Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The Gestalt principle of closure refers to our tendency to perceive incomplete or fragmented sensory input as a complete and whole object. Our brain fills in the missing information based on past experiences and expectations.
Related terms
Gestalt psychology: This school of psychology focuses on how we perceive and organize information into meaningful wholes.
Gestalt principles: These are a set of rules that describe how we naturally perceive and make sense of visual stimuli.
Perceptual constancy: This is our ability to perceive objects as unchanging despite changes in their physical appearance, such as seeing a door as rectangular regardless of whether it's open or closed.