Object Perception and Perceptual Organization

Amodal completion

The perceptual system's ability to infer the existence of objects that are partially hidden.

Symmetry

Objects that are symmetrical are often perceived as the foreground.

Convexity

Convex objects (bulging outward) are more likely to be seen as foreground objects than concave shapes.

Area

Smaller areas are often perceived as background objects.

Orientation

Objects with primary orientations of vertical or horizontal are typically perceived as the foreground.

Foreground

The primary object of focus in a visual scene.

Background

Elements that are less prominent behind the foreground.

Segregation

The process of distinguishing different elements in a scene.

Gestalt Principles of Figure-Ground Segregation

Principles that guide how we perceive objects in relation to the background.

Figure-Ground

Prioritizing certain elements as figures and others as background.

Ambiguous Images

Images that can be perceived in multiple ways.

Top-Down Processing

The reliance on prior knowledge and context to interpret environmental aspects.

Phylogenetic Memory

The idea that certain perceptions are innate and evolutionary.

Heuristic

A method of problem-solving that provides a shortcut and may not guarantee a solution.

Algorithm

A specific, structured approach that guarantees a solution.

Closure

Objects that are incomplete tend to be completed by the visual system.

Proximity

Objects that are close together tend to be grouped together.

Similarity

Objects that are similar in some way tend to be grouped together.

Subjective Contour

A line that your mind perceives even when it is not explicitly present.

Pregnant (simplicity) principle

Given several possible interpretations of a stimulus, the perceptual system prefers the simplest interpretation.