Gestalt Psychology 

Gestalt psychology​ is the idea that we make sense of things by seeing the whole rather 
than the individual parts. Psychologists M
​ ax Wertheimer, Kurt Kafka, and Wolfgang Kohler 
broke Gestalt psychology into the following ​six principles​: 
 

1. Figure-ground 
Identifying a figure from the background (i.e., words 
on printed paper are seen as a “figure” and the 
white sheet as the “background).” 
 

2. Similarity 
the notion that we place objects with similar 
characteristics in a group. These characteristics can 
include color, size, font, shape, texture, and more. 
 

3. Proximity 
the belief that we group together objects that are 
close to each other. 

4. Closure 
the idea that our minds close objects that are not 
necessarily together or complete in order to create a 
whole  

5. Continuity 
the theory that we continue to follow objects that 
are visually aligned until they are interrupted  

6. Order 
the belief that alignment and symmetry are 
attractive and essential elements of design