| This dissertation investigates a problem in the history of American psychology regarding the relationship between Gestalt psychology, a school of thought within German academic experimental psychology, and Gestalt therapy, an existential method of psychotherapy associated with humanistic psychology in the United States. Mary Henle (1978), a Gestalt psychologist and historian of American psychology, maintains that the growth of Gestalt therapy resulted in a widespread misunderstanding of Gestalt psychology that contributed to the demise of Gestalt psychology. Henle's view has been generally accepted by historians of American psychology ever since; however, some Gestalt therapists have continued to argue that Gestalt therapy is a direct descendant of Gestalt psychology, based on both technical and philosophical principles. Both sides tend to found their case on the writings of Frederick “Fritz” Perls (1893–1970), but have ignored the potential influence of Laura Perls (1905–1990), who was originally a Gestalt psychologist in the German experimental tradition.;The investigation used the historiographic method developed by Taylor (2000) based on the historical research techniques derived from the comparative study of religions, and applied to archival investigation in the history of psychology and psychiatry. Laura Perls's 1932 experimental doctoral dissertation on color perception at the University of Frankfurt is the primary archival document that was located, translated, and analyzed. The analysis of Perls's dissertation documents her work under Adhémar Gelb (1887–1935) at Frankfurt corrects and clarifies Henle's argument. This leads to a revised historical view of Gestalt therapy as an intellectual descendant of Gestalt psychology, and suggests to historians of psychology that their current focus on psychology is too narrow. |
