Wolfgang Kohler
Wolfgang Kohler
Psychology 422
Wolfgang Kohler was born in Reval, Estonia in 1887. Both of Kohler’s parents were of German decent, and shortly after he was born, Kohler and his moved to Wolfenbuttell, Germany. The importance of education was introduced to Kohler earlier in life. His father was a schoolmaster, his sisters were nurses and educators, and Wilhelm, his older brother, was a scholar. As a child Kohler loved both the outdoors and classical music (Dahl, 2005). He even learned how to play the piano. As a collegiate he attended universities such as Tubingen from 1905 to 1906, Bonn from 1906 to 1907, and Berlin from 1907 to 1909. While earning his Ph.D in Berlin, Kohler studied physics under Max Planck and psychology under Karl Stumpf. His dissertation was written on psycho-acoustics and physics obviously played a large role in Kohlers life and work as he transferred many of its ideas to psychological aspects (Dahl, 2005). As an adult, Kohler married in his mid-twenties as it was custom to do. He and his wife had four children together. Although not much information is found on Kohler’s marriage, we are led to believe that it was not a happy one as he and his wife divorced in Kohler’s thirties. After his divorce from his first wife, Kohler married a student. Not much information can be found on either of his marriages (Dahl, 2005). After Kohler earned his doctoral degree from Berlin, he went on to work at the Psychological institute in Frankfurt, Germany from 1910 to 1913. It is here in Frankfurt where Kohler begins to work with Max Wertheimer and Kurt Koffka. Together they created Gestalt psychology. The word “Gestalt” is a German word that loosely translates as meaning “whole”. The three psychologists chose this word to frame their ideas for their theories. Soon afterward, Kohler began to use chimpanzees as part of his research while serving as the director of the Canary Island Anthropoid Station in 1913. He was involved in this type of research
Psychology 422
Wolfgang Kohler was born in Reval, Estonia in 1887. Both of Kohler’s parents were of German decent, and shortly after he was born, Kohler and his moved to Wolfenbuttell, Germany. The importance of education was introduced to Kohler earlier in life. His father was a schoolmaster, his sisters were nurses and educators, and Wilhelm, his older brother, was a scholar. As a child Kohler loved both the outdoors and classical music (Dahl, 2005). He even learned how to play the piano. As a collegiate he attended universities such as Tubingen from 1905 to 1906, Bonn from 1906 to 1907, and Berlin from 1907 to 1909. While earning his Ph.D in Berlin, Kohler studied physics under Max Planck and psychology under Karl Stumpf. His dissertation was written on psycho-acoustics and physics obviously played a large role in Kohlers life and work as he transferred many of its ideas to psychological aspects (Dahl, 2005). As an adult, Kohler married in his mid-twenties as it was custom to do. He and his wife had four children together. Although not much information is found on Kohler’s marriage, we are led to believe that it was not a happy one as he and his wife divorced in Kohler’s thirties. After his divorce from his first wife, Kohler married a student. Not much information can be found on either of his marriages (Dahl, 2005). After Kohler earned his doctoral degree from Berlin, he went on to work at the Psychological institute in Frankfurt, Germany from 1910 to 1913. It is here in Frankfurt where Kohler begins to work with Max Wertheimer and Kurt Koffka. Together they created Gestalt psychology. The word “Gestalt” is a German word that loosely translates as meaning “whole”. The three psychologists chose this word to frame their ideas for their theories. Soon afterward, Kohler began to use chimpanzees as part of his research while serving as the director of the Canary Island Anthropoid Station in 1913. He was involved in this type of research
References: Dahl, R. (2005). Psyography: Wolfgang Kohler. Retrieved from http://faculty.frostburg.edu/mbradley/psyography/wolfgangkohler.html Gould, J. L., & Gould, C. G. (2001). Kohler 's Research on the Mentality of Apes. Retrieved from http://www.pigeon.psy.tufts.edu/psych26/kohler.htm Luyster, F. (n.d.). Wolfgang Kohler. Retrieved from http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/kohler.htm Todorovic, D. (2008). Gestalt principles. Retrieved from http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Gestalt_principles