Gestalt Psychology, 5 Principles of Gestalt Psychology

The 5 principles of Gestalt psychology are as follows:1. The principle of the relationship between graphics and backgroundWhen looking at them, we think that some objects stand out more than the background.

2. The principle of proximityWe will see the approaching object as a whole.

3. The principle of similarityWhen objects are similar in size, shape, and color, we are used to forming them as a whole.

4. The principle of closureFor some unclosed figures, we will subjectively fill in the gaps and make them a whole.

5. The principle of common destinyThink of the parts moving in the same direction as a whole.

Gestalt Psychology:Gestalt psychology was born out of opposition to earlier psychological research methods that sought to separate mental functions. Gestalt means "form" or "whole" in German, and Gestalt psychologists view the mind as a whole, arguing that people usually perceive the whole rather than its isolated parts.

For example, people hear a beautiful melody rather than a series of notes. In the 50s of the 20th century, Fritz Paltz adopted the idea of Gestalt to create a psychologically ** method.

Gestalt psychologists see the individual as a person in the context of social relations formed with other people, a person is not only a part of his own life, he is also in the middle of other people. According to Wertheimer, "It is only under very special conditions that individuals stand alone."

There are two research methods in Gestalt psychology: holistic observation and experimental phenomenology.

Holistic Observation:

Gestalt psychology takes direct experience as its object of study, and this direct experience is a natural phenomenon that can only be discovered through observation, so Gestalt psychology emphasizes the use of natural observation. Gestalt psychology does not object to the introspective method, but emphasizes that introspection cannot be used for analysis, but only for observation.

Whether it is observation or introspection, Gestalt psychology emphasizes grasping the whole picture, which is the greatest contribution of Gestalt psychology to the research methods of later generations.

Methods of Experimental Phenomenology:

The experimental method used in Gestalt psychology is mainly experimental phenomenology, which is different from the experimental method of quantitative empirical research: first, experimental phenomenology is an experiment with induction as the main means, which mainly discovers the structure of meaning through the visual description of phenomena. Secondly, experimental phenomenology does not pursue the causal relationship between variables, but constructs the phenomenal field and discovers the meaning of the phenomenal field.

It mainly reflects experiments in terms of verbal descriptions rather than quantitative relationships, and only qualitatively analyzes direct experience as a whole; Fourthly, in the phenomenological experiment, the subject must suspend his own prophetic preconceptions and act primarily as the founder of a phenomenal field, which only gives a simple and faithful description of experience, without any inferences or explanations.

1. Graphics and background: Generally speaking, graphics are tightly organized objects with certain boundaries, and backgrounds are spaces or times with the same identity without boundaries; Shapes are smaller objects that are enclosed, and backgrounds are larger objects that are enclosed. The greater the difference between the image and the background, the more prominent the figure will be, and we will regret and perceive it; Conversely, it is less likely to separate the graphic from the background.

2. The principle of shortest distance or the principle of proximity: some parts with short distances or adjacent to each other are easy to form a whole.

3. Similarity principle: parts that are similar to each other are easy to form a whole.

4. The principle of common destiny: if the parts of a whole move in the same direction, then these parts that move in the common direction are easy to form a new whole.

5. Gestalt tendency or good Gestalt principle: the parts that belong to each other are easy to combine into a whole, and conversely, the parts that do not belong to each other are easy to be isolated.

6. The principle of closing: a figure that tends to gestalt but has not yet closed is easy to see as a complete Bi quietly made figure.

Gestalt psychology argues that these principles apply not only to space, but also to time; It can be applied not only to perception but also to other mental phenomena.