Gestalt Rules

1. Gestalt Rules For organizing Vision (and other senses)

2. Gestalt Psychologists Interested in distinguishing between sensation and perception Sensation = raw physical experience Perception = interpretation of the experience When does one start and another begin? Gestaltists = 20th century German group Phenomenologists Studied an individual�s experience Introduced idea of perceptual organization They were right; no more career- no more �gestaltists�

3. Gestalt Rules for Organization Gestalt = configuration Examine FIGURE versus GROUND Figure = distinctive parts of array that you need to attend to Ground = background Interested in how people determined figure vs. ground Total configuration critical: The WHOLE is GREATER than the SUM of its parts

5. Rules of Organization Proximity: things that are in proximity to one another belong together Similarity: things that are similar to one another are judges as belonging to that group Contrast: differences form edges or borders

8. Rules of Organization Good continuation: Continuing a pattern makes sense Otherwise, is a border or contrast Number sequences, ordering and sets Closure: Closure is a contrast or edge Brings the figure to an end Should be natural or we finish it!

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12. Don�t you hate it when people don�t finish their !

13. Rules of Organization Good Figure or Pregnanz Nature is full of symmetry; we prefer symmetrical shapes and forms Nonsense figures are changed to make sense We finish a figure to make a sensible figure vs. ground Common fate: Using the gestalt rules of organization to �fix� the figure Make a sensible figure and ground

16. Perceptual Constancies Gestalt rules demonstrate perceptual constancies What we see depends on our experience and the situation What ground is the figure lying upon?

18. Perceptual Constancies When we get into an ambiguous situation: We must alter our preconceived ideas Use knowledge about the world + the information about the present scene Thus make sense of the visual image We assume that the world stays constant: People, animals and things stay the same size, color, shape Thus, the relative brightness, color or shape is determined by the intensity of the object RELATIVE to other objects in the scene

19. We must make judgments about the world One object in comparison to another Which is bigger? Which if brighter or redder or louder? Use relationships within the image to determine size, color, shape, etc.

22. Visual Illusions Ambiguous figures No clear figure versus ground Must make a judgment using clues within the picture Your own personal experience also plays a role Let�s see some examples

31. Our abilities help us perceive some interesting phenomena: Perceived movement: Must determine if YOU or the ground is moving Feeling like your car is rolling backward when the other car moves slightly forward at a stop light Flicker fusion: ability to see movies as a moving picture, not a bunch of quick little pictures Phi phenomenon: jumping of a light back and forth

33. Dynamic Qualities Gestalt rules apply to all our senses Audition, somatosensory, thermoregulation Why is it funny that �dry ice� burns? Cross modalities, as well: Consistencies and expectations across senses Someone should look like they sound!

34. Dynamic Qualities

35. Dynamic Qualities Which is the cheerleader and which is the nerd? Bertha Jennifer Why is this important? Names can influence how people think about you! University of Chicago study: Traditional vs. African American names on resumes

36. Think Gestalt rules don�t influence your everyday behavior?

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