Overview
This lecture introduces Gestalt psychology, a school of thought focused on how we perceive and organize information as unified wholes, and explains its key principles with practical examples.
Introduction to Gestalt Psychology
- Gestalt psychology studies how people perceive objects as whole forms rather than separate parts.
- It emphasizes our brain’s predisposed ways of organizing sensory input.
Key Gestalt Principles
Figure-Ground Perception
- We separate visual input into a figure (main object) and ground (background).
- The same image can be interpreted differently depending on what we see as figure versus ground.
Principle of Proximity
- Objects close to each other are perceived as belonging together.
- Spatial arrangement leads us to see grouped patterns or shapes.
Principle of Similarity
- Objects that look similar (in color, size, etc.) are seen as part of the same group.
- For example, people wearing the same color at a sports event are grouped visually.
Principle of Closure
- Our mind fills in missing parts to perceive complete shapes or images.
- Incomplete figures are seen as whole; e.g., a soccer ball inferred from partial shapes.
Principle of Good Continuation
- We perceive continuous, flowing lines even when they are interrupted.
- Lines or patterns are mentally connected to form smooth paths.
Principle of Common Fate
- Objects moving in the same direction are grouped together in perception.
- E.g., a flock of birds or school of fish moving together is seen as a single group.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Gestalt Psychology — a psychological approach that emphasizes perceiving whole forms rather than individual parts.
- Figure-Ground Perception — distinguishing an object (figure) from its background (ground).
- Proximity — grouping objects based on their closeness.
- Similarity — grouping objects that are alike.
- Closure — tending to see incomplete objects as complete.
- Good Continuation — perceiving lines or patterns as continuing smoothly.
- Common Fate — grouping objects that move together.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the principles of Gestalt psychology and consider examples in daily visual experiences.