GESTALT THEORY
Gestalt Theory, (also known as Gestalt Psychology or Gestaltism) 20. This theory emerged in century Germany with Max Wertheimer's article and focused on perception in cognitive processes. Gestalt Theory focuses on how the mind sees perceived things as a whole. We can sum it up with Kurt Koffka's sentence ‘It is something different from the coming together of all the parts that make up it.” Therefore, the whole should not be studied as something formed due to the coming together of parts; it should be studied independently on its own.
GESTALT THEORY
Gestalt Theory, (also known as Gestalt Psychology or Gestaltism) 20. This theory emerged in century Germany with Max Wertheimer's article and focused on perception in cognitive processes. Gestalt Theory focuses on how the mind sees perceived things as a whole. We can sum it up with Kurt Koffka's sentence ‘It is something different from the coming together of all the parts that make up it.” Therefore, the whole should not be studied as something formed due to the coming together of parts; it should be studied independently on its own.
The Gestalt Theory is holistic. An object, its behavior, etc. to break it into pieces breaks the integrity. For example, the word ’sea' consists of the letters s-e-a. But when divided into letters, the meaning of the word breaks down. Instead of looking at the pieces individually, we get meaningfulness when we look at the whole.
For example, sometimes we may not be able to make sense of more than one complex event in our daily life, but our friend, who we tell the events respectively, can easily make sense when he looks at the whole from the outside with an eye. the digits 1 and 0 can make the number 10 from these two digits. Because the concepts that make the main meaning are the pattern and connection Decoupled between events.
Gestalt Psychologists have studied how the cognitive process comes together, perceives, and interprets the individual's environment, and have concluded that the mind is interested in the whole rather than the part, even combining elements that are decoupled, making them familiar to itself. This theory consists of principles that explain visual perception.
GESTALT PRINCIPLES
1. The Principle of Proximity
According to this principle, the mind tends to perceive objects close to each other as a group. For example, in the image above, there are 6 equal rounds on the left and the right. However, although the Decals on the left do not make sense, the decals on the right come together with symmetrical distances and form a triangle.
2. The Principle of Similarity
The mind tends to make similar elements into a whole/group and give them meaning. Thus, the elements gain perceptual integrity with their colors, sizes, or shapes. Clustering is ensured by the color similarity of the elements, and integrity is ensured by the distances of the elements from each other. In the image above, the black rounds have achieved uniformity with their equal colors and have gained a line form.
3. Principle of Closure
By this principle, the mind perceives incomplete elements as a whole by completing the missing parts. For example, although there is a space between the elements in the image above, our mind perceives this space in the form of a triangle.
4. Principle Of Symmetry
According to the Principle of Symmetry, the mind perceives elements in a symmetrical way focused on a center point. It Junks the elements to be symmetrical. Therefore, even if the elements are not symmetrical, the mind tends to perceive them symmetrically. For example, the picture on the side is a representation of the symmetry principle. In this notation, we see square and curved brackets. This is the reason why we see 3 pairs of brackets instead of seeing 6 brackets in the image above.
5. The Principle of Common Fate
According to the Principle of Common Destiny, our mind perceives objects in a smooth trajectory, as in the image above.
6. Principle of Continuity
According to the Continuity Principle, the mind perceives elements that are side by side in the form of a group with perceptual integrity. Even if two different wholes intersect, the groups are considered undivided and continue to be considered separate.
7. The Principle of Prägnanz
When the elements come together with the pattern, the mind tends to perceive these elements as a group. This principle is based on the idea of clarity at the heart of Gestalt theory.
8. The Principle of Past Experience
According to the Principle of Past Experience, in some cases, the way items are perceived according to our past experiences may change. For example, in the image above, some of us will see a vase, while some of us will see a silhouette of two human faces facing each other.
What's Your Reaction?