Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
When we fill in gaps, it refers to the cognitive process of completing missing information or details in order to perceive a complete and whole object or scene. It is our brain's way of making sense of incomplete sensory input.
Related terms
Perceptual Completion: This term describes the phenomenon where our brain fills in missing parts of an image or object based on previous experiences and context.
These principles explain how we organize visual information into meaningful wholes, including filling in gaps to create coherent perceptions.
Figure-Ground Perception: This concept refers to distinguishing between an object (figure) and its background (ground). Filling in gaps helps us separate objects from their surroundings.