6 Major Principles of Perceptual

Organisation | Perception |
Psychology
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This article throws light upon the six main principles of perceptual
organisation. The principles are: 1. Closure 2. Pragnanz 3. Proximity 4.
Similarity 5. Continuity 6. Inclusiveness.

Principle # 1. Closure:
Gestalt psychologists claimed that when we receive sensations that
form an incomplete or unfinished visual image or sound, we tend to
overlook the incompleteness and perceive the image or sound as a
complete or finished unit. This tendency to fill in the gaps is referred
to as closure.

Show figure 7.2 to your friend for a brief time. The partial outlines of
the figure will be filled out and your friend might say that it is a
square, though it is not, in-fact, one. But even if it is seen as an
incomplete square it shows that your friend first saw a square and
later registered its incompleteness. This illustrates that the principle of
closure was in operation. This shows a tendency to perceive
meaningful objects.
Principle # 2. Pragnanz:
The term pragnanz indicates fullness or completeness. Gestalt
psychologists are of the view that the process of perception is dynamic
and goes on changing until we reach a stage of perceiving with
maximum meaning and completeness. Once we reach this point, the
perceived gestalt remains stable. Such a stable gestalt is called a good
gestalt.

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The perceptual process according to gestalt psychology tends to move

towards a good gestalt. This phenomenon is very obvious in the case of
children. If once they perceive something, they keep on asking
questions about it which may appear silly to an adult. Closure is one
basic mechanism which illustrates the principle of pragnanz.

The reader should not confuse between perceiving a good gestalt and
the accuracy of perception. The term good gestalt means that at that
stage the perceptual process is stable and that under given conditions
a clear figure-ground demarcation has been arrived at.

Apart from the above principles, other principles which play a role in
the organisation of perception are proximity, similarity, continuity,
etc. They explain how perception takes place in the presence of a large
number of stimuli. Perceptual organisation, under such
circumstances, is determined to a great extent by the laws of
association-similarity, continuity, etc. These principles are explained
with the aid of illustrations below.

Principle # 3. Proximity:
When objects are close to each other, the tendency is to perceive them
together rather than separately. Even if the individual items do not
have any connection with each other they will be grouped under a
single pattern or perceived as a meaningful picture (Fig. 7.3).
For instance, when the English teacher in the class questions a
student, ‘What is often?’ This is completely different from the
question, ‘What is of..ten?’Both the sentences contain the same sounds
but the way the speaker groups the sounds and where he pauses will
determine how the sounds are perceived.

Principle # 4. Similarity:
Similar elements tend to be perceived as belonging together. Stimuli
that have the same size, shape and colour tend to be perceived as parts
of the pattern as shown in Fig.7.4

Principle # 5. Continuity:
Anything which extends itself into space in the same shape, size and
colour without a break is perceived as a whole figure (Fig. 7.5). For
example, when several dots form a curved line, an individual may
perceive the figure as two different continuous lines irrespective of the
factors like proximity and similarity of the dots. Thus, the whole figure
is organised into a continuum though the dots are unconnected
(Fig.7.5).

Principle # 6. Inclusiveness:
The pattern which includes all the elements present in a given figure
will be perceived more readily than the other figures. For example, in
Fig.7.6 the hexagonal figure formed by all the dots may be perceived
more readily than the square formed by the four middle dots. Single
dots at either end act as a fence or enclosure within which all the other
elements are included.

We have here examined some of the factors which play a role in the
organisation of perception. These principles explain how perception is
often independent of characteristics of individual stimuli.
While discussing the phenomena of sensation it was mentioned
that often our perception bears very little connection to the actual
stimulus situation. We now know that this is because of the fact that
perception is a complex and active process influenced by many factors
other than stimulus characteristics.

Following are the PRINCIPLE OF PERCEPTUAL ORGANISATION to

explain this phenomenon.

1.Principle of proximity

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What do you see in the

figure? It
doesn’t look like a square pattern of dots but a series of columns of dots. Thus, objects that are close together
in space are perceived as belonging together as a group. This is the first principle of perceptual organisation .
2.Principle of similarity

©google

In this figure, the circles and squares are evenly spaced to overcome the proximity principle. Instead we tend to
see alternating columns of circles and squares.

3. Principle of continuity
In this figure, you must have identified two curves A-B

©google

and C-D crossing than to identify four curves meeting at center O .Thus , we tend to perceive objects as
belonging together if they appear to be forming a continuous matter.
4. Principle of smallness

©google

What do you see in the picture?

Your are more likely to see a black cross rather than a white cross within the circle. This is because we tend to
perceive smaller areas as figures against a larger background.

5.Principle of symmetry

©google

Here , you see black areas as figures(due to symmetrical properties) against white asymmetrical background .
This is the principle of symmetry.

6.Principle of surroundedness

©google

Look at the above picture . What do you see

? You see four figures
against the white background rather than the word TIE. Thus, we tend to perceive the areas surrounded by
others as figures.

7.Principle of closure

©google

LaUstly , what do you see in this

picture? You must
have perceived them as a circle and a square rather than its separate parts because of your tendency to fill gaps
in object given by our sensory input. This is the last principle of perceptual organisation .