Re: Gestalt criticisms

[Paul von Hippel -- Ohio State <pvh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Three weeks ago I posted a request for review articles
surveying the critiques that have been applied to Gestalt
psychology. Many thanks to the list members who have
replied. Helpful as the replies were, I wish to renew
my request, emphasizing the particular types of criticism
that concern me.

Most of the replies related to specific physiological
claims made by the original Gestalt psychologists. The
criticisms that I wondered about, however, were more
sweeping. For example, Goldstein (1996, p. 190), in his
textbook on *Sensation and Perception*, writes that,
"while today's perceptual psychologists continue to be
influenced by many of the principles originated by the
Gestalt psychologists, they have also criticized the
approach on a number of grounds." Goldstein then goes
on to present arguments that Gestalt principles can be
defined rather vaguely, and that Gestalt explanations are
often after-the-fact.

Goldstein does not present these arguments as his own, but
he doesn't attribute them to anyone more specific than "today's
perceptual psychologists." My question, then, is who these
modern critics are, and where I can find their criticisms
discussed in more detail.

Best,
Paul
------------------
Paul T. von Hippel
Post-Doctoral Fellow
School of Music
The Ohio State University
1866 College Road
Columbus, OH 43210

e-mail: von-hippel.1@ohio-state.edu
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