Wolfgang Köhler (psychologist)

Wolfgang Köhler was a German psychologist known for his work on Gestalt psychology, which emphasizes understanding the mind by studying how people perceive patterns and whole objects rather than just individual parts. He conducted influential experiments with chimpanzees, demonstrating that they could solve problems through insight—suddenly figuring out solutions rather than by trial and error. His research challenged earlier ideas about learning, highlighting the importance of mental processes and perception in problem-solving. Köhler’s work helped shift psychology toward studying cognition as a whole, emphasizing that our minds interpret experiences in meaningful, organized ways.