Week 4: Gestalt Psychology/Connotation/Denotation

Question 1

Gestalt Psychology

Answer 1

Emphasizes a “unified whole”. That is “the whole of anything is greater than it’s parts”

Question 2

What does Gestalt Psychology refer to?

Answer 2

Theories of visual perception developed by German psychologists in the 1920s

Question 3

Gestalt principles

Answer 3

1. Proximity
2. Similarity
3. Continuation
4. Closure
5. Figure-ground

Question 4

Proximity

Answer 4

Occurs when elements are placed close together, perceived as a group or unity

Question 5

Similarity

Answer 5

Occurs when objects look similar to one another, perceived as a group or pattern

Question 6

Continuation

Answer 6

The viewer’s eye will naturally follow a line or curve

Question 7

Closure

Answer 7

Occurs when an object is incomplete or a space is not completely enclosed. If enough of the shape is indicated, our eye perceives the whole by filling in the missing information

Question 8

Figure-Ground

Answer 8

The eye differentiates an object from its surrounding area while the surrounding area is perceived as a ground

Question 9

What does your design mean?

Answer 9

Your intention does not automatically translate into how people understand it

Question 10

Semiotics

Answer 10

Study of signs, how they work under cultural and anthropological contexts and linguistically

Question 11

3 components of semiotics

Answer 11

1. Icon
2. Index
3. Symbol

Question 12

Icon

Answer 12

Physically resembles what it stands for

Question 13

Index

Answer 13

Implies or suggests the object (metaphor for example)

Question 14

Symbol

Answer 14

Abstract, bears no resemblance to the meaning

Question 15

Denotation

Answer 15

Literal description of something

Question 16

Connotation

Answer 16

Individual or cultural meanings of something, emotional associations