Perceptueal Organization

Gestalt Psychology
Gestalt means pattern in German
Gestalt Psychology originated in early XXth century: Max
Wertheimer (1880-1943), Wolfgang Khler (1887-1967) and
Kurt Koffka (1886-1941)
The basic principles underlying Gestalt psychology are
The whole is greater than the sum of the parts
The parts are defined by the whole as much as vice
versa
Gestalt psychologists are best known for their work in vision
but their principles are also applicable to auditory
perception.
They systematically developed a set of principles of
perceptual organisation (believed to be innate) that they
thought determine how we assemble or associate
components in a perceptual field
These principles are
The Law of Proximity: Stimulus elements that are closed
together tend to be perceived as a group

Also states that organization of individual element

into groups occurs on the basis of distance: the
nearer elements are to each other the more likely
they are to be perceived as a whole

 The Law of Similarity: Similar stimuli tend to be grouped,

this tendency can even dominate grouping due to
proximity

Demonstrated that the principle of similarity is

stronger than that of proximity.
The Law of Closure: Stimuli tend to be grouped into
complete figures

States that we tend to organize elements so that they

form simple, closed figures that are independent of
other continuation, similarity or proximity properties.
The Law of Continuity Stimuli tend to be grouped as to
minimize change or discontinuity

 States that elements will be organized into wholes I

they produce few interruptions or changes in
continuous line.
The Law of Symmetry: Regions bound by by
symmetrical boarders tend to be perceived as coherent
figures

States that the more symmetrical a figure is the more

likely is to be seen as a closed figure, and this
isolates it from the ground.
The Law Simplicity: Ambiguous stimuli tend to be
resolved in favor of the simplest

 Suggested by Hochberg and McAlister that our

perceptual processing systems organizes input into
the simplest possible interpretation.
These principles are much like heuristics, which are mental
shortcuts for solving problems.
Visual Scanning and Search
Visual Scanning
is the ability to actively find relevant information in our
surroundings quickly and efficiently.
refers to the pattern of fixations and saccades while an
individual is examining visual stimuli.

Other examples are:

 Spotting a certain person in a crowded restaurant or finding

a specific location on a map. Lack of visual scanning
reduces the speed and the accuracy of our reactions and
responses.
For example, when driving, insufficient scanning may cause
an accident or confront us with a dangerous situation.
At work, it may cause us to search our desks for a specific
paper for longer than necessary.
You are flying to Las Vegas for a vacation and you have to
catch a connecting flight. Your first flight was delayed, so you
barely have the time to make the connection. You SCAN the
flight departures board, locate the departure gate, and make
it just in time!
Visual Search
is a type of perceptual task requiring attention that typically
involves an active scan of the visual environment for a
particular object or feature (the target) among other objects
or features (the distractors).
can take place either with or without eye movements. The
ability to consciously locate an object (target) amongst a
complex array of stimuli (distractors) has been extensively
studied over the past 40 years.
Many visual search paradigms have used eye movements
as a means to measure the degree of attention given to
stimuli.

Perceptual
Organizing

and Visual
Scanning
Submitted by:
Mostajo, Arianne C.
Submitted to:
Dr. Japis
12/01/14