Gestalt theory of visual perception, which is a psychological theory that describes how people organize visual elements into meaningful wholes. The Gestalt theory was developed by German psychologists in the early 20th century.
The core idea of Gestalt theory is that our perception of visual stimuli is not just a sum of individual elements, but rather a organized whole that emerges from the relationships between those elements. Here are some key principles and examples:
- Proximity: Objects that are close together are perceived as belonging together.
Example: A group of dots scattered randomly on a page will be perceived as individual dots. However, if the dots are arranged in a circular pattern, they will be perceived as a single unit, a circle.
- Similarity: Similar objects are perceived as belonging together.
Example: A collection of red and blue squares will be perceived as two separate groups, one red and one blue, rather than a single group of squares.
- Continuity: The mind tends to complete incomplete shapes and patterns.
Example: A line with a small gap in it will be perceived as a single, continuous line rather than two separate lines.
- Closure: The mind tends to fill in missing information to create a complete shape.
Example: A circle with a small piece missing will be perceived as a complete circle, rather than an incomplete shape.
- Figure-Ground: The mind distinguishes between objects (figures) and their background.
Example: A black shape on a white background will be perceived as a distinct object (the figure) against a neutral background (the ground).
- Common Fate: Objects that move together are perceived as belonging together.
Example: A group of birds flying together in the same direction will be perceived as a single unit, a flock, rather than individual birds.
These principles demonstrate how our perception of visual stimuli is influenced by the relationships between individual elements, rather than just the elements themselves. The Gestalt theory has been influential in fields such as psychology, art, design, and even geometry, as seen in the context of Duval’s theory of semiotic representations.
Gestaltist order and Gestaltist theory are related but distinct concepts.
Gestaltist Theory:
Gestaltist theory, also known as Gestalt psychology, is a psychological theory that describes how people organize visual elements into meaningful wholes. It was developed by German psychologists in the early 20th century, including Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and Wolfgang Köhler. The theory focuses on how our perception of visual stimuli is influenced by the relationships between individual elements, rather than just the elements themselves.
Gestaltist theory is concerned with understanding how we perceive, process, and organize visual information, and it has been influential in fields such as psychology, art, design, and education.
Gestaltist Order:
Gestaltist order, on the other hand, is a specific concept that refers to the organization of visual elements in a way that respects the principles of Gestalt theory. In other words, Gestaltist order is a particular arrangement or structure of visual elements that takes into account the principles of proximity, similarity, continuity, closure, figure-ground, and common fate.
Gestaltist order is often used in the context of visual perception, design, and problem-solving to describe the way in which visual elements are organized to create a coherent and meaningful whole. It is a way of applying the principles of Gestalt theory to create a specific visual arrangement or structure.
Relationship between Gestaltist Order and Gestaltist Theory:
Gestaltist order is a direct application of Gestaltist theory. In other words, Gestaltist order is a way of putting the principles of Gestaltist theory into practice. The principles of Gestaltist theory, such as proximity and similarity, are used to create a specific organization or structure of visual elements, which is referred to as Gestaltist order.
So, Gestaltist order is not a separate theory, but rather a specific application or manifestation of Gestaltist theory. Gestaltist theory provides the underlying principles, and Gestaltist order is a way of using those principles to create a specific visual arrangement or structure.
In the context of Duval’s theory of semiotic representations, the phrase “Gestaltist order” is used to describe a specific register of representations that is organized according to the principles of Gestalt theory. This register is used to solve problems in elementary geometry, and it involves the manipulation of visual representations of shapes and figures in a way that respects the principles of Gestalt theory.
Here are some academic references that support the explanation of Gestaltist theory:
- Proximity:
- Wertheimer, M. (1923). Untersuchungen zur Lehre von der Gestalt. II. Psychologische Forschung, 4(1), 301-350. (Original work in German)
- Koffka, K. (1935). Principles of Gestalt Psychology. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company. (English translation)
- Similarity:
- Wertheimer, M. (1923). Untersuchungen zur Lehre von der Gestalt. II. Psychologische Forschung, 4(1), 301-350. (Original work in German)
- Köhler, W. (1947). Gestalt Psychology. New York: Liveright.
- Continuity:
- Wertheimer, M. (1923). Untersuchungen zur Lehre von der Gestalt. II. Psychologische Forschung, 4(1), 301-350. (Original work in German)
- Hochberg, J. (1964). Perception of Gestalt: I. Empirical Advances Since Wertheimer. In J. R. Royce (Ed.), Psychology and the Symbol (pp. 115-144). New York: Random House.
- Closure:
- Heider, F. (1944). Social Perception and Phenomenal Causality. Psychological Review, 51(6), 358-374.
- Kanizsa, G. (1979). Organization in Vision: Essays on Gestalt Perception. New York: Praeger.
- Figure-Ground:
- Rubin, E. (1915). Synsoplevede Figurer. Copenhagen: Gyldendalske Boghandel. (Original work in Danish)
- Metzger, W. (1935). Tiefenwahrnehmung und Figur-Grund-Beziehung. Psychologische Forschung, 21(1), 1-43. (Original work in German)
- Common Fate:
- Heider, F., & Simmel, M. (1944). An Experimental Study of Apparent Behavior. American Journal of Psychology, 57(2), 243-259.
- Johansson, G. (1950). Configurations in Event Perception. Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell.
These references are a mix of original works by the founders of Gestalt theory (Wertheimer, Koffka, Köhler) and later researchers who built upon their ideas. They provide a solid foundation for understanding the principles of Gestalt theory and its applications in various fields.