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Bottom-up processing

Information flows from sensory input (eyes) to cognitive processing (brain), where the eyes tell the brain what to think.

Top-down processing

Information flows from cognitive understanding (brain) to perception (eyes), where the brain tells the eyes what to see, influenced by expectations and experiences.

Associative priming

The imagery most readily available will influence perception, indicating that prior exposure affects interpretation.

Context

The circumstances or surroundings that provide insight when resolving ambiguity in visual images.

Expectations

Anticipated understanding of visual stimuli based on prior experiences, helping to recognize objects/scenarios.

Desire

The influence on perception based on what we think or wish to see, especially during insufficient clues.

Line (art & design)

A straight or curved mark that connects two points or is the path of a moving point, varying in weight, direction, and length.

Color (art & design)

The perception of light reflected from the surface of a shape or form, characterized by hue, value, and intensity.

Shape (art & design)

A two-dimensional enclosed area limited to height and width, can be geometric or organic.

Texture (art & design)

The surface quality of an object that can be sensed through touch or visual cues.

Space (art & design)

The areas around, between, and within components of design, including negative and positive space.

Form (art & design)

A three-dimensional shape exhibiting height, width, and depth.

Emphasis (art & design)

The part of the design that catches the viewer’s attention, created by contrasting elements.

Balance (art & design)

The distribution of objects, colors, textures, and space within a composition, can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.

Gestalt theory

Argues that we perceive and organize visual elements by placing them in groups or patterns, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Figure-ground (Gestalt Principle)

The relationship between positive elements and negative space, where elements are perceived as figure or ground.

Closure (Gestalt Principle)

The ability to combine parts to form a simpler whole by filling in missing information.

Proximity (Gestalt Principle)

Recognizing objects as belonging together when positioned closely, regardless of similarity.

Semiotics

The study of signs, which includes the signifier (physical form) and signified (meaning).

Symbolic sign

A sign where the relationship between signifier and signified is arbitrary and based on social convention.

Iconic sign

A sign where the signifier imitates or represents the signified.

Indexical sign

A sign where the relationship must be inferred from the signifier as a trace or residue of the signified.

Visual framing

The levels through which images can be understood, including denotative, stylistic, connotative, and ideological systems.

Chartjunk

Non-data ink in a chart that can be misleading and distracting, popularized by Edward Tufte.

Authoritative map

A type of map designed to appear scientific and accurate, often fact-based.

Propagandist map

A map that reinforces a persuasive message, making the message hard to miss.

Iconic photograph

A widely recognized image that represents historically significant events and evokes strong emotional responses.

Memes

Self-replicating chunks of information that spread culturally, often seen as digital content shared across the web.

Hypersignification

The process of revealing the backstage of meaning-making, focusing on the code itself rather than the meaning.

Photo fads

a type of meme where a pose becomes popular and is imitated widely across social media.

reaction photoshop

a type of meme where you change the text around a popular image

stock character

a type of meme that uses the same character, ex: big chungus

Denotation

what a sign litterally means

Connotation

what a sign culturally means