US High School Psychology Practice Exam 2026 – Your All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

One of the main principles of gestalt psychology is that the whole is different from the sum of its parts. This idea focuses on the idea that in perception, we do not perceive things merely as individual components but rather as cohesive wholes that possess unique properties. For example, when looking at an image, individuals perceive the complete picture before recognizing the individual shapes and colors that make up that image. This principle emphasizes that our brains are wired to organize sensory experiences into certain patterns or configurations, leading to a richer understanding than if we only looked at the isolated elements. This holistic approach contrasts with other psychological theories that might analyze components in isolation, making gestalt psychology distinctive in its understanding of perception and cognition.