With the German word ‘gestalt’ translating to terms such as form, shape, or pattern, its wider dictionary definition is ‘an organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts’. This definition stems from a psychological study titled the ‘Gestalt Theory’, which was developed in the early 20th Century, helping us to gain a deeper understanding of the world around us and considering its individual elements as part of one whole rather than independent entities.
It was initially developed by three psychologists: Kurt Koffka, Wolfgang Kohler, and Max Wertheimer, who went on to share their findings at the University of Berlin before others further explored the theory in a variety of ways over the following years.
