Gestalt Perceptual Laws

Flashcards on Gestalt Perceptual Laws

Gestalt perceptual laws

The means by which we organise our sensations into coherent perceptions, helping us make sense of what we see.

Gestalt principles

Argues that the whole is more important than the sum of its parts.

Figure-ground relations

Organising stimulus into a foreground figure on top of a background.

Law of similarity

Grouping elements by similar shapes.

Law of proximity

Pairing elements due to their closeness.

Law of closure

Perceiving incomplete shapes as complete.

Law of continuity

Observing lines as continuous even when interrupted.

Connectedness

Tendency to see connected dots as sets rather than individual elements.

Fraser’s spiral

Illustrates the law of continuity by tricking the brain into seeing a spiral.

Perceptual constancy

Allows us to recognize familiar stimuli under varying conditions.

Monocular depth cues

Patterns of light and shadow that tell us where something is.

Linear perspective

Parallel lines converging in the distance indicate depth.

Interposition

Overlapping objects indicate which is in front.

Height on the horizontal plane

Objects further away appear higher on the horizontal plane.

Texture and clarity

Closer objects have more detail, farther objects less.

Relative size

Closer objects appear larger.

Motion parallax

Objects closer pass by quickly, distant objects slowly.

Binocular depth cues

Depth cues that require both eyes.

Binocular disparity

The difference between what each eye sees, aiding depth perception.

Convergence

Eyes move inward as objects get closer.