Gestalt psychology
Figure-ground segregation
How do we organize visual
information?
• Gestalt laws of organization
• “Gestalt” means “whole.”
• Organizational principles:
– Similarity
– Proximity
– Continuity
• And more (see the textbook)
Tell me what you see.
Tell me what you see.
Perception is not just detection
• Perception is not just about detecting color
or shape.
• Perception is about organizing visual
information.
• How do we organize visual information?
Or when do we fail to organize
visual information?
Law of similarity
Similar things are put together
Items with similar
colors are put
together
Do you see 3 musicians?
Why? Why not?
Do you see a table?
Do you see a sofa?
Do you see a blouse and a
blue skirt?
Law of proximity
• Things that are close to each other are put
together.
There are two
separate
worlds --- this
world and that
world?
Law of good continuity
We tend to put things together when they show nice
continuity.
Do you see a spinal motion? This
picture is called “Dance.” Do you see
why?
Do you feel an
upward motion or a
downward motion?
Which one if the figure and which is the ground?
Depending on the locus of attention, the figure and the
ground switch rapidly.
 Attention plays some role in determining the figure and
the ground.
The figure represents “some thing.”
The contours belong to the figure rather than to the
ground.
Which one if the figure and which is the ground?
This is easy.
The figure tends to have solid and continuous surface.
Which one if the figure and which is the ground?
Symmetric items tend to be seen as a figure.
What did you see? Some arrows and what?
Meaningful items are seen as figure
Do you see something else?