| Abstract: | Reviews the book "Theories of perception and the concept of structure," by Floyd H. Allport (see record 1955-15035-000). This book is in reality two books. The author planned it as one. The first twenty chapters give us a critical survey of many theories of perception while the last chapter presents the author's very original concept of "structure" which may be applied to, but does not necessarily arise out of, discussions of perception. He has certainly done a conscientious job on each of the thirteen major theories-ranging from the Titchenerian core-and-context, to the cybernetics of Wiener and of Pitts and McCulloch, and including such variety as the Gestalt, the Hebb cell-assembly, Helson adaptation level, Brunswik probabilistic, and the Bruner et al, directive-state. To give a touch of concreteness to his highly abstract theory of event structures, Allport suggests a simple mechanical model or analogue, a visualized schema. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
