patterns of irregular, randomly shaped quadrilaterals. To test whether the effect was simply due to symmetry/canonicity, in Experiment 2, the dots within the clusters were placed to form either homogeneous patterns of regular quadrilaterals (e.g., squares) or homogeneous patterns of irregular, randomly shaped quadrilaterals. The results revealed that enumeration reaction times were significantly faster when clusters formed homogeneous shapes compared to heterogeneous ones (Experiment 1), while no difference was found when both patterns contained homogeneous arrays independently of the shapes (Experiment 2), ruling out that the effect was merely driven by spatial symmetry or canonicity. These findings indicate a close interaction between general shape processing and numerosity perception in the Groupitizing mechanism. This suggests that shape-from-dots homogeneity can facilitate numerosity processing akin to other Gestalt principles, likely promoting a multiplication mechanism.

Abstract The text concerns the issue of subjective expression, which was so important throughout Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s philosophical oeuvre and considered by him, among others, in relation to the question of expressiveness (clarity). This category would characterise not only subjective acts of expression, but also a certain alleged objective state of affairs. The notion of expressiveness appears in writings on aesthetics and is associated with the category of individual artistic style, but it can also be regarded as an epistemological category. One might call it a category of everyday thinking and colloquial language, the meaning of which is not sufficiently clarified. The category of expressiveness serves to characterise various representations – cultural representations, utterances of individual subjects, as well as conveyed information – claiming the right to objectivity. It is precisely the combination of the subjective and the objective that would distinguish the category of expressiveness from the category of expression – the expression of subjectivity, which Merleau-Ponty considered in his works on style, sign and meaning, and the relationship between the visible and the invisible. It is easy to notice that the category of expressiveness is found in tradition in the form of the term “expressis verbis,” and this is the point of reference for the reflections presented in this article. However, the starting point for an analysis of expressiveness must be the issue of expression. A specific conception of expression was proposed by Merleau-Ponty, including gestural expression and verbal expression. Merleau-Ponty’s semiotic and aesthetic conceptions are very good examples of expression’s understanding, similar to the category of “expressiveness” – a category present in everyday thinking, but not problematised at the research level. Merleau-Ponty reformulated not only what is expressive, but also what is impressive – the issue of reception, which he comprehended as a certain creative and, as well as productive process (as a certain cognitive construction in accordance with phenomenology but also the Gestalt theory). In conclusion, it will be necessary to return to those complex relationships between subjective expression, expressiveness and impression (receptivity).

The Gestalt computational model by persistent homology.

The Doppler effect resulting from the discrepancy in flow speed between flight conditions and ground testing conditions is a primary factor contributing to the inconsistency between structural and aerodynamic frequencies. To mitigate the impact of the Doppler effect in ground-based measurements, this study derives a similarity law for flow-induced vibration that accounts for the variation in flow speed. The findings of this research highlight that the key to formulating the similarity law lies in linearizing the natural frequencies of scaled models. To achieve this, a frequency division method is introduced, considering the differences in modal types, such as plate modes, curvature-dominated modes, and intermediate modes. In contrast to the frequency division method, the modal equivalence method offers a more unified expression of the similarity law, which is more practical for engineering applications. This work effectively addresses the Doppler effect in the derivation of similarity laws, providing a theoretical foundation for the accurate measurement of full-scale aircraft vibrations using scaled models.

Abstract Starting from the relationship between Merleau-Ponty and Gestalt psychology, this essay aims to investigate and clarify the nature of pictorial representations, taking the work Eye and Mind as its point of departure. When examined critically, the scientific analysis of Gestalt psychologists allows us to grasp the “existential” significance of perception, that is, that dimension of meaning which, according to Merleau-Ponty, can be found both in the world of experience and in pictorial representations. Wertheimer’s laws of unification, and more generally, the factors highlighted by Gestalt-based perception psychologists, can be understood as the conditions of appearance of pictorial representations. From this investigative perspective, it is possible to propose a description of the nature of representations that moves beyond both the notions of “similarity” and denotation, understood here as cultural conventions or linguistic codes (Goodman). The painter, through their work, does not merely imitate the world but rather re-creates it. In this sense, “similarity” may emerge as a consequence of what painters achieve, but it is neither the foundation of their work nor an explanation of their activity. The aim, therefore, is to clarify the relationship between art, the world, and visual perception, by analyzing some examples (particularly from the works of Cézanne and Magritte), in order to grasp the true nature of pictorial representations.

The restart ability is a significant concern in the design of hypersonic inlets, but existing theoretical and empirical formulas can hardly accurately predict the restart characteristics. To develop a universal rapid prediction method, this paper explores the similarity law of the restart phenomenon at variable Mach numbers based on systematic numerical simulation. The corrected contraction angle and internal contraction ratio (ICR) that reflect the influence of multiple geometric and aerodynamic parameters are proposed, and an empirical formula for restart boundaries is established and validated by the literature data. It is revealed that the restart boundaries obey an inherent geometric similarity law, and the discrete relation between Mach number and ICR, emphasized by most existing studies, is not essential. The restart-critical wall pressure characteristics are analyzed, and a self-similar pressure criterion is obtained with the incident shock strength considered.

For clinicians, the law of similarity ( simila principle ) is to prescribe to a patient, a medicine that when administered repeatedly, diluted and dynamized, to one or more healthy individuals during an experiment (proovings), makes the symptoms appear most similar to those of the patient. These symptoms are collected in Materia Medica. Is this principle so strange and rare in biology? Some researchers find it in immunology. (1) Our goal today is to show that this concept of similarity can also be found in neurophysiology, as illustred below: -The mirror neurons. They allow organisms to virtually feel and experience scenes observed in another individual. (2) A mimetic informational output/input can be considered. - The effectiveness of mirror therapy in phantom limb pain.(3) In 1996, Ramachandran introduced a new inexpensive device--a 'virtual reality box'--to visually resurrect the phantom limb. Initially, it was a box with mirror that created a virtual image and reflection of the missing member. Today it can be replaced by computerized visual systems. -Treatment of nightmare disorders. (4) Before going to bed, consciously relive the nightmare by slightly changing its contents, especially the end. Discussion: In these three examples, the organism is facing an external information which in turn has a biological, physiological or curative action. As for the law of Similarity, there is an input/output, a back and forth in information, with a similar or very close image. It’s like a mirror effect, just as the homeopathic remedy is a reflection of the patient’s symptoms. Conclusion: The Principle of Similarity could be considered as an informational output/input concept that can be found in biology and especially in neurophysiology. A mirror effect with biological action .This is not a specific feature of homeopathy. It fits into the informational paradigm. References 1) Bellavite P. and coll. Immunology and Homeopathy. 5 . The Rationale of the 'Simile' 04 January 2007 2) Bonini L, Rotunno C, Arcuri E, Gallese V. Mirror neurons 30 years later: implications and applications. Trends Cogn Sci. 2022 Sep;26(9):767-781. 3) Campo-Prieto P, Rodríguez-Fuentes G. Effectiveness of mirror therapy in phantom limb pain: a literature review. Neurologia (Engl Ed). 2022 Oct;37(8):668-681. 4) Gieselmann A. and coll. Aetiology and treatment of nightmare disorder: State of the art and future perspectives J Sleep Res. 2019 Jan 29;28(4):

Homeopathy, founded about two centuries ago by Samuel Hahnemann, is a clinical methodology based on the law of similarity: similia similibus curentur . During homeopathic therapy, small doses of substances are administered to the patient which, if administered to a healthy subject in large doses , would produce symptoms similar to those suffered by the patient. The active ingredients contained in homeopathic medicines are extremely diluted, in fact, in some medicines, the active ingredients are not present at all, therefore homeopathy is often compared to a placebo therapy by numerous skeptics who disapprove and criticize it harshly, but, based on the results obtained with scientific research, many disapprovals and many criticisms can be revised and scaled down significantly, in fact, authoritative in vitro studies, in vivo studies and clinical studies provide very significant information that facilitate a scientific discussion on the effectiveness of homeopathic medicine. If it is true that some homeopathic medicines are totally devoid of active ingredients, it is equally true that they are effective, not because of the placebo effect, but probably because of the so-called water memory . The theory is interesting: the water in which the active ingredients are diluted and homeopathically dynamized would undergo significant modifications, and even when the active ingredients disappear definitively from the aqueous solution through progressive dilutions, the water would retain the memory of them. This theory is now supported by authoritative scientific studies and enlightening experiments on the basis of which it is possible to suppose that the active ingredients, even when they are no longer present in the aqueous solution, remain imprinted in the water's memory . Alongside this supposition it is important to add some certainty: the effects of ultra-diluted homeopathic remedies have been clearly highlighted during some rigorous in vitro experiments. and the results were published in authoritative scientific journals . In vitro experiments, for obvious reasons, they provide information on real, not suggestive effects, in fact microscopists cannot suggest the cells they observe under the microscope and the cells observed microscopically cannot be suggested by the microscopists, in short, in in vitro studies the placebo effect cannot be called into question and The effects caused by homeopathic dilutions and clearly visible under the microscope are obviously attributed to homeopathy, not to suggestion. This is why the effects highlighted in in vitro experiments facilitate the discussion on the concrete facts that are clearly visible under the microscope and on the concrete therapeutic potential of homeopathic medicines, they also facilitate the discussion on the efficacy of homeopathic medicines found in various in vivo experiments and in various clinical studies. Taking into account the authoritative scientific studies that have been carried out up to now, considering the importance of scientific progress, reflecting on the results reported in the authoritative articles examined during our bibliographical research, we believe that scientific research on homeopathy should be encouraged and not discouraged, therefore, with this article we intend to encourage, scale down some commonplaces on homeopathic medicine and address a discussion based on concrete facts , experiments and works carried out in compliance with science.

The aim of the discussion is to explore how user experience design (UXD) in digital games can be shaped by applying the principles of Gestalt perceptual organisation theory. Starting from a definition of UXD as the process of building complex, immersive and emotionally engaging user experiences in digital environments, the paper develops the thesis that the effectiveness of this process in games is not limited to user interface design. Although the literature extensively describes the use of Gestalt principles in the context of graphic interface design, their potential as a tool for organising perception within gameplay and the visual environment of a game remains relatively inexhaustible. This paper proposes an extended perspective of UX in computer games as the synergistic effect of three components: gameplay mechanics, narrative and visual structures. In this theoretical framework, Gestalt principles are analysed as universal rules of perceptual organisation that can influence not only the ergonomics of the interface, but also the direction of the player’s attention, interpretation of the game world and understanding of its rules. Particular attention has been paid to games without a classic UI, such as Journey or Inside, which, despite dispensing with conventional UI elements, effectively construct deep user experiences through thoughtful visual and narrative structure. The text is both a review of selected aspects of the literature on UXD and Gestalt theory and an analysis of selected examples of computer games in which principles of perceptual organisation play a key role in the construction of the player experience. The article is cognitive and theoretical and applied, offering a new interpretative framework for the design of user experience in the medium of digital games.

Associative memory requires the binding of multiple objects into a single representation in memory. As such, associative memory is viewed as harder and more resource-demanding than item memory. One means of facilitating associative memory is through the process of unitization. Previous work has suggested that, once unitized, discrete stimuli are processed as a single ensemble. The present study aims to test whether the grouping principle of proximity enhances associative memory by creating unitized representations of item pairs that resemble how single items are processed in memory in younger adults. To examine the neural basis of perceptual unitization, young adult participants encoded unrelated object pairs either proximally arranged (unitized condition) or distally arranged (associative condition) as well as single objects. Behaviorally, results showed enhanced memory for proximally organized object pairs compared with distally organized object pairs. Examination of neural pattern similarity across conditions suggested that although regions critical to associative memory processed the proximal object pairs more similarly to the distal object pairs, clusters of neural activity throughout cortex did show greater similarity of neural patterns across proximal pairs and single objects during both encoding and retrieval. Results suggest that the simple act of configural placement is enough to initiate unitized-based encoding and maintain that representation at retrieval.

Gestalt principles describe how humans perceive and organize individual elements into groups. The quantification of Gestalt principles serves as a basis for predicting human perception. It has been found that achieving reliable predictions by quantifying a single principle is challenging because two or more principles usually have joint effects. Therefore, quantitative models for joint effects are required. Although some quantitative models have been developed, the model for quantifying the joint effect of continuity and similarity (two commonly used principles) remains lacking. To fill this gap, this study proposes a permutation entropy-based model to quantify this joint effect on grouping segments of cross-curves and evaluates the grouping performance of the proposed model through a set of simulated curves and a set of real-life curves (e.g., roads). The evaluation considers two types of benchmarks: (1) grouped results by the existing commonly used model and (2) comparison with pre-determined correct groupings. The results from the proposed model are consistent with the pre-determined correct groupings, while those of the existing commonly used model fail when complexity differences between segments increase. These findings suggest that the entropy measure used in the proposed model can effectively quantify the joint effect of continuity and similarity of curves.

Human development is a dynamic process impacted by numerous ecological systems, such as microsystems, mesosystems, ecosystems, and macrosystems. Ecological systems theory stresses several individuals in a person's environment, i.e., the researcher and the subject or the leader and individual. Leaders are significant to human development by managing values such as empathy, responsibility, participation, and democratic leaders. They should be consistent, reliable, and dependable in forming relations with unconditionally supportive followers. The Ecological Systems Model of Human Research and Development posits a combined leadership theory involving transformational and transactional models to enhance integrated human development. This methodology can create more stable, innovative, and productive organizations, eventually reflecting all stakeholders' wellness and prosperity. The theory of wholeness under Gestalt theory promotes leaders' adoption of integrative policies. Through evaluating roles, changing settings, grasping people's path of growth, and developing interventions in alignment with people's values and organizational agendas, leaders may navigate such systems and create lasting competitive advantage. The ecological systems model of human development is critical for leaders to comprehend and navigate the intricate dynamics of environmental systems and their influence on human development. Extending this research may traverse new horizons of HRD to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. Clinical trial number Not applicable.