Gestalt principle in AP Psychology

Definition

Gestalt principles are rules that describe how we perceive and organize visual information. They explain how our brains group individual elements into a unified whole based on certain principles such as proximity, similarity, closure, and continuity.

Related terms

Proximity:

The Gestalt principle of proximity states that objects that are close to each other tend to be perceived as belonging together.

Similarity:

The Gestalt principle of similarity suggests that objects that share similar features such as shape, color, or size are perceived as belonging to the same group.

Closure:

The Gestalt principle of closure refers to our tendency to mentally complete incomplete figures or shapes by filling in the missing gaps.