Week 5: Gestalt Effects

Gestalt Theory - "the whole is different from the sum of its part"

Did you spot anything?

At first, you may see the picture as black patches with white background, but after a moment you can see an image of dalmatian dog sniffing the ground near some trees. According to Gestalt theory, this happened because "the whole is different from the sum of its parts." We did not recognized the image of dog by first identifying it parts (tail, feet, nose, ear etc.) but instead we perceived the image as a whole.

The process of grouping elements of image as a whole can be explained through Wetheirmer's Five Laws of Perception called Principles of Perceptual Organization, these include:

1. Law of Proximity

Proximity emphasis on object relationships i.e. how items are placed in relation to others. Basically, the more closer the items to each other, the more likely they are group together.

2. Law of Similarity


Objects tend to be grouped together when they have similar properties such as shape, colour, texture and so on.

3. Law of Common fate
Objects tend to be grouped together when they moving in the same direction

4. Pragnanz (figure/ground)

Even in diversity, objects tend to be grouped together when they are organized in the simplest form or in regular pattern.

5. Law of Closure.

Objects are grouped together and seen as a whole

Below are some examples of advertising that use Gestalt effects:







REFERENCES

Woo, C.W. (2010). Analyzing Visual Communication Book Reader. Week 5: Gestalt Effect and Schema theory. Brunei Darussalam: University Brunei Darussalam.

Fultz, J. (n.d.) Gestalt Psychology Theory. Retrieved September 9, 2010, from http://homepages.ius.edu/rallman/gestalt.html