Which school of thought views the human mind and behavior as a whole?

• A. Psychoanalytic Theory
• B. Gestalt Psychology
• C. Behaviorism
• D. Cognitive Science

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that the mind and behavior are best understood as integrated wholes rather than just the sum of separate parts. Gestalt psychology argues that we experience organized patterns and complete forms, and we tend to perceive things as cohesive wholes that influence how we think and act. This holistic view explains why people often grasp problems or recognize figures only when they’re seen as a whole, not just by analyzing individual components. Compared with psychoanalytic theory, which centers on unconscious drives; behaviorism, which focuses on observable stimuli and responses; and cognitive science, which studies internal processes, Gestalt psychology uniquely emphasizes the unity and organization of experience as the basis for perception and behavior.