The document discusses Gestalt theory and its principles of perception. Some key points:
- Gestalt theory proposes that the whole is different than the sum of its parts, and that a part takes on a different meaning depending on the whole it is part of.
- The theory includes principles like figure/ground, proximity, similarity, closure and Pragnanz - how humans tend to perceive complete and simple patterns and group elements together.
- Gestalt psychologists explored how these principles influence visual perception and how we organize visual elements into coherent forms and structures.
2. meaning
Human is a species driven by a desire to make meanings:
above all, Designers are surely
Homo significans - meaning-makers.
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3. perception
Why do some "beautiful" objects quickly lose their appeal, while others
seem to have a more lasting allure?
Do lasting truths guide our perception of what is beautiful?
Mankind has been fascinated by the notion of beauty
since before recorded history.
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5. perception
Aesthetic perception
We can however distinguish two types of meaning criteria.
Constant criteria in all the groups of individuals: these ones are essentially
connected to psycho physiological mechanisms of the perception.
Variable criteria according to the groups of individuals: these ores are
connected to the psychological mechanisms of the perception with the
influence of cultural, sociological and environment factors.
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6. perception
Aesthetic perception
A methodology resulting in an analysis of the aesthetic perception must
take account in first, the formal qualities of the object (Gestalt psychology
or psychology of the form), in connection with the mechanisms of the
perception (theory of the information), secondly the value of the object as
sign (semiotics) in connection with the mechanisms of social evolution.
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10. gestalt
Aesthetic perception
In 1890 the Viennese philosopher, Christian von Errenfels, published a
book on " the qualities of the form ".
This work was first attempt towards the elaboration
of a new theory of the form.
"All the components taken together form a Gestalt, or whole structure.
He extended the same principle to logic and number theory:
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11. gestalt
The word Gestalt is used in modern German to mean the way a thing has
been “gestellt”; i.e, "placed," or "put together."
There is no exact equivalent in English. "Form" is the usual translations; in
psychology the word is often rendered "pattern" or "configuration."
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12. gestalt
One of the most important theories of perception is the Gestalt Theory.
It was developed about 1910 by Max Wertheimer and carried on by
Wolfgang Köhler and Kurt Koffka at Frankfurt University.
Psychology of form - Wolfgang Köhler
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13. gestalt
A form is something else and something more than the sum of her parts.
A part in a whole is something else that this part isolated in another
whole.
Psychic facts are forms, that is to say organic unities, which become
more individual and limit themselves in the spatial
field of perception and representation.
Psychology of form - Wolfgang Köhler
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14. gestalt
Every form is a function of some variable and not the sum of
several elements.
Forms are transposable it should to say that some properties are
preserved in the changes which affect in some way all their parts..
Psychology of form - Wolfgang Köhler
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15. gestalt
Gestalt means when parts identified individually have different
characteristics to the whole (Gestalt means "organized whole")
e.g. describing a tree -
it's parts are trunk, branches, leaves,
perhaps blossoms or fruit
But when you look at an entire tree,
you are not conscious of the parts,
you are aware of the overall object: the tree.
Parts are of secondary importance
even though they can be clearly seen.
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16. gestalt
In other term, Gestalt Psychology proposes the idea that nothing is
fully comprehensible out of context.
The essential point of gestalt is that in perception the whole is
different from the sum of his parts.
Psychology of form - Wolfgang Köhler
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17. gestalt
The whole is different from the sum of his parts.
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18. gestalt
A part in a whole is different from this part in another whole.
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21. gestalt
the law of the relation
figure / ground
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22. gestalt
This figure appears to the eye as a square
inside a circle, or as donut shaped circle with
a square hole.
Figure/ground reversals create a delightful
"surprise" in the viewer's eye. Many of the
best logos designed will use figure/ground
reversal to their advantage.
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23. gestalt
In the terms of gestalt psychology, figure refers to an active,
positive form revealed against a passive, negative ground.
The figure can only be identified because of its background, and
the background only because of its figure.
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24. gestalt
The white cross appears on a concentric
ground of circles, after one moment the image change and
another cross appears with strips on its surface on an white ground.
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25. gestalt
Stabilization of the image by a horizontal/vertical organization
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26. gestalt
Stabilization of the image by the size
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27. gestalt
the law of symmetry
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28. gestalt
Regions bound by by symmetrical boarders tend to be perceived as
coherent figures
Symmetric stimuli are grouped together
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32. gestalt
the law of proximity
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33. gestalt
Elements are close together will be perceive as a coherent object
On the left there appears to be four horizontal columns, while on the
right, the grouping appears to be rows
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34. gestalt
Six columns Three groups of two columns
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35. gestalt
Two groups of Two groups of
spots spots
One group of spots
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36. gestalt
the law of similarity
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37. gestalt
Elements that look similar will be perceived as a part of the same form
There seems to be a triangle in the square
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38. gestalt
There seems to be two white columns alternate with two yellow columns
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39. gestalt
the law of good continuation
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40. gestalt
Humans tend to continue contours whenever
the elements of the pattern establish an
implied direction
People tend to draw a good continuous line
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41. gestalt
the law of closure
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42. gestalt
Humans tend to enclose a space by completing a contour and ignoring
gaps in the figure
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43. gestalt
Humans tend to enclose a space by completing a contour and ignoring
gaps in the figure
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44. gestalt
Humans tend to enclose a space by completing a contour and ignoring
gaps in the figure
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46. gestalt
the law of Prägnanz
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47. gestalt
A stimulus will be organized into a good figure as possible. Here, good
means symmetrical, simple and regular
The left figure appears to the eye as a square overlapping triangle, not a
combination of several complicated shapes.
The right figure appears to the eye as square inside a circle.
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48. gestalt
The above figure appears to the eye as a black triangle on three white
circles
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49. gestalt
The above figure appears to the eye as combination of simples shapes,
not a combination of several complicated shapes.
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50. gestalt
But the reality show us many different combinations.
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51. gestalt
A word is a form; a disconnected suite of letter is not one of it.
A melody is more than the sum the various sounds.
The concrete is perceived as an entity, not as assembly of sand,
water and cement.
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52. gestalt
the gestalt laws
law of the relation figure / ground
law of symmetry
law of Proximity
law of Similarity
law of good continuation
law of closure
law of Prägnanz
law of simplicity
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