Wolfgang Köhler

Wolfgang Köhler was a German psychologist renowned for his research on problem-solving and intelligence in animals. He studied chimpanzees, observing how they could creatively use tools to reach hidden food, demonstrating that they can understand and adapt their actions to solve complex tasks. Köhler’s work challenged the idea that thinking was solely a human trait, highlighting that animals possess cognitive abilities such as reasoning and insight. His findings helped shape the field of Gestalt psychology, emphasizing that perception and problem-solving involve understanding the whole situation, not just individual parts.