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
The Gestalt principle of perception refers to the idea that we tend to perceive objects as organized wholes rather than isolated parts. It emphasizes how our brain automatically organizes sensory information into meaningful patterns.
Related terms
Figure-ground relationship: This term refers to our tendency to perceive objects as either standing out from their surroundings (figure) or blending into their background (ground).