COMMENTS ON THE CONCEPT OF CLOSURE
A. S. LUCHINS & E. H. LUCHINS
Rigidity of Behavior
A Variational Approach to the Effect of Einstellung.
Eugene, Oregon: University of Oregon Books,
1959 (pp. 273, 281f)
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[273:] The concept of closure was introduced
by WERTHEIMER in his paper on the principles
of perceptual organization (1923). Closure
was considered as only one of several Gestalt
principles of organization, all assuming
to be operating in the direction of Prägnanz,
a word used by WERTHEIMER to denote a tendency
for organization to be as "good"
(as clear, as stable) as is possible under
prevailing conditions. Specifically, the
principle of closure refers to the tendency
towards greater perceptual stability possessed
by closed areas as compared with enclosed
ones, and hence to the tendency for closed
areas to be more readily attained and maintained
in perception. But, in actual use, the concept
of closure has been given other and broader
interpretations.
[281f:] Analysis of the utilization of the
concept of closure left us with the impression
that a multiplicity of meanings is associated
with the concept. To begin with, "closure"
is used, even in Gestalt psychological writings,
to denote
(1) a process,
(2) a resultant or terminating phase or consummation
of the process, and, finally,
(3) a principle underlying the process;
for example, the term "closure"
has been applied to the process of "completing"
an incomplete circle, and to the perceived
"completed" circle itself, and
finally to the principle or Gestalt law which
is basal to this process. Moreover, despite
WERTHEIMERs denial that closure is necessarily
the dominant factor in organization, some
current writings imply that a tendency toward
closure is necessarily the main, even the
sole, factor in a sensory or cognitive organization.
Indeed, closure is sometimes used as if it
were synonymous with organization or with
Prägnanz. Closure has also be used as if
it were synonymous with insight or with any
restructurization of the field. It has been
used to denote the act of extracting meaning
from the environment and the act of deducing
conclusions. In addition, the term is sometimes
employed as if it were equivalent to the
terms Gestalt and good Gestalt.
Some example of the diversity of the meanings
which may be attached to the term, even by
the same writers, can be obtained by scanning
through a text such as ALLPORT and POSTMANs
(1947) on the psychology of rumor. They speak
of "closure" as the achievement
of a "better Gestalt" or as the
achievement of a "simpler, more significant
configuration" (p. 56), or as a "form
of sharpening" (p. 97), or as "the
subject's urge to make his experiences as
complete, coherent and meaningful as possible"
(p. 97). Noting that "we continually
seek to extract meaning from our environment"
(p. 37), they speak of the "pursuit
of a 'good closure'" as the search for
a "plausible reason for a confused situation"
(p. 37); they also refer to a "good
closure" as an experience, writing:
"We experience a good closure when we
find satisfying explanations and when our
view of a situation is clear and stable"
(p. 37, n.).
I would probably be futile to get involved
here in any discussion of whether it is proper
for a psychological concept to have so many
meanings. Certainly the ambiguity does not
add to the clarity of writings pertaining
to closure. Perhaps it may add to the meaningfulness
and usefulness of the concept of closure
if the term is used only when evidence is
available that a process of closure (in the
sense originally used by WERTHEIMER) is operative.
In particular, attempts to account for rigidity
in terms of closure
(or vice versa) or to relate rigidity to
closure, will generate less confusion if
the term closure is explicitly defined and
if the evidence supporting a process of closure
is clearly presented. Personally, we advocate
a moratorium on the use of this term despite
the current popularity of Gestalt terminology.
References:
ALLPORT, G. W., & POSTMAN, L. (1947):
Psychology of Rumor. New York: Henry Holt.
WERTHEIMER, M. (1923): Untersuchungen zur
Lehre von der Gestalt, II. Psychol. Forsch.,
4: 301-89. Condensed in Selection 22 in W.
D. ELLIS (ed.), 1938, A source book of Gestalt
psychology. New York: Harcourt, Brace. [Reprint
1998: The Gestalt Journal Press: Order this
book from Amazon! (US) or Order from IBS
(UK) or look for the Offer of The Gestalt
Journal for this important reprint!]
Copyright © 1959, 1999 , A. S. Luchins, E.
H. Luchins. All Rights Reserved.
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