Perceptual Organization Important Terms

Question 1

Minimum Principle

Answer 1

how physical systems tend to settle into equilibria involving minimum energy or surfaces, gestaltists looked for parallels in perception

example: bubbles minimize surface area for a given volume

Question 2

Psychophysical Isomorphism

Answer 2

assume there is correlation between psychological experience and physiological events in the CNS

Eg: if you see a tree there must be a “tree-shaped pattern” of neurons active

Question 3

Relative Size (area)

Answer 3

The smaller of two areas in a picture tends to be seen as a figure

eg. a circle with a black cross on a white circle (black cross if figure not big white X)

Question 4

Surroundedness

Answer 4

If one area surrounds another it tends to be seen as the background

Question 5

Orientation

Answer 5

horizontal or vertical objects tend to be seen as figures

eg. black cross as figure for sure when vertical but more ambiguous when slightly rotated

Question 6

Symmetry

Answer 6

symmetrical forms tend to be considered figures, non-symmetrical (or repeated) areas tend to be seen as the background

Question 7

Law of Proximity (nearness)

Answer 7

things that are near each other tend to be grouped together

circles seen as columns and not rows as closer together vertically than horizontally

Question 8

Law of similarity

Answer 8

similair things tend to be grouped together

eg. circles and squares in columns, see as columns and not rows due to grouping circles together and squares together

Question 9

Law of good continuation

Answer 9

a) points that if connected would result in either straight or smoothly curving lines are seen as belonging together

b) lines tend to be seen in such a way as to follow the smoothest path

Question 10

Law of closure

Answer 10

space enclosed by a contour (real or illusory) tends to appear as a figure

eg. white triangle perceived when pacman things around it

Question 11

Law of Common Fate

Answer 11

Things that are moving in the same direction tend to be grouped together

Question 12

Law of meaningfullness

Answer 12

things tend to form groups if items appear meaningful or familiar

Question 13

Law of Pragnanz (good figure or simplicity)

Answer 13

every stimulus pattern tends to be seen in such a way that the resulting structure is as simple as possible

Question 14

Common Regions

Answer 14

Elements tend to be groups together if they are located within the same closed region

Question 15

Element Connectedness

Answer 15

Elements tend to be grouped together if they are connected by other elements

Question 16

Junctions

Answer 16

Places where lines in an image meet

Types: L, K, peak, fork, X, Multi, Arrow and T

Eg. T junction: 3 concurrent lines, 2 of them collinear, denotes object segregation

eg. Arrow junction: 3 lines meeting at a point with one of the angles greater than 180 degrees, denotes edge of the same object

Question 17

Link Inhibition

Answer 17

two regions are parts of the same object, triggered by positive cues from a junction

only in the absence of negative evidence from the junction at the other end

Question 18

General Viewpoint Assumption

Answer 18

Small shifts in the position of the viewer do not affect the configuration of a line drawing

Question 19

Place Tokens

Answer 19

Neighboring components are assigned the same location - like the Gestalt law of proximity

Question 20

Aggregation

Answer 20

Adjacent place tokens are clustered / grouped according to texture (similairty law) or curvilinearly according to orientation of elements (good continuation

Question 21

Theta aggregation

Answer 21

Which differs from the intrinsic orientation of the features, edge boundaries perceived when edge directions are parallel