Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception

Flashcards based on lecture notes about Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception.

What is the principle of proximity in Gestalt principles?

Things closer together will be seen as belonging together.

How does distance affect perception according to Gestalt principles?

The distance between objects in a display affects our perception of whether or not they are related.

What happens when objects are placed near each other?

Objects near one another are perceived as related or part of a group.

What is the principle of similarity in Gestalt principles?

Things with the same visual characteristics will be seen as belonging together.

What are examples of visual characteristics that define similarity?

Size, shape, texture, value, color, or orientation.

What is perception, according to the lecture?

A set of psychological processes by which people organize environmental stimuli into meaningful patterns.

How does the lecture define ongoing experience?

Your ongoing experience based on how you interpret incoming messages from your senses.

What is the purpose of Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception?

Explains how visual perception works.

Who created the Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception?

Psychologists in the early 20th century.

How do humans perceive objects according to Gestalt principles?

Humans perceive objects as well-organized patterns based on grouping rather than separate components.

What does 'the whole is greater than the sum of its parts' mean in the context of Gestalt principles?

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

How are Gestalt principles used in graphic design?

To help create more visually appealing, intuitive, and functionally aesthetic forms and interfaces.

What does 'Gestalt' mean?

A German term for shape, figure, or form.

What is Prägnanz?

The law of grouping started by Max Wertheimer which became the foundation for Gestalt Principles.

Name the Gestalt Principles.

Proximity (Contiguity), Similarity, Closure, Continuity, Symmetry and Order, Figure/Ground, Common Fate

What is the principle of closure in Gestalt principles?

We complete figures rather than distinguish their missing parts.

How does our visual perception system handle incomplete figures?

The human visual perception system attempts to automatically close open parts of figures.

What is the effect of closure in visual perception?

Filling in missing information or organizing information to make a whole.

What is the principle of continuity in Gestalt principles?

Envisions the preference for continuous figures.

Why does the principle of continuity work?

Our visual perception system is designed to resolve ambiguity and fill in missing data.

How are our brains wired in relation to continuous forms?

We are hard-wired to favor continuous forms rather than disconnected segments.

What does the brain do when perceiving continuous forms with missing information?

Fill in missing information if needed.

How are symmetrical figures perceived?

The principle of the symmetrical figure is seen as a closed figure.

What do symmetrical contours do?

Symmetrical contours define a figure and isolate it from its ground.

What kind of figures does our visual system prefer?

Our visual system prefers seeing simple, symmetrical figures.

How does our visual system handle complexity?

Our visual system tries to lessen complexity by choosing to see simple symmetry in objects.

What is the principle of Figure/Ground about?

Segmenting our visual world into figure and ground.

What are other terms for figure and ground?

Foreground and background; positive space and negative space.

What predisposition do humans have, according to the Figure/Ground principle?

Humans have a predisposition to see objects within a relationship of primary and secondary importance.

Which is more important, the figure or the background?

The figure or foreground is more important than the elements behind it in the background.

What determines the assignment of objects to either the fore or background?

The characteristics of the objects.

What principles does Common Fate combine?

Combines the principles of proximity, similarity, and continuity.

How are multiple, similar objects moving in the same direction perceived?

Multiple, similar objects that seem to move in the same direction are perceived as a single figure.

Where can Common Fate be naturally observed?

Observed with a flock of birds, a herd of sheep, or a school of fish.

What must elements suggest in Common Fate?

They must suggest motion/movement.

Gestalt Principle where elements that are close together are perceived as a group?

Proximity

Gestalt Principle where elements that share visual characteristics are perceived as related?

Similarity

Gestalt Principle where the brain fills in missing gaps to create a complete object?

Closure

Gestalt principle where the eye follows lines or curves to perceive a continuous form?

Continuity

Gestalt principle where the mind seeks balance and simplicity in visual elements?

Symmetry and Order

Gestalt principle that describes the relationship between the object (figure) and its surrounding space (ground)?

Figure/Ground

Gestalt principle where elements moving in the same direction are perceived as a single unit?

Common Fate

Which psychologist is associated with beginning the law of grouping?

Max Wertheimer

What is one area that uses Gestalt principles?

Intuitive interfaces

Which principle relies on the distance between objects?

Proximity

What defines common fate?

Common movement

When were the Gestalt principles developed?

Early 20th century

Gestalt principles revolve around what concept?

Grouping

What is the key concept behind Closure?

Filling in what is missing

What affects your ongoing experiences?

How we interpret multiple senses

When are objects not associated with each other?

When objects are further away

What is the orgin of the word Gestalt?

German

What are the gestalt principles also known as?

Visual perception