2.1b: Perceptual organization & interpretation (Gestalt)

Gestalt

Principle of explaining our tendency to organize information even if there is no pattern (German for “form” or “whole”)

Form perception

organizing visual pieces into a single, meaningful shape

Figure ground

tendency to separate a visual scene into a focused figure and the background behind/around it

Grouping

organizes individual visual elements into unified groups, patterns, or whole objects

Proximity

objects placed close together are perceived as a unified group (grouping)

Similarity

grouping items that share visual traits into a unified set or pattern (grouping)

Closure

tendency to automatically fill gaps in incomplete images to see a whole shape (grouping)

Depth perception

ability to organize visual parts into a single 3D scene and judge distance

Visual cliff

Experiment with a sturdy surface that’s flat but has the appearance of a several foot drop part-way

Binocular cues

Features that allow the eyes work together to perceive distance and depth

Retinal disparity

Slight difference between images seen by the eyes (binocular cue)

Convergence

Eyes rotate inwards to focus on a nearby object

Monocular cues

Visual signals that allow you to judge depth, distance, and 3D space using one eye

Relative clarity

You perceive close objects as sharper and more clear, and farther objects as more blurry (monocular cue)

Relative size

Assuming that two similar objects are the same size, the one casting a smaller image on the retina is perceived as farther away

Texture gradient

Surface details of closer objects are distinct but get finer and less distinct as it gets farther away

Linear perspective

Parallel lines appear to grow closer together as they get farther away (vanishing point)

Interposition

Objects that partially block other objects are closer, while the other objects are farther away

Motion perception

The ability to detect and interpret movement

Stroboscopic movement

Optical illusion where your brain perceives continuous motion from a rapid sequence of separate, stationary images

Phi phenomenon

Optical illusion where stationary lights turn on and off and your brain perceives motion (holiday string lights “moving”)

Autokinetic effect

Optical illusion where a single stationary point seems to move because the eyes lack a frame of reference

Perceptual constancies

tendency to perceive familiar objects as constant in its features even as the perceived image changes

Size constancy

Perceiving objects as having a constant size even when its distance varies

Shape constancy

Recognizing that an object keeps its shape despite changes in viewing angle

Color constancy

Perceiving familiar objects as having consistent colors even when changing lighting conditions

Perceptual interpretation

Process by which the brain assigns meaning to organized sensory information, turning raw data into conscious experience

Perceptual adaptation

Cognitive process of modifying how the brain interprets sensory information to maintain a stable view of the world despite changing conditions