Gestalt Psychology: Proof we live in the matrix!
01100101 01110110 01100101 01110010 01111001 01101111 01101110 01100101 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01101111 01101110 01100101
When you see a bike, how do you look at it? Do you see the saddle, wheels, and handle as distinct components, or do you see a fully assembled bike? If you're not weird you see the bike as a whole rather than individual components. That is exactly what Gestalt Psychology proposes: the idea that human minds view an object/world/design or anything as a whole before breaking it down into bits.
Now I know what you're thinking (since I'm Xavier): "What am I doing learning psychology when I'm here to learn about design?" Gestalt Psychology, my fellow reader, is also all about design. If you're attempting to develop something unique, you should be aware of this school of thought; if you've dabbled in design, you've most likely been influenced by it without even realising it! Let's take a look at some of the principles it brings up and see if you've used them in your business or in your life.
1. Prägnanz (simplicity): This is the founding principle where we humans perceive an object or a design as its simplest form. For example, Apple's emblem (an apple with a bite cut out of it) and Nike's "swoosh" symbol are both very Prägnanz-oriented designs.
2. Similarity: According to this Gestalt principle, humans automatically group comparable items together based on characteristics such as colour, size, and orientation. A good example of this is how we group spoons and forks separately and in the greater picture, we group them as utensils rather than grouping them as something else.
3. Proximity: This principle simply states that we tend to group things together when they are close together. In stencil making this principle is used a lot.
4. Continuity: When a group of people (guinea pigs) were asked whether they found a zig-zag pattern or a curved swirly line going left was better. All of them chose the curved swirly line rather than the zig-zag. This is because of the principle of continuity where people tend to group things that are continuous in nature rather than separative or sudden. Unless you like brutalist architectural design like Bob.
5. Closure: No it's not gonna help you get over a breakup. This shows how sections of a closed object are considered as a whole. We'll even fabricate knowledge that doesn't exist to complete the picture and make sense of everything. This Gestalt psychology principle is used when using empty space to indicate a specific shape.
6. Common Region: When objects are bound to a common area like in an enclosure they are seen as a group. Like eggs in a basket are seen as a group of eggs rather than individual eggs.
Designers can build useful and visually appealing products by applying Gestalt psychology principles. To make visual connections, lead the attention, and foster a sense of order, designers employ principles like proximity, likeness, closure, continuity, and figure-ground. Designers can apply these concepts to create captivating images, user-friendly interfaces, and long-lasting brands. Using Gestalt psychology ideas, designers can create designs that are both visually appealing and intuitive for their target consumers.
Gestalt Psychology is literally, proof that we all live in the matrix since adhering to the principles laid down by this school of thought designers of all disciplines can build brands and products that are not just perceived across cultures but can make brands or products perceived as “good”. So if you’re looking to create a lasting mark on this world through design you should apply this method of thinking to all your designs!