PRINCIPLES OF PERCEPTION [Wertheimer, koffka & kohler]

Perceptual organization: the process by which the elements of visual and Other sensory information are
structured into a coherent whole. Gestalt psychologists developed a set of principles to explain
perceptual Organization, or how smaller objects are grouped to form larger ones.

1).Figure and ground

Dividing visual displays into figure and ground is a fundamental way in which People organize visual
perceptions. The figure is the thing being looked at and the ground is the background against which it
stands.

2).Laws of grouping
Another principle of perceptual organization is that we tend to group collections of shapes, sizes, colors
and other features into perceptual wholes .The Gestalt psychologists argued that these tendencies are
inborn, and they may have been right.

a) Proximity: The tendencies to perceive objects that are close to one another as part of the same
grouping, a principle called proximity, or “nearness.

b) Law of similarity: The law of similarity suggests that similar things tend to appear grouped
together. Grouping can occur in both visual and auditory stimuli.

c) Law of continuity: The law of continuity holds that points that are connected by straight or curving
lines are seen in a way that follows the smoothest path.

d)Law of closure: According to the law of closure, things are grouped together if they seem to
complete some entity. Our brains often ignore contradictory information and fill in gaps in information.

e) Common fate: Extending on the static grouping principles of proximity and similarity. We find that
objects moving together in the same direction, or sharing a “common fate,”are perceived as belonging to
a single group. Examples include marching bands,Schools of fish, flocks of birds, and sports fans sending
the “wave” around a stadium.

f)Law of Pragnaz/Law of Simplicity: People will perceive and interpret ambiguous or complex
images as the simplest form possible.” This is the fundamental principle of gestalt. We prefer things that
are simple, clear and ordered. Instinctually these things are safer.

g) Law of symmetry: The mind perceives objects as being symmetrical & forming around a centre
point.

PERCEPTUAL CONSTANCY

Perceptual constancy refers to this tendency to perceive objects as relatively stable and unchanging
despite changing sensory information.Without this ability, we would find the world very confusing Once
we have formed a stable perception of an object, we can recognize it from almost any position, at all
most any distance, under almost any illumination.
1.Size constancy
The tendency to view an object as constant despite changes in the size of its image on the
retina/perception of the object as the same regardless of the distance from which it is viewed. Size
constancy depends partly on experience-information about the relative size of the object is stored in
memory and partly on distance cues.

2. Shape constancy
Shape constancy is the tendency to see an object as the same shape no matter what angle it is viewed
from. Eg. A dinner plate is perceived as a circle even when it is tiled and the retinal images are oval.

3. Brightness Constancy
Perception of brightness as the same, even though the amount of light reaching the retina changes. The
principle means that although the amount of light available to our eyes varies greatly; the perceived
brightness of familiar objects hardly varies at all. We perceive asheet of white paper as white whether
we see it in candle light or under a bright bulb.

4. Colour constancy
Inclination to perceive familiar objects are retaining their colour despite changes in sensory information.
If you own a red automobile, you will see it as red whether it is on a brightly lit street or in a dark garage,
where the small amount of light may send your eye a message that the colour is closer to brown or black
than red.