Principles of Gestalt psychology:
1. Pragnanz law: The principle was introduced by Wettheimer.It can briefly be
formulated like this: psychological organization will always be as “good” as the
prevailing conditions allow. In this definition the term “good” is undefined. It
embraces such properties as regularity, symmetry, simplicity and others.
2.
Proximity and equality: when the field contains a number of equal parts,
those among them which are in greater proximity will be organized into a higher
unit. However, our law of proximity is so far dependent upon the equality of the
parts in proximity. Even with this limitation it is important enough.
3. Law of good continuation: a straight line is a more stable structure than a
broken one, and that therefore organization will, all things unchanged, occur in such a
way that a straight line will continue as a straight line. We may generalize thus: any
curve will proceed in its own natural way, a circle as a circle, an ellipse as an ellipse, and
so forth
4. Closure: the tendency towards greater perceptual stability possessed by closed
areas as compared with enclosed ones, and hence to the tendency for closed areas to
be more readily attained and maintained in perception.
5. Figure-ground law: The figure depends for its characteristics upon the
ground on which it appears. The ground serves as a framework in which the figure is
suspended and thereby determines the figure.