Koffka, Kurt, 1886-1941, American psychologist, b. Germany, Ph.D. Univ. of Berlin, 1908. Before settling permanently in the United States in 1928 as a professor at Smith, he taught at Cornell and at the Univ. of Wisconsin. With Max Wertheimer and Wolfgang Köhler he is credited with developing the theories that gave rise to the school of Gestalt psychology. His book Growth of the Mind (1924) was considered responsible for awakening much interest in Gestalt concepts.